The hot and steamy summer season is slowly giving way to autumn weather, and so it’s fitting that the Meaford & St. Vincent Fall Fair was held on Saturday, September 5 at the Fair Grounds and Curling Club on Collingwood Street.
This was the 169th edition of the Meaford & St. Vincent Fall Fair, which each year showcases this community’s agricultural heritage.
The Fall Fair is an excellent way to celebrate the end of summer, and it is a sign that October will soon be here, as will the end of the harvest season.
The modern fall fair might face a greater challenge attracting attention in this technological era, but those who ventured out to enjoy the event on Saturday know that sometimes it just feels good to get back to basics, back to our roots, and to enjoy some old-fashioned fun at the fall fair.
The Fall Fair was one of the first events I attended in my newly adopted home of Meaford more than 20 years ago, and it was a great way to quickly gain an appreciation for the rich agricultural heritage that is to be found in the Municipality of Meaford and the surrounding area.
The Fall Fair is a celebration of not just our agricultural heritage but our agricultural present, and it provides a small snapshot into our agricultural future. From livestock to produce, the Fall Fair captures the agricultural activity in our area. And while that level of activity is impressive, the average age of our farmers is inching ever higher, and there has long been a concern about who will replace them. That said, it was nice to see so many youth involved in the fall fair, showing off their livestock, with proud parents and grandparents looking on.
Like virtually every public event that we love, the fall fair is made possible by the hard work and dedication of volunteers. So, many thanks to those volunteers, who put in many hours behind the scenes in order to make the fall fair an enjoyable experience for all each year.
Volunteers can never be thanked enough in my opinion. With each event that takes place, I see a team of volunteers giving their time and energy in order to create some fun for all to enjoy.
Now that this year’s Meaford & St. Vincent Fall Fair is complete, our attention will turn to the upcoming Meaford International Film Festival, as well as perhaps the most anticipated local event each year, the Scarecrow Invasion & Family Festival.
With students now back in school, and with figure skating and hockey seasons knocking on our door, along with the holiday shopping season fast approaching, many parents have some busy months ahead, so it is always nice to have some events to enjoy, either as a break from the kids or as a family affair.
This week we will see scarecrows pop up all over town, hanging from lamp posts and clustered into creative displays in preparation for this year’s Scarecrow Invasion & Family Festival to be held on October 2, with the traditional parade through town to the Rotary Harbour Pavilion where the festival itself is held.
Before we know it, the downtown and harbour area will be transformed with corn stalks, hay bales, and of course many fun and creative scarecrows, again thanks to the hard work of volunteers.
Before the Scarecrow festivities, Meaford Hall will be host to the 20th edition of the Meaford International Film Festival, taking place from September 25 to 27. Movie buffs have enjoyed this event for the past two decades, and I am sure this year’s event will be no different. With six award-winning films along with the evening dinners prepared by local restaurants, MIFF is a unique event that has stood the test of time, and continues to create a buzz in this community each year.
The month of September will also see the final Breakfast at Riverside for the season (September 13), and the beginning of the Goldenaires Women’s Choir fall session (September 15), as they prepare for their winter concert which will be held on Sunday, December 6, at 2 p.m., at Meaford United Church. We are also nearing the end of the season for the Meaford Farmers’ Market which will hold its final market day at the Rotary Harbour Pavilion on Friday, October 9.
Big or small, there is always something happening in this community.
So there is plenty of fun to be had in the Municipality of Meaford before those frigid winter months arrive, so make the most of the weeks to come. In the midst of all of that autumn fun, we also have Thanksgiving to celebrate, and a municipal election to be held on October 26, so wherever you might be, and whatever events you might attend between now and October 26, you are likely to find a candidate or two shaking hands and attempting to gather support for their campaigns.
