Jeff Green | May 27, 2020


First it was the Parham Agricultural Society. At a meeting on May 21, the board met and decided that instead of holding a two day Fair on August 21st and 22nd at the Parham Fairgrounds, they can fulfil their mandate differently this year.

“The mandate of the PAS is to support agriculture through education and building community. We will continue to do just that this summer. Last night, it was decided that the Parham Fair for 2020 will proceed as a Virtual Fair. As an Ag society, and as neighbours, we believe in this community, and unanimously felt that it was important to continue this year however we could. The Parham Fair will continue – it’s just going to look (a lot!) different this year. What stays the same is also the most important – supporting our local farmers and neighbours,” is part of what the Fair board posted in their Facebook page on May 22nd.

The 128th year of the Parham Fair will be unlike any of the preceding years. 

Using social media, the Frontenac News, teleconferencing and the postal system, activities will be taking place throughout the summer. Main events and contest winners will be broadcast during the Fair weekend of August 21-22.

“Look forward to pet shows, farm tours, photography contests, socially-distanced games, best cowboy & cowgirl contest (with *NEW* categories for teens & adults!), and more,” the post continues.

“We are in a lucky position in comparison to many other fairs in Ontario, because our site is owned and maintained by the township [Central Frontenac]. A lot of other fairs rely on rentals and the revenue from their fairs to cover site costs on properties they own,” said Ag Society Vice President Haley Rose. “We can run events all summer to celebrate and support local farms and the community, and not worry too much about finances.”

At a meeting on May 25th , the Maberly Agricultural Society made the “difficult decision to cancel the Maberly Fair, which was to be held on Aug. 29” said a release from the Society on May 26.

“The fair board decided it was better to err on the side of caution and the risk was too great to the public during this time of Covid-19.  The safety of our own volunteers and visitors to our fair were of primary concern” the release continued. “We have faith that the Maberly Fair will return in 2021 and with its agriculturally based roots and end of summer celebration it will thrive once again.”

The fair board has not completely given up on 2020. They are tentatively planning to hold their annual “Pie in the Sky” event on July 4th, with a few changes to incorporate social-distancing.

In order to run “Pie in the Sky”, the current limits on gatherings (5 people, socially distanced) will have to be altered by the provincial government, however.

“We encourage people to follow our website at www.maberlyfair.ca or our Facebook page to keep current with our activities in the coming months,” said the Maberly Ag Society release.

The 2020 Maberly Fair would have been the 138th annual edition of the “greatest little agricultural fair in Ontario”.   

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