Join the Vankleek Hill Agricultural Society for its 173rd annual Vankleek Hill Fair! Beginning on Thursday, August 17 and running until August 20, this year’s event will be a flurry of activities, shows, and community contests to the theme of “Celebrating the Past 150 Years — Embracing the Future.” Here are a few highlights of this year’s programming!
The fairgrounds will open at 9 am on Thursday, allowing entrants to the contests to bring their submissions to the Exhibit Hall until 11:30. The entries will be judged later that day. The midway opens at four o’clock. At 6:45 pm, the Hockey Circus Show will get underway at the grandstand.
Also taking place that evening is a parade, which will depart from the Vankleek Hill Community Centre and arrive at the fairgrounds at 7:30 pm; an hour later, the Combine Derby will be taking place. To round off the night, Kilts, Riffs & Spurs will be playing in the show barn.
On Friday, the Exhibit Hall and artisan displays will be open to the public from 9 am. At 10 am, the Heavy Horse line classes will take place at the grandstand at the same time as the Holstein Show in the South Centre Ring. The midway will open at 11 am every day for the rest of the fair.
A “home-cooked dinner” will be served at 11:30 am, followed by the PeeWee Showmanship classes at the South Centre Ring. Sheep shearing and wool spinning demonstrations will take place at intervals throughout the afternoon, beginning at 12 pm and 12:30 pm respectively. At 1 pm, there is a Seniors Variety Program in the green tent. Find Norm Campeau performing at the Show Barn from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm!
The Wild Horse Club’s Western Games take place in the Light Horse Ring at 6:30 pm, followed by the horse pull competition at 7 pm. Bacon Tree will perform in the Show Barn from 6 pm to 9 pm, quickly followed by Ambush. And from 4 pm to 9 pm, attend a dance party with a DJ in the green tent!
Then, on Saturday, enjoy a panoply of horse and cattle shows including an open Western Light Horse Show at 8 am, a 4-H Dairy Heifer show at 10, a Miniature Horse Show from 10 am to 4 pm, and the North American Six Horse Hitch Classic at 1 pm. There is another wool spinning demonstration at 10:30 am. And with a Kids’ Fest from 11 am to 3 pm, there’s something for everyone! Check out the Classic Championship Wrestling outside the green tent at 1:30. Plus, don’t miss the ever popular Demolition Derby at 7 pm! As for the entertainment, Nelson Colt will be playing at the Show Barn from 9 am to 1 pm, and The Stragglers end the day with a show from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
For the last day of the fair, the “6 in the Sticks” six-kilometre walk has been organized to benefit polycystic kidney disease. The walk will begin at the fairgrounds at 9 am. This is preceded by the English Light Horse Show at 8:30. Then, join an ecumenical church service at 10, or an antique equipment display beginning at the same time. There will be a volleyball tournament in the sand court at 11, as well as the Antique Tractor Pull at the grandstand. Kids’ Fest continues at the green tent from 11 to 3 pm.
As on Saturday, there will be Classic Championship Wrestling at 11, as well as at 2:30. Join Ross Creighton for another sheep shearing demonstration from 12 to 2:30 pm, as well as wool spinning from 12:30 to 2:30. See a beef show in the South East Ring at 1 pm. And at 3 pm, the RiQ Turner Band will begin a performance that continues until 7.
Of course, the Vankleek Hill Fair wouldn’t be complete without its many community exhibitions! From garden vegetables to baking to hay, the winners of each category will be exposed during the Fair.
If you’re planning on visiting the exhibits, expect to find some fascinating entries. Some examples of the categories are: “This Came Out of My Garden??” for funniest looking produce; “Tea With the Queen,” a floral arrangement in a cup and saucer; “Atlantic Canada,” a decorative arrangement of flowers and shells; “Family Feud,” for two family members baking the same item; a “Welcome to Canada” basket; and several junior categories, involving Canada-themed arts and crafts.
For more information on the Vankleek Hill Fair and to enter your work for exhibitions, visit vankleekhillfair.ca or pick up a fair book at a business on Main Street!
