Feature Article August 26, 2004
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The 112th Parham Fairby Karyl Waldie
The people of Parham must be among the best-living people around, because they were blessed with perfect weather for the three full days of their New Parham Fair. On Saturday, from the time we were competently directed to our parking site by Mark Howes and Jack Maracle, we were caught up in the fun and sometimes serious events of the day.
Walking from the parking lot we came upon the Pony Musical Tires competition for kids 10 years and under. A course of tires had been laid out and pony and rider had to navigate these to the judges satisfaction. We were on time to watch for awhile and see Melissa Asselstine win first prize.
The Fairs opening ceremonies took place late Friday afternoon, followed by a well-attended Antique Tractor Pull and entertainment by the Olde Tyme Fiddlers in the evening, and events continued at a great pace until the Fair ended Sunday evening. After three years of doing without, this year a midway was added to the site, and several rides at $1.50 a pop, including that heart-stopping, gut-wrenching Tilt-a-Whirl thrilled the young (and sometimes older) folk. The shooting galleries did a good business and cotton candy was in great evidence both in bags and adorning little faces.
I liked the Light Horse Pull on Saturday afternoon with all those gorgeous horses, and, along with hundreds of other fans, watched the whole competition. The stands and area around the arena were full of spectators. Eight teams of two pulled ever-increasing weights of cement blocks, over dirt, as far as they could. After much cheering, stomping, dust clouds and clanking of hitching rigs, the competition was won by a team of beautiful Belgian horses named Blaze (10 years) and Sparkie (5 years) owned by Kenny and Glenna Greer from Mountain, and driven by Kenny. The horses won by pulling a weight of 9,400 pounds. Glenna told me that the horses train each evening for about an hour, are only used as show horses, and sometimes on a tarmac can pull 12,000 pounds. They take in about 30 shows a year. They certainly dont do it for the money I found when prizes were distributed, but for the trophy and the fun of winning the pull. The cash prize is only nominal.
I was really impressed by the organizational abilities of those who had laid out the plan for the fairground. While several events were going on all the time, at the same time, nothing seemed so crowded you couldnt stop and watch. We saw sack races and displays of farm machinery and fish-bobbing and other horse events, to name a few, all going on simultaneously.
Feeling quite peckish after about 4 hours of watching and picture-taking, we trundled over to the food area where members of both the St. James Anglican and Parham United churches were serving up sausages, hot dogs, hamburgers and pie as fast as they could. During the course of the day I had some of each and everything was delicious.
No Fair would be complete without its displays of crafts, preserves and produce, and the array in The Palace Exhibit Hall sure measured up to my expectations. From chili sauce, preserves and conserves to student entries of nature studies and stories, to vegetables (including the biggest cabbage Ive ever had the pleasure of meeting, submitted by Mark Hamilton of Godfrey) to sheaves of wheat and oats, it was all there. I was particularly drawn to a quilt entered by Jean Smith of Parham called Fancy Quilting, which won a first prize by the way, because it was a pattern my grandmother favoured and I am the proud possessor of one of hers.
We were really overwhelmed by the beauty of the exotic fowl on display by both Wendy Moreton and Frank Goodfellow. Wendys toffee-colour Polish Rooster with its lions mane of feathers was a beautiful sight as was Franks huge and gorgeous Leghorn.
The fair certainly didnt lack for musical entertainment, what with the Olde Tyme Fiddlers entertaining on Friday night, local talent and gospel sings all Saturday afternoon and the talented and famous Abrams Family entertaining us on Saturday evening.
Organizers were happy with both of the new events which took place on Sunday, the lawnmower races and the demolition derby. They were exceptionally well attended, both by participants and spectators; indeed the whole area of the main show ring was a sea of people watching the demolition derby on Sunday afternoon. I swear these drivers have no fear! And certainly the cars (if they can be so described) are there to be demolished. And were! There were several heats and several classes, but the whole idea was to beat all opposition into submission until there was only one wreck left semi-mobile no bumpers and often only one wheel draggin, but able to crab along. That intrepid driver won the trophy. It was all very fast and very thrilling to the crowd, and there were lots of entries. I saw Casey Pringle win a first and Timmy Smith of Plainfield win a second, but I couldnt keep up with all the winners and car numbers. Which proves there were a lot of them on the field at any given time.
I was talking with Kathleen Goodfellow, who, along with her family and several other area families have worked at, directed and organized the Fair for five generations. Wow! We watched and listened to the demolition derby for awhile and she feels its a good thing, though noisy, because it brings the crowds. Which it surely did!
Congratulations to the organizers and all the volunteers who made the New Parham Fair the outstanding 3-day event that it was.
