OAAS News – Metcalfe Fair
~ October 3rd and 6h, 2024 ~
The Metcalfe Fair, celebrating its heritage since 1856, returns from October 3rd to 6th, 2024, offering an exciting blend of agricultural displays, thrilling competitions, and family-friendly entertainment. As one of Ontario’s oldest fairs, it remains a significant event for the community, showcasing the region’s agricultural roots and modern attractions.
A highlight of the Metcalfe Fair is its Livestock and Horse Shows, where local farmers and breeders present their finest animals. The 4-H Regional Championship Show adds to the excitement, offering a platform for young farmers to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. In addition, the Metcalfe Fair provides Agricultural Education exhibits, allowing visitors to learn more about rural life and farming practices.
The adrenaline-filled Demolition Derby promises to be a crowd-pleaser, while the Step Dancing and Fiddling Competitions bring a lively cultural aspect to the Metcalfe Fair event. For those who enjoy traditional craftsmanship, the Homecraft Exhibits display a variety of handmade goods, including baking, textiles, and crafts. The Field Crops and Produce Exhibits further highlight the region’s agricultural excellence.
Antique Tractors and Machinery displays offer a nostalgic look at farming’s history, while the Horse Pull and Antique Tractor Demonstration Pull provide impressive demonstrations of strength and skill. The Garden Tractor Pull and Truck Pull add another layer of excitement for machinery enthusiasts, alongside the Classic Car and Hot Rod Show, which features an array of vintage vehicles.
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For families, Kidzland offers games and activities for children, and the Petting Farm allows kids to interact with friendly animals. The Robertson Amusements Midway brings the thrill of carnival rides and games, and the Entertainment Centre provides live performances to keep the whole family entertained.
With its diverse range of events and attractions, the Metcalfe Fair continues to be a beloved celebration of rural life and community spirit.
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 Metcalfe Fair
