Adam Prudhomme
Editor
A tradition older than Canada itself returns Aug. 2-5 as the Lennox Agricultural Society hosts the 191st Napanee Fair.
From a midway to tractor pulls to competitions for all ages, the Fair has an appeal unlike any other community event.
“The volunteers and everyone that comes together to put on the fair, it amazes me every year how it all it works,” said Carol McKinley, who returns as president.
Always a big summer event for a rural community such as Napanee, the local fair endures in large part to a dedicated group of volunteers who work year round.
Part of what makes it so timeless is that it allows everyone from the community to showcase their skills and hobbies.
Information on the many exhibitor categories are available online at NapaneeFair.ca. They range from the popular baby show, grain seeds and hay, photography, needleworks and crafts, floricultural, children and teens and much more. Not only do those who exhibit have the chance at prize money, but they also gain access to the Fair all weekend long for the flat price of $10. Those who aren’t exhibiting can pay $10 daily or $25 for a weekend pass.
“There’s something for everyone,” said McKinley. “For the $10 you pay for an exhibitor pass, that exhibitor pass gets you into the fair all weekend. We encourage people to check out the fair book and see what they can do and then enjoy the fair all weekend.”
World’s Finest Shows will once again return with a selection of rides and games to line the midway. Advance sale ride bracelets are on sale now at Convenient Candy Shop for $36 until Aug. 1, located at 10 Dundas St. E, cash only. Bracelets sold at the fair are $40, which grants unlimited rides for the day.
For those not into rides-or just looking to catch some live entertainment, there’s always the classics. Heavy horse draws, lawnmower races, beef shows and the always popular demolition derby to wrap it all up on the Civic Holiday Monday (God love ya, as Elsie Dowdle would say). New this year will a junk run, along with the mini, full size and trucks.
Another completely new happening this year is a King and Queen of Strength event, which will take place Aug. 4 from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
This year’s live music will include county singer Robyn Scott on Aug. 3 at 7:30 p.m. and the rhinestone splendour of The Plowboys at 8 p.m. There’s also the Napanee Has Talent Show, which begins on the Friday evening.
In keeping with its agricultural roots, there will be a petting zoo and poultry displays throughout the weekend.
Noticeably absent this year will be the Lennox Agricultural Memorial Community Centre, which was lost to fire in October of last year. The building has been used as an administrative office and has hosted part of the Fair for decades.
“We’ve ran the fair for 191 times now and we didn’t have that community centre for all of that time frame so we’ve worked around that,” said McKinley. “It was great to have it but we certainly utilized it and it will be sad not to see it available this year.”
In a case of making the most of the situation, the area where the building once stood will be converted to additional parking for this year’s Fair. The long term plans for that area is often discussed, but as of yet the Agricultural Society is yet to finalize anything.
“No decisions have actually been made yet as to us rebuilding or not rebuilding yet,” said McKinley. “We are looking at all of our options. This is not a decision that we are going to make quickly because we are looking at all of our options.”