Erin fair offers family fun over long weekend

ERIN – Every year over the Thanksgiving long weekend, the Erin fairgrounds comes alive for the four-day Erin Fall Fair.

The theme for the 176th fair is “Hats Off to the Farmer,” a salute to the folks who grow our food.

Fair manager Joanne Gregson said this year’s  fair is also a celebration of women farmers, whose contributions to agriculture have sometimes been overlooked.

Former farmerette Betty Lou Clark, almost a centenarian, will open the fair.

“If you have never been to the Erin Fall Fair, you don’t know what you’re missing,” Gregson said.

A basic outline of the fair schedule is below.

Oct. 8

While the fair officially kicks off on Friday, things get started the previous evening.

At 5pm on Oct. 8, the gates open. Robertson’s Amusements will operate midway rides until 11pm, and it is Toonie Night, with fair admission only $2.

From 4 to 9pm, the hall will receive exhibits, and the Ontario Truck and Tractor Pullers Association (OTTPA) will host a lawn and garden tractor pull at 6pm.

Oct. 9

Next Friday will feature midway rides until 11pm and a tractor pull at 6pm, before the fair officially opens at 6:30pm.

At 7pm, the ambassador competition will feature young people from the community, competing in junior and senior categories, judged on their poise, public speaking skills and knowledge of local agriculture. 

There will be line dancing at the festival gardens at the same time.

At 8pm, fair-goers will be treated to music, with the roots country of Bryce Butcher filling the exhibit hall as Chris Clark brings his country rock to the festival gardens.

Oct. 10

Saturday is the first full day of the festival. 

The exhibit hall opens at 9am, while a miniature horse and pony show and vintage tractor show take place at the track ring and northwest side of the track.

At 10am, the Jersey cattle show will take place in the show barn. For those who prefer other livestock, there is a goat show at the agri-dome.

Magician Magic Mel will perform in the exhibit hall at 10am. 

At 11am, there is a baby show in the exhibit hall, while outside the hall there will be the kids pedal pull, a tractor pull for children. Magic Mel will perform again in the exhibit hall at noon.

The afternoon brings new entertainment. 

Fair-goers can catch the Great Canadian Fiddle Show at 1pm and again at 4pm in the exhibit hall. There will also be a fiddle and step dance showcase there at 3pm, featuring traditional fiddle music and step dancing.

At 5pm, there will be a truck pull at the track. 

Music continues into the evening, with country musician Jamie Warren performing in the exhibit hall at 7pm and Fiddlestix performing at the festival gardens at 8pm.

Oct. 11

The fair reopens again at 9am on Sunday. At 9:30am, there are two livestock events: beef peewee showmanship in the show barn, featuring young competitors showing beef cattle, and the open sheep show in the agri-dome.

At 10:30am, Maia the Bubble Ballerina will perform outside the exhibit hall. Fair-goers can catch Maia’s act again in the same location at 4pm.

The entertainment continues inside the exhibit hall at 11am as Kiki Totally Outrageous hula hoops to retro ’80s tunes.

At noon, fair ambassadors will help decorate a cake that will be auctioned off inside the hall, while a birds of prey event takes place outside.

At 2pm, the MacGregor Two, a country ensemble featuring stand-up bass, guitar and vocal harmonies, will perform in the exhibit hall.

Later in the afternoon, at 4pm, the Farmers and Kids Olympics will take place outside the exhibit hall, with kids and adults tackling farm-themed obstacle courses.

At 6pm, the first of two demolition derbies takes place at the track. 

At 7pm, the Flailing Shilaleighs bring their Celtic rock to the exhibit hall, while line dancing is once again featured at the festival gardens.

At 8:15pm, New Rodeo, a tribute act to Canadian rock group Blue Rodeo, closes out the night at the festival gardens.

Oct. 12

The Erin Fall Fair continues on Thanksgiving Monday, with the final day again kicking off at 9am. 

In the first hour, there are a handful of livestock shows: the junior poultry show at 9am at the agri-dome, followed by the open horse show and rabbit and cavy (guinea pig) show at 9:30am at the north horse ring and cattle barn. 

At 10am, events include the Erin District High School Band performing in the exhibit hall and Champion of Champions, a horse showmanship competition, in the show barn.

At noon, there is kids’ cookie decorating in the exhibit hall and the second demolition derby at the track.

At 1pm, Kiki Totally Outrageous gets more interactive with the audience in a live workshop, while Windsor-based country singer Crystal Gage performs in the exhibit hall with her backing band, Too Country.

The exhibit hall will close at 3:30pm, and the fair will conclude with the homecraft awards presentation at 4pm and the 50/50 lottery draw at 4:30pm, both outside the exhibit hall.