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6 THE NEW TANNER THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1998 85th edition of Fall Fair is a family affair By FRANCES NIBLOCK The New Tanner The rich traditions of m- ral Ontario life -- fine live- stock, skillful home crafts and friendly competition -- will mix easily with a new emphasis on young families at the 85th edition of the Acton Fall Fair which runs September 18, 19 and 20. "The midway operator is bringing i in more kiddie rides and we'll have the petting zoo back again because there's been a bit of a baby boom and we have a lot more young kids coming to the fair," explained Acton Agri- cultural Society president Ron White in an interview on Sunday. White said the Society tries to avoid over-commer- cializing the fair while still offering events to compete with neighbouring fairs. "It's still a small town fair and it's billed as "One of the Best Little Fairs in Ontario. We' ve always tried to keep it as much agricultural as we can. A lot of fairs have stopped having cattle shows and just have demonstra- tions, but to me when you walk through the fair grounds, having the cattle at the back (of the fair grounds) there is part of the atmos- phere of the fair," White said. Fair favourites White, who takes a week- and-a-half off work to volun- teer at the fair, said his fa- vourite part of the weekend is the poultry barn where he began showing birds more than 20 years ago. "Eventually after a few years of showing birds I was asked to help with the fair and I've worked in the poul- try barn ever since so I al- ways spend a lot of time there. I also never miss the tractor pulls," White said, adding that the fair is a real social event, much like fairs were before the turn of the century. "J think a lot of people who come every year to the fair use it as kind of a reun- ion thing to catch up with people they haven't seen in a while. Everyone seems to come back to Acton for the fair -- I know I usually see people I went to school with 10 or 15 years ago and it's a great chance to stay in touch," White said. Along with the perennial favourites like the tractor pull, the livestock shows, home crafts exhibits and Education Day -- this year's features three performances of a lumberjack show includ- ing log sawing and pole climbing, a sheepdog herd- ing demonstration, crazy ca- noe races and the parade. Dan C. Dolliver ONTARIO LAND SURVEYOR Legal & Topographic Surveys 54 Mill St. E. \ e Tel. 853-2502 & sso aM Cyliniige Refill $1 O inal. . ost Tyler j Transat 319 tu6en St. E. Acton 50 24 Hour Service BN TOWING 853-5848 Custom Pipe Bending 17 Agnes St. Acton * Motorcycle Repairs ¢ Parts In Stock 3 Scott Masales (905) 702-0888 2 l Pepsi Cola $1.39 Ice $1.60 In the Glenlea Plaza Lic. Safety Inspection Stn. 853-0900 12488 - 5th Line, Limehouse Royal Jug City CONSTABLE RIODLE'S CORWER With Village Constable Bill Riddle Back to school safety rules It's back to school time! I know some of you parents (most) are very happy after a summer of the kids driving you crazy. I hope that this will bea year of safety for the boys and girls heading back to school and I would like parents to re- view all the safety rules with their children. 1. Look ALL ways before you cross the street. 2. WALK, don't run, when you cross the street. 3. Keep away from parked cars. 4. Where there are no sidewalks, walk facing the traffic. 5. Play your games in a safe place, away from traffic. 6. Drive your bicycle safely, away from traf- fic. 7. Wear your seatbelt at all times while riding in a car. PARENTS: PLEASE TEACH YOUR CHILD THE SAFETY RULES. RR. #1 Acton 853-0960 ROAD BUILDING EARTH MOVING STi A Fnecse aut Simply' the Best in Water SOMCNCTS SPECIAL WATER COOLERS ND CO ANON ETT 853-0757 Mitch Lajeunesse (Pane ee Te Braida & Henny BARRISTERS & SOLICITORS Serving the Community for 4o Years 67 Mill Street East Acton 853-1160 Preparations underway In the coming weeks a dedicated band of volunteers will begin turning Prospect Park into a fair grounds with miles of snow fencing, dis- play cases and bleachers. They will measure out the show rings, mark off the mid- way area and prepare the old arena for the home craft ex- hibits and special events. In the days before the fair ani- mal and poultry owners will begin moving their stock onto the grounds to be ready for Education Day on Friday when thousands of Halton school children visit the fair. This may be the last year that the Society uses the old arena for its Homecraft ex- hibits and special events be- cause the Town plans to de- molish the building after this fall's fair unless a local group's attempts to save the building are successful. White said they know the demolition is possible but are trying to concentrate on mak- ing this year's fair a success. "We're just happy to have it (the arena) for this year and will just kind of worry about it after this year's fair." At least 13,000 people, half of them from outside of Halton Hills, attend the fair each year. The fair has an annual budget of $100,000 and steady profits have al- lowed the Society to build an $80,000 nest egg. Revenues come mainly from gate at- tendance, entry and exhibi- tor fees, concession space rentals, gifts, donations and sponsorships. 546 Guelph St., Norval Complete Auto Service Siiaii Engine Repair Husqvarna Sale & Service (905) 702-1825 Robinson Motors Service At Its Best! McINTYRE FUELS LIMITED Sales « Service » Rentals « Installations 46 Mill St. E., Acton 853-0000 : Furnaces « Oil fired water heaters restaurant TESTE Automatic deivery of home heating els | Family Dining & Pizzeria [ { Full line of gas, diesel fuels & lubricants é andar CLO. Flowers say It Best!} 24 Hour Bumer Service RTE En nn EERO LS 853-0800 44 Young St. Acton 19-15 Mill Street East 853-0300 © . Fall Fair facts Agricultural societies have existed on Ontario since the early 1800s with a mandate to improving agriculture. This included importing superior livestock, sharing new crops seeds, farming methods and equipment, buying agricultural books and holding shows and exhibits which developed into the fall fairs that we know and love. Prizes were awarded the best livestock and also for the things like the best cheese, flannel, maple sugar and the best two acres of wheat, oats and peas. Over the years some fairs featured horse racing, freak shows, parades, entertainment, crop exhibits and baby and beauty competitions. _ While the objective of the agricultural societies was to improve agriculture, organizers quickly saw that there was money to be made by attracting the general public to the fairs. Increased revenue allowed them build permanent facilities for the fairs and to offer more prize money. The Halton County Agricultural Society formed in 1853 and held its first show in Milton. The Esquesing Society held its meetings and fair in Stewarttown. About 1875 the fair was moved from Stewarttown to Georgetown with the first show being held in the present fair grounds in 1889. The event was then a township fair and was held in alternate years in Acton and Georgetown. The last joint fair was held in Acton in 1908. Acton's fair years 1913 -- The first solely Acton fair was held and billed as being "open to the world." Prize money that year totalled $800. 1915 -- Cars were admitted to the Prospect Park fair grounds for the first time. 1916 -- The first school children's 1919 -- The first beauty contest was staged. 1921 -- The first baby show was held. They ran until 1953 and were reintroduced in 1965. 1930 -- The new cattle ties were built and'ttie arena was completed. 1933 -- The first poultry show was held. 1956 -- Ninety contestants entered the Central Canada Junior Pumpkin championship. 1958 -- Women formed their own organization and be- gan to play a leading role in the fair. 1963 -- The 50th anniversary of the fair featured the first Miss Acton contest. 1974 -- The profitable beer tent opened for first time. 1990 -- Education Day was first held for Halton school- age children. 1993 -- Stage shows at the front gate offered more enter- tainment. > parade was held. =THeE SMOKE SHOPPE- 56 Mill St. East, Acton Unit A 853-0411 Serving Acton for Over 25 Years Tobacco, Lotteries, Used Books (on the United Church parking lot)