Adam Prudhomme
Editor
A midway, deep-fried food, tractors, the demolition derby and farm animals on display-the 190th Napanee Fair will check all the boxes.
Running from Aug. 4-7, the Civic weekend tradition is back in full force with all the favourites plus a couple of new attractions. Among those new features is a community centre for young kids who may need a break from the fair atmosphere, complete with activities.
The barns will again stocked with the many breeds of chickens and cows, an attraction that was noticeably missing in 2022.
“We brought back a bunch of animals this year and I think that was the one thing that was really missing last year, all of the animals in the different barns,” said Carol McKinley, this year’s Napanee Fair president. “We have lots of agricultural animals for all to see.”
The midway was busy throughout the weekend at the 189th Napanee Fair. Photo by Adam Prudhomme.
The fun gets started Friday at 4 p.m. with exhibit judging, a truck and large tractor pull, opening ceremonies and the Napanee Has Talent Show. On Saturday the good times keep rolling from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. with the open horse and pony show, dairy goat open show, mini fair ambassador and a country music concert. Sunday will feature the baby show, youth beef showmanship, miniature horse show, commercial and horse wagons, open beef show, pony pull and the heavy horse draw. Monday wraps it all up with the always-popular demolition derby.
Each day the Lennox and Addington District Women’s Institute will host a tea party from 2 to 4 p.m.
Last year saw the fair return after a brief hiatus due to the pandemic-and the large attendance figures show it was dearly missed.
McKinley is expecting to see another large crowd this year and hopes to more people will showcase their talents in some of the many judged competitions that will be running throughout the weekend.
“The fair book is full of different categories that you can enter in the fair,” said McKinley. “To do that is $10. With those different categories you can win prize money to maybe get your $10 back, but that exhibitor pass that you get will get you in and out of the gate all weekend. So basically for $10 you can get in and out of the gate all weekend and enjoy all the aspects of the fair and you might win prize money to get some of your money back.”
The fair book can be found online by visiting www.NapaneeFair.com.
The Lennox Agricultural Society hosts the fair, which is a dedicated team of about 60 volunteers who make the event, which includes as many moving parts as an antique tractor, runs smoothly. They’re always seeking new members.
“I think some people think the fair is something that we throw together two or three months before the fair but literally the day that fair closes, we’re planning the next one. It’s a year-long project for sure,” said McKinley.