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124th annual Powassan Fall Fair stays true to its roots

'I think it is important that the younger children learn where our food comes from, where our roots are' Dorothy Dunn attending the fair

The 124th Powassan Fall Fair, presented by the Powassan Agricultural Society, continued a long-standing Labour Day weekend tradition. 

The two-day fair began with a parade and opening ceremonies, followed by live music, wildlife artifacts, and interactive activities, heavy horse pulls, inflatables for the kids, a demolition derby on the Sunday and vendors throughout the weekend.

Over at the poultry and rabbit show, Nancy McMurdy from Warren east of Sudbury holds her award-winning English Angora rabbit.

Her French Angora rabbit won for the best rabbit in its category and best overall.

“So, she’s a good rabbit here today,” laughed McMurdy who has been raising Angoras for the past seven years.       

“I wanted something in my barn that was different, so I got my first Angora and now I have 10 and I show them all over Ontario. I love coming to little fairs and big fairs like the Royal. I’m an educator and I love people learning about Angora’s.”

 McMurdy takes the fur and spins it into something wearable.

“I use a drop spindle. It is a type of ancient spindle that you can take with you anywhere. It spins a bit at a time unlike a wheel which I haven’t learned to spin on yet,” explained McMurdy.

“I spin up my angora and knit it or crochet it into something that requires draping like a shawl or scarf and I do a lot of trim on winter gloves.  Angora doesn’t have a lot of memory like sheep’s wool does so you can’t really use it for hats or mittens, things that you want to go back to its original shape.”

Parents were lined up with their little ones to talk to McMurdy about the animals and to see the varieties of award-winning poultry, no doubt creating memories for the youngsters.

Older folks recall those times when they brought their own children to the fair.  

“When my kids were younger, they used to enter stuff into the fair from school and over the summer, but they’re all grown up now,” laughed Cathy Coughlin.

“This is the first time I’ve been here in a few years, and it is nice.”

Dorothy Dunn has lived in Powassan for over 60 years and the fair was always something her family looked forward to attending before heading back to school.  

“I enjoy the exhibits. I really enjoy looking at the kid’s items that they made. I think that is the best part for me anyway,” said Dunn.

“I was raised on a farm, so I really feel that farming is an important part of our society. Powassan is a big farming area. I think it is important that the younger children learn where our food comes from, where our roots are.”

Wanda Aultman is a member of the Powassan Agricultural Society which works hard to organize the fair.  

“Our heavy horse pulls are really built up this year. We have about a dozen teams. We usually get 6 to 7. Our exhibit building is always popular. We’ve got a good showing this year with the kid's exhibits which is nice. And of course, we have the judging for different things like flowers, quilts, knitted items, preserves, baked goods and vegetables, things like that. We cover pretty much everything,” said Aultman.

“We also have a poster competition for the kids. If they win at this level, then it goes up to the next level up. We’re part of District 11, which is 16 fairs, and the winner proceeds to our Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies convention.”  

It is a small volunteer base that puts on the two-day event.

“Next year is our 125th, so we want to do a big show, but we need people to get behind it and help with the organizing,” said Aultman.   

“We would really like to see some of the younger generation volunteering so we can make it even bigger and better.”