OAAS News – Orillia Fall Fair
~ October 18th and 20th, 2024 ~
The Orillia Fall Fair, celebrating its remarkable 174th anniversary, returns from October 18th to 20th, 2024. This historic fair continues to be a cherished community event, bringing together people of all ages for a weekend filled with exciting activities, entertainment, and traditional agricultural displays.
Among the standout Orillia Fall Fair events is the adrenaline-pumping demolition derby, always a crowd favorite, along with thrilling truck and tractor pulls that showcase the power and skill of local competitors. The ambassador competition adds a touch of pageantry, as contestants vie for the title, representing the fair’s rich heritage and values.
Animal lovers will enjoy the Orillia Fall Fair various animal shows and exhibits, which highlight the region’s farming roots and provide an educational experience for all attendees. The Western Games bring a bit of country flair, featuring fast-paced, skillful equestrian events that are sure to captivate.
For families, the Orillia Fall Fair offers plenty of fun for children, including inflatables and the popular Children’s Farm Olympics, where kids can participate in hands-on farming activities and friendly competitions. Meanwhile, the vendor market provides a diverse selection of local goods, offering everything from crafts to delicious treats.
Orillia Fall Fair exhibits of homecrafts, baking, canning, vegetables, flowers, and crops allow local talents to shine, while also preserving the agricultural traditions that are at the heart of the Orillia Fall Fair. With live entertainment running throughout the weekend, the fair is a lively celebration that brings the community together in the spirit of fun and festivity.
Whether you’re looking for a thrilling demolition derby, unique shopping, or a taste of the region’s farming heritage, the Orillia Fall Fair promises an unforgettable weekend packed with activities for everyone.
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 Orillia Fall Fair
