The 115th annual Priddis & Millarville Fair is just around the corner.
Taking place at the Millarville Racetrack grounds on Aug. 20 and 21, this year’s event will offer the complete experience. The event was scaled back last year and held virtually the year before that.
Volunteer chair Suzanne Sills said this year's theme is Country Fun for Everyone.
“We’ve got so many fun things this year,” Sills said, adding organizers have included activities and displays for people of all ages. Everything from farm animals to birds of prey to exhibits and competitions will be available for spectators to enjoy.
Animal shows will feature cattle and sheep, along with 100 dairy goats in the goat show and 70 birds in the poultry show.
There will be a chance to get up close to farm animals in the display garden. The animals are farm pets who don’t mind being touched and patted, Sills said.
Bench displays in the arena will feature everything from horticulture and fibre arts to baking and woodworking.
“We have over 300 people who have registered to have their exhibits judged,” she said.
English, western and gymkhana horse shows are scheduled, but the gymkhana event takes place on Friday due to the busy schedule.
“Saturday’s a jam-packed day,” Sills said.
On Saturday, the Millarville Farmers' Market will go ahead alongside the fair. Sunday will see extra children’s events like roping and barrel racing on stick horses, among others.
They complement the make-and-take activities like rock painting, cookie decorating, beading and fibre arts which are held all weekend.
The fair is co-hosted by the Millarville Racing and Agricultural Society (MRAS) and the Priddis Community Association. Entry is by donation.
They would love to welcome first-timers, Sills said.
"And if they have been before, I don't think they'll be disappointed," she said.
A detailed schedule of events will be published on the MRAS website, and schedules and maps of the grounds will be available at the gate each day.
With the first fair held in 1907, tradition plays a huge part in the annual event.
“You can still enter your loaf of white bread,” Sills said, and that goes back to the early days of the fair when questions had to be settled, such as who could bake the best loaf of bread or who had the best cow.
“That stuff is all still there."
Sills lists the antique tractor pull and the animal exhibits as fan favourites every year, along with a more recent entry, an exhibit by the Coaldale-based Birds of Prey Centre.
The tractor pull was cancelled last year but is back for this year's fair.
Giving a little history of the competitive event, organizer Doug Martin said the idea for tractor pulls originated on farms for practical reasons. He said a farmer might notice a neighbour was able to pull his plow a little faster than him, and he wanted to know how he was doing it.
About 10 different makes and models of tractors will be pulling, Martin said, and there will be lots of colour, with about 40 tractors expected to take part.
“There will be orange and green and red," he said. "If you have a favourite make, pretty sure it’ll be there.”
As tractors work to pull a weighted sled, the difficulty increases until the tractor stops.
“Your’re either going to spin out or run out of power.” Martin said.
The competitive pulls take place on Saturday, with each tractor going twice and the distances added up to give a final distance. There will be a fun pull on Sunday, but it will wrap up at 1 p.m. to make way for a concert by The Wardens.
“They're a trio of retired and active national park wardens,” Sills said.
The band tells true stories of their experiences in the parks, and the relaxing sound of the country-folk songs are a perfect complement to the ambience of the fair.
A rooster crowing contest is another unique spectacle of the fair. It takes place at 9:30 a.m. on both days.
“That’s about as late as we can make it, otherwise they won’t crow,” Sills said.
“One will start crowing, and then another one crows and pretty soon they’re all going for it,” Martin added.
For more information visit www.millarvilleracetrack.com/priddis-millarville-fair/ or Priddis & Millarville Fair on FaceBook.
