OAAS News – Bolton Fall Fair
~ September 20th to 22nd, 2024 ~
The Bolton Fall Fair, celebrating its 166th year from September 20th to 22nd, 2024, promises a weekend packed with family fun, agricultural exhibits, and exciting entertainment. As one of Ontario’s long-standing fall fairs, it continues to draw visitors from far and wide, offering a blend of tradition and modern attractions that appeal to all ages.
A standout feature is the Bolton Fall Fair Midway, which opens early on Thursday night with a special Toonie Night from 6 pm to 10 pm, providing affordable fun for thrill-seekers. With rides for all ages and plenty of carnival games, the Midway is sure to be a hit with families and friends looking for an evening of excitement.
The Bolton Fall Fair will also feature the popular Kiddie Pedal Tractor Pull, where young participants can test their strength and determination in a fun and friendly competition. For animal lovers, the Petting Zoo and Livestock Demos offer hands-on opportunities to interact with farm animals and learn about their care. The 4-H Dairy Show is a highlight for local youth, showcasing their hard work in raising and presenting dairy cattle.
On Saturday morning, fairgoers can enjoy a hearty Pancake Breakfast, a perfect way to start the day before exploring the rest of the Bolton Fall Fair. The Rawhide Rodeo brings a taste of the Wild West to Bolton, featuring thrilling rodeo performances that include bull riding, barrel racing, and roping events.
No fall fair would be complete without a Demolition Derby, and Bolton Fall Fair’s is always a crowd favorite. The sound of metal crashing and engines roaring will bring adrenaline-fueled excitement as drivers compete in this high-octane event.
With its blend of agricultural showcases, family-friendly activities, and thrilling entertainment, the Bolton Fall Fair continues to be a cherished event, celebrating both its history and the vibrant community it serves.
History of Agricultural Fairs
Fairs are almost as old as recorded history. There were two types of ancient fairs: trade shows and festivals. From the biblical “Fairs of Tyre” to Sturbridge Fair in medieval England, fairs were used as market places and carnivals. In the 1700’s the British crossed the agricultural improvement society with the traditional trade fair/carnival and agricultural fairs were born.
These agricultural fairs were transplanted to the colonies by the earliest British settlers. The concept of fairs soon flourished in agrarian North America. In Canada, the first agricultural society was formed in 1765 in Nova Scotia. Ontario followed suit in 1792 with the Agricultural Society of Upper Canada based at Niagara on the Lake. From the Ontario strongholds, the concept of agricultural fairs spread west with the first settlers.
After a few false starts, the system of agricultural societies and their fairs spread all over Ontario in the 1800’s. They were organized by county and township and at one time numbered over 500 in Ontario alone. While agricultural societies used many methods (of varying success) to improve agriculture and the rural lifestyle, they’re most enduring and endearing legacy was the agricultural fair. Industrial exhibitions and festivals came and went, but the fairs just carried on. Fairs soon became an ingrained part of Ontario’s (and indeed Canada’s) culture. They still are, in our society.
Ontario Fairs have changed since their inception, but they still carry on their mandate of promoting agriculture and the rural lifestyle.
Want to see modern tradition meet the modern world? Attend a fair!
Click HERE to visit the Bolton Fall Fair
