Parham Fair celebrates the past and looks to the future

Jeff Green | Aug 09, 2017

This year the Parham Fair is running on Saturday and Sunday, August 18 and 19.
Saturday is a traditional Fair Day. The Palace displays, featuring contest entries in dozens of categories from baking to zucchini, as well as crafts and much more, open at 10am. So does the Tryon Farm petting zoo and vendors alley. The 4H cattle show starts up at the same time and runs until noon.

Fair games start up at 1:00, the opening ceremonies are set for 2:30 and the horse pull follows at 3.
Entertainers Magoo (who will do a Children’s Show and a songwriting workshop) and the Zack Teal band take place in the late afternoon and early evening, and the midway runs all day and into the night. It promises to be a long, active day at the Parham Fair.

On Sunday the Palace show runs again, as does vendor’s alley and at 10:30 the best dressed cowboy/girl contest starts up, and the pet show begins at 11:00. At 1:30 the demolition derby returns to the Parham Fair.
This year’s fair also includes the debut of a new video by former Fair President Wendy Parliament. The video is a 125th anniversary project featuring interviews with people who have been integral to Parham and the fair over the years. The video also features interviews with a new generation of farmers who have been taking a whole new path to success in a changing marketplace. This combination of the farming tradition and a new generation is being seen on the fair board as well this year. A new board, including chair Sharon Shepherd, and executive members Owen Tryon, Mark Howes and Theresa Hicks and a dozen directors, has stepped forward to ensure that the oldest and longest running event in Frontenac continues on.

The best way for residents and visitors alike to enjoy the fair is to come out and have a good time on August 19 and 20. For further information about the Fair, go to Parhamfair.ca.
The Parham Fair is also one of the featured events on the Frontenac-Five web page in August. Check out Frontenac-live.ca/events/frontenac-five