This Week in Photos - August 6, 2026

Ambassador – The Palmerston Agricultural Society is celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Palmerston Fair Ambassador Competition on Aug. 19, and the community is invited to join the event. The day begins at 2pm with contestant interviews, where this year’s participants will meet with a panel of judges: local radio host Dan Bieman, current Canadian National Exhibition Ambassador Lexi Johnson and former Palmerston ambassador and Miss Midwest Avary Robinson. For the evening portion, doors open at 6:30pm and the competition gets underway at 7:30pm at the Palmerston arena. It includes introductions, speeches and impromptu questions. This year’s competition features three senior ambassador contestants and nine junior ambassador contestants representing Palmerston, Minto and the surrounding communities. Everyone is encouraged to come out and enjoy an evening of community spirit, entertainment and celebration, officials say. Front row, from left: Rayne McMillan, 2025 Jr. Ambassador Clara Schneider, Bilhita Enbahadora (in hat), Celeste Signer, 2025 Sr. Ambassador Ebbony Moroz and Emma Shafrick. Back: Hudson Schneider, Felicity Signer, Emeline Zemmelink, Ryan Livingston, Cora Schneider and Isabelle Miller. Absent: Hannah Furtney and Evan Riley. Submitted photo

Pirates – The Ontario Pirate Festival had some stormy seas on Sunday, but the Saturday and Monday offerings were well attended. There were pirates, parrots, entertainment of all sorts, a kids’ zone, games of skill and food at the festival, which ran Aug. 1 to 3 at Marden Park. PHOTO 1: Aerialist Lady Lizzie did some dramatic climbs and drops on the silks as she entertained the crowd at the festival. PHOTO 2: Maddie Weisdorf made this ship hat from recycled garbage – paper, bottle caps, toothpicks and such – and she wore it with pride on Aug. 3. PHOTO 3: From left, Maddie Swinden, Teresa Drekopolos and Victoria Slavin show off their costumes on Aug. 3. PHOTO 4: These children, wearing jelly fish hats, were entertained by a wandering magician at the festival. PHOTO 5: The Ontario Pirate Festival was on in Marden Park over the weekend and on Aug. 3 there was a very good turnout after a very soggy Sunday. Here Hunter Ruth, left, and his brother Bryer dressed for the theme. PHOTO 6: Mermaid Molly Flora caught her breath between underwater photos at the Ontario Pirate Festival on Aug. 3. PHOTO 7: Attendees at the Ontario Pirate Festival could try out a number of skills such as axe throwing. Here Angela Hartman gives archery a try. PHOTO 8: Haley Yorke owns Macawmazon and people lined up to spend time with her birds. Here Rob Free has the Macaw Skye on his shoulder while Yorke shows off the Amazon parrot Joey. PHOTO 9: These children helped Lady Lizzie pull up the “sail” before she switched from trapeze to aerial silks. Photos by Joanne Shuttleworth

At the post – Many attended the 37th annual Industry Day – a highlight of the race season – at Grand River Raceway in Elora on Aug. 3. The afternoon featured horse racing, kids’ activities and food trucks. A total of 12 harness races were held, culminating with the Battle of Waterloo. The first place purse of $205,000 was awarded to Gogo Gadget, driven by Jonathon Drury, and trained by Kyle Bossence. PHOTO 1 & 2: Competitors enter the track on Monday. PHOTO 3: Eden Goncalves, left, and Bowie Born enjoy the petting zoo. PHOTO 4: From left, Jade, Marceline and Derrick Rigby also enjoyed checking out the animals. PHOTO 5: From left, Charlie, Riley, and Maddy Gaskill-Kennedy enjoy the Kid’s Zone at Grand River Raceway on Monday. The track hosted families and racing fans for a free afternoon of harness racing and fun during its 37th annual Industry Day. PHOTO 6: And they’re off - The first of 12 races is underway at Grand River Raceway in Elora on Monday as the track welcomed a large, multi-generational crowd to enjoy an afternoon of harness racing for free during the 37th annual Industry Day. Photos by Sue Hogenkamp

Aypa Power – Construction is underway for the Aypa Power battery storage facility on 2nd Line near Highway 6, south of Fergus. Photos by Joanne Shuttleworth

Retirement party – Wellington Advertiser sales representative Glenn George, second from left, poses with his family during a retirement party in the newspaper’s distribution room in Fergus on July 24. George has retired after 17 years selling advertising space in the newspaper’s print pages. From left, he is seen with his son Chris, wife Norma and daughter Alyssa. Photo by Brian Thompson

Wheels – The lawn outside the Grand River Raceway in Elora filled up with vintage cars on July 30 for Thursday Cruise Nights. PHOTO 1: Ken Gibson stands alongside his reconstructed 1914 Ford Model-T, the vehicle that displaced the horse and buggy and ushered in the age of the automobile. PHOTO 2: Michelle Visneski, right, and friend Shaun Stewart serve hot dogs to event-goers. Visneski helped to organize the event. PHOTO 3: Gary Currie stands with a ‘76 Corvette, which he is the original owner of. PHOTO 4: Gord Fish poses in front of his ‘74 Ford F-100, which he worked on with his son. PHOTO 5: Ken Hunt smiles with his ‘68 Z-28 Camaro, which he received from his brother-in-law. PHOTO 6: Jim Ferrier poses with his 1969 Chevelle SS, a four-speed muscle car he has owned and maintained for nearly thirty years. Photos by Caden McCann

Drum head – This new drum head, or skin, was designed by professional designer Doug Mathews from Toronto. It will have its first public showing at the Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games Aug. 7 to 9, at which the Fergus Pipe Band will perform. Matthews has designed drum heads for drums across Canada, and is also an accomplished competitive drummer. “Working with Doug to come up with the new design was a journey and he really did his homework about the band’s history and what was important for the band to carry forward as we mark our 100th milestone,” said pipe sergeant major and project chair Stephanie Little. “We are very, very proud of it so it will be around for the next 100 years.” The photo shows Adam Black, left, and Teagan Hiller, a new member to the band. “Not too many pipe bands have two bass drum players in their midst, but the Fergus Pipe Band is lucky enough to have two plus another, Cory Gammy, in reserve,” officials say. Submitted photo