Drumbo Fall Fair facts for kids

The Drumbo Fall Fair is a super fun event that happens every year in the village of Drumbo, Blandford-Blenheim township, Oxford County, Ontario, Canada. It's a three-day celebration of farming, community, and good times! You can find the fairgrounds at 42 Center Street, which is easy to get to from Highway 401. The fair always takes place on the third weekend after Labour Day.

A Look Back: The Fair's History

The very first fair in this area wasn't called the Drumbo Fall Fair yet! It happened way back in 1850 on John Spiers Farm, just outside Drumbo. It was a simple community gathering where local farmers could show off their best crops and farm animals. One of the first things they did was a cattle show, and guess what? They still have cattle shows today!

For a few years, the fair was like a big picnic that moved around to different farms each time. In 1851, it was held on William Dicksons’ farm.

Then, on October 7, 1856, the first official Drumbo Fall Fair took place! It was held at the Muma farm because they had a brand-new barn. People could officially sign up their products to try and win prizes. Categories included crops, fresh produce, and handmade crafts. The new barn was also perfect for horse shows.

The fair kept moving between Drumbo, Princeton, and Plattsville until 1891. That's when the Blenheim Agricultural Society built permanent fair buildings in Drumbo. These buildings were used until 1905. After that, the exhibits were shown at the Drumbo Curling Club. On January 9, 1907, the Blenheim Agricultural Society changed its name to the Drumbo Agricultural Society.

In 1967, a new Agricultural Hall was built. A new Exhibit Hall followed in the 1980s. These halls are used for many community events all year round. In 2006, the Drumbo Agricultural Hall got a big makeover.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the fair changed. It became a virtual event that year, meaning people could enjoy it online!

What Happens at the Fair?

The Drumbo Fall Fair is packed with exciting activities for everyone!

Friday Night Fun

The fair kicks off on Friday night with an official opening ceremony. This includes a lively pie auction, where you can bid on delicious homemade pies! They also announce the top prize winners for all the exhibits. After a short break, there's a featured entertainment show. The stage looks like the famous Grand Ole Opry! Local musicians often perform, singing tribute songs to country music legends.

Competitions and Shows

The Drumbo Fall Fair has always had fun competitions for kids and adults. You can find foot races, games, and exciting livestock shows. There's also a popular baking competition.

From the 1940s to the 1950s, the fair included the Blenheim Township School Fair. Since then, schools in the township help create a special art display for children.

Today, there are over 100 different types of competitions! These include:

• Horse shows
• 4-H competitions (where young people show off their farming and life skills)
• Crop displays
• Arts and crafts
• Flower arrangements
• Baking contests
• And much more!

Many events celebrate farming traditions and family fun. Saturday and Sunday are full of activities like:

• Horse shows
• A beef show
• Old McDonald's Farm, where you can see local farm animals
• Buildings and tents filled with hundreds of entries! These include home baking, quilts, handicrafts, flowers, garden vegetables, grains, and corn.
• An antique display
• A photo contest
• The biggest exhibition is the children's tent! Here you'll find ribbon-winning crafts, baking creations, and even young farmers showing their fruits and vegetables.

There's also a Baby Show, where babies from local communities compete. The "Chip off the old Block" contest is for two family members who look very much alike! Plus, you can always enjoy live music and family entertainment.

Themes and Special Events

Each year, the fair picks a special theme. This theme influences some of the exhibit categories and entertainment. For example:

• In 2011, the theme was "locally produced food."
• In 2012, they added an amateur winemaking competition.
• In 2013, the theme was "Homemade Pies and Family Ties!"
• In 2014, "Cats and Dogs" was the theme. This led to cool dog agility shows, a Pet Show, and pet-related events for kids.

The fair uses a "pay one price" system. You buy a daily or weekend pass, and it includes lots of fun things! This often includes horse-drawn wagon rides, a playground made from giant hay bales, and a candy toss.

Every year, the Fair chooses an ambassador. This person represents Drumbo at the Canadian National Exhibition Ambassador of the Fair contest.