Metcalfe’s Bourbonnais family, of the PanaLen Percherons, was the winner of the six-horse hitch in 2021. Driver Greg Bourbonnais takes a victory lap with fair president Andrea Taylor. (JIm McCuaig photo)
ONTARIO — The last two years have been a rollercoaster for Ontario’s agricultural fairs but it appears all have survived the pandemic and are ready to fully re-emerge this year. Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies (OAAS) Manager Vince Brennan told Farmers Forum that he’s not aware of any of the province’s 200-plus ag societies calling it quits.
“All of our agricultural societies are already planning their fairs and other events for 2022,” Brennan said. He pointed out that many fair organizers creatively came up with socially distanced activities in 2021, after the kiboshed season of 2020.
He lauded their resourcefulness in raising revenue to sustain operations during the pandemic. “The general feeling is that people are excited to have the opportu- nity to attend fairs and concerts and other community activities” this year, Brennan said, adding the pandemic has whipped up interest in gardening and other homecrafts that are the forté of Ontario fairs.
