OAAS News – Walkerton Little Royal Fair
~ October 18th and 20th, 2024 ~
The Walkerton Little Royal Fair, celebrating its 170th anniversary from October 18th to 20th, 2024, is one of the region’s most beloved fall events. With this year’s theme, “Pumpkin Wishes & Harvest Kisses,” the fair is packed with activities, entertainment, and displays that celebrate the harvest season and bring the community together for a weekend of festive fun.
The Walkerton Little Royal Fair offers an exciting lineup of events for all ages, including the Pet Show and the always popular Kids Tractor Pull, where young participants can showcase their strength and enthusiasm. Families can also enjoy the Midway, offering thrilling rides and games, as well as the Kids Scavenger Hunt, sure to keep little ones entertained throughout the day.
Horse enthusiasts are in for a treat with the 4 Horse Hitch Draft, English and Western Horse Show, and the Draft and Commercial Horse Show, displaying the strength and grace of both horses and their skilled riders. The Saddle Show further highlights the equestrian events that are central to the Walkerton Little Royal Fair’s traditions.
The Canine Circus is another major attraction, where talented dogs perform incredible tricks, bringing smiles and laughter to the audience. Live entertainment throughout the weekend keeps the energy high, offering music and performances for everyone to enjoy.
Walkerton Little Royal Fair exhibits showcase the best of local agriculture, crafts, and home arts, while the Field to Fork Display educates visitors about the journey of food from farms to tables, emphasizing the importance of local farming.
With a wide variety of activities, exhibits, and entertainment, the Walkerton Little Royal Fair is a wonderful celebration of fall, bringing together the charm of rural traditions with fun-filled events that everyone in the community can enjoy.
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 Walkerton Little Royal Fair
