Good things are happening at the Harriston-Minto Fall Fair on Sept. 15, 16 and 17. In addition to new attractions, exhibits and trade show participants will be ready for viewing as usual Friday at 6pm. The fair will officially open Friday at 7pm in the arena followed by the popular pie and pork auctions and the lawn mower races outside at the derby site.
In the auditorium, Val E. Joy will be entertaining the youngsters with her clown show.
New on Saturday will be a ball hockey tournament for ages 8 to 10, 11 to 13 and 14 to 16. Also new is the Bubbleology Show, Movie Night at the Crown Theatre for the children. For the adults, local band Big Wheels will be entertaining at Pub Night in the auditorium.
After the Sunday morning Breakfast at the Fair, a Soap Box Derby will take place on the main street, downtown Harriston with assistance from the Wellington Junior Farmers, Harriston Kinsmen and Minto Youth Action Council. The popular Demolition Derby will also be running that afternoon.
More information and registration forms can be found on our website at www.harristonmintofair.ca
The most significant change at this year’s fair is that there will be no midway.
“In past years different midway companies have been invited to set up at our event at no cost to the Ag. Society,” organizers state in a July 31 press release. “Up until 2016, the Harriston-Minto Ag. Society received a small percentage of midway profits for allowing them to attend our event. As operation costs have increased, midway owners make less profit at small fairs. It is now a very common practice for other Ag. Societies to pay thousands of dollars to have a midway at their fair. Few people realize that these midways then take even more thousands of dollars out of the community from ticket sales,” agricultural society officials state.
This year, the board of Harriston-Minto Agricultural Society has chosen to fund a variety of bouncy castles geared for different ages. With the purchase of a bracelet, a child will be able to have unlimited access to all age-appropriate castles for the day.
“Hopefully this will ease some of the expense for families and increase the enjoyment of attending our fair,” officials state.
Revenue from bracelet sales will help offset the expense of this entertainment.
Another change involves the Sunday Car Show. The cars will be on display under the trees and on pavement where the midway used to be set up. The castles will be on grass inside the ball diamond all day Saturday and Sunday.
More information about this year’s Harriston-Minto Fall Fair can be found in the fair book, on at www.harristonmintofair.ca, on Facebook or Twitter, or call the secretary at 519-338-5566 or president at 519-327-8053.
