Agricultural fairgrounds are more than just a place where the community gathers once a year to showcase and celebrate local agriculture. They are year-round showplaces and event venues that agricultural societies take great care to keep looking attractive. For several years, the Vankleek Hill Agricultural Society and the Vankleek Hill and District Horticultural Society have been cooperating to ensure the Vankleek Hill Fairgrounds look attractive between the fair and the other events which take place there throughout the year.
Members of the horticultural society regularly gather to maintain the gardens at the fairgrounds.
According to Audrey Dumoulin of the Agricultural Society’s Beautification Committee, trees on the property have died or were removed due to storm damage in recent years, and the society wants to ensure there is future, natural shade on the site so visitors have an attractive place to stay cool on warm days in the future. In 2024, the Vankleek Hill Fair is celebrating 180 years, and the agricultural society is planting more trees at the fairgrounds as a way of ensuring there is attractive, natural shade in the future, but also to celebrate the fair’s anniversary.
“We need shade trees,” Dumoulin said.
The Agricultural Society’s Beautification Committee is now in its 11th year. Dumoulin said that Gaynor Albright is responsible for most of the groundskeeping at the fairgrounds. Albright makes sure the grounds always look tidy and mows the acres of grass.
“He keeps it looking like his own backyard,” remarked Dumoulin.
A flowering crabapple tree at the fairgrounds had to be removed after being seriously damaged in the big windstorm that hit the area in May 2022.
Over the years, flowers and shrubs have been planted around the buildings, and beside the monument and flagpole fronting County Road 10. People from outside the agricultural society have contributed time and items to beautify the site. Dale Clare and Monika Johnson have donated items that have accentuated the landscape of the grounds, and artist Jill Crosby’s talent is displayed on the walls of one of the small buildings. The 4-H club has also donated a spruce tree planted on the property.
Dumoulin said the Vankleek Hill Agricultural Society will be welcoming donations from organizations and individuals towards the purchase of new trees for the fairgrounds as it prepares to purchase and plant them this fall.
The 2024 Vankleek Hill Fair takes place from August 15 to 28.
