OAAS News – Glencoe Fair
~ September 20th and 21st, 2024 ~
The Glencoe Fair, celebrating its 176th anniversary, will take place from September 20th and 21st, 2024, offering a weekend filled with tradition, entertainment, and fun for all ages. Established in 1848, the Glencoe Fair has become a beloved community event that showcases the region’s agricultural roots while providing modern entertainment for visitors.
A standout attraction is the Glencoe Fair Midway, offering an exciting array of rides and games that will thrill both kids and adults. For the little ones, the Kids Zone will provide hours of entertainment with engaging activities designed just for them. Families can also enjoy strolling entertainment throughout the fairgrounds, adding a touch of whimsy and surprise to the experience.
The Glencoe Fair is also packed with action. The Demolition Derby promises high-octane thrills as competitors smash their way to victory, always a crowd favorite. The Great Canadian Lumberjacks show will add a unique twist to the festivities, with impressive feats of strength and skill that highlight Canada’s rich logging history.
Agricultural events remain at the heart of the Glencoe Fair, with the Open Sheep Show, Heavy Horse Show, and Open Beef Show offering visitors the chance to see top livestock and horses in competition. These events celebrate the hard work of local farmers and breeders, showcasing the best of the region’s agricultural community.
Live entertainment will keep the energy high throughout the weekend, and the Outdoor Beer Gardens provide a relaxing spot to enjoy local brews while taking in the festive atmosphere. The weekend will close with the lively Glencoe Fair Dance, giving everyone a chance to celebrate and enjoy music with friends and family.
With its blend of agricultural showcases, thrilling competitions, and family-friendly activities, the Glencoe Fair is a must-visit event that brings the community together in celebration of tradition and fun.
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 Glencoe Fair
