By Barb Brouwer
Contributor
Anticipation is growing in the office of the Salmon Arm and Shuswap Lake Agricultural Society office.
The 123rd Salmon Arm Fair will be back on the fairgrounds Sept. 9 to 11, with familiar favourites and some brand new features.
“I think it’s gonna be exciting,” said fall fair manager Jim McEwan, pointing out how enthusiastic organizers are about welcoming families and friends back to the fair whose theme this year is We’ve Got a Good Thing Growing.
“One I’m really interested in is Buckerfield’s Urban Agriculture program, which is new.”
McEwan said the program is part of a new educational series that will be a combination of hands-on workshops and lecture sessions, all focused on urban agriculture.
“There is a strong interest on the subject and our community leaders are promoting the subject of sustainability, food security and backyard food sources,” he added. “There seems to be a lot more interest around things that are happening in people’s yards.”
The mini chuckwagons will not be part of the fair this year, but in their place will be Abbotsford’s West Coast Thunder. This women’s mounted drill team has been wowing rodeo and fair crowds with their choreographed routines for years and will perform three shows over the three days.
“West Coast Thunder is considered to be one of the more professional teams on the circuit,” says McEwan noting the 14 to 16 members of the team vary in age from teens to seniors. “They will be available to answer questions for people who are interested in starting their own team.”
Another new and highly anticipated attraction will be jousting by Ontario’s Knights of Valour, who have appeared on a variety of television channels. Jousting originated in medieval times and was popular from the 13th to 16th century in Europe.
“This is full-contact jousting, literally in heavy suits of armour,” McEwan said, noting fairgoers will be able to examine the various components of the armour. “We will have a few special events tied in with this and there will be a draw for front-row seats so people can be kings and queens for a day and literally feel the thunder as they joust.”
The ever-popular Superdogs will be back as will the heavy horse pull.
Read more: Salmon Arm Fair attendance best in 10 years
Read more: 30 years of ROOTSandBLUES: Volunteer reflects on festival’s humble beginnings
“Local folks help organize this and will bring teams in from around the region,” said McEwan. “Watching these gentle giants go through their routines is pretty spectacular.”
Another weighty subject will be considered with a fun project to support the local branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association. In Pulling Together, teams will pull antique firetrucks 100 feet, with the fastest team winning.
“We’re talking about people getting together, having some laughs and getting bragging rights – and a large trophy for the winner,” McEwan said, noting businesses, organizations and private individuals are invited to enter teams by going online to salmonarmfair.com.
The BC Dairy Association is teaming up with the fair, Blackwell Dairy Farm and D Dutchman Dairy to offer “golden tickets” to the first 200 children who arrive on site on Saturday and Sunday morning. Kids who qualify on Saturday will be able to redeem their tickets for a chocolate milk from Blackwell Dairy and the first 200 kids on Sunday will trade their tickets in for an ice cream cone from D Dutchman.
Lots of fun events will play out in the Kids’ Zone: a watermelon eating contest, rubber chicken toss, free outdoor family movies, DeMille’s petting zoo, Quality Farms Hatch a Chick and spin art and bouncy castle.
Favourite food vendors will return and adults will be able to grab a burger and a beverage in The Watering Hole, located close to the main stage.
As always, the arena will be home to a wide variety of entries and vendors.
By going online to salmonarmfair.com, festival goers can sign up to enter an item in a wide variety of categories, get more information and purchase tickets for the fair and the midway that provide a QR code for their cell phones.
“This year, we are producing a mobile app where we can list all activities, attractions, events and maps so you can have all the information you need in the palm of your hand,” said McEwan, noting fairgoers will also receive pop-up notices of events that are about to take place at the fair.
newsroom@saobserver.net
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