Hants County Exhibition facts for kids
The Hants County Exhibition is a super fun fall fair. It happens every year in Windsor, Nova Scotia. This fair is special because it's the oldest one in North America. It has been running without stopping for a very long time!
The first fair was held way back in 1765. It took place near Fort Edward. The fair has been held every year since 1815. In 2015, the Hants County Exhibition celebrated its 250th birthday. Five years later, in 2020, the fair went online. This happened because of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. The fairgrounds and the Hants Exhibition Arena have been home to the event since 1949.
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Who Runs the Fair?
The Windsor Agricultural Society owns and runs the Hants County Exhibition Park. Their main goal is to keep hosting the fair every year. The society earns money from the exhibition events. They also rent out their buildings when the fair is not happening.
Sometimes, the society gets help from government programs. These programs offer money to support their work. Over 70 volunteers and directors help run the society. They also have six people who work there during the fair season.
What Happens at the Exhibition?
The Hants County Exhibition takes place over two weekends in September. It has many activities that show off farming and country life.
First Weekend Fun
During the first weekend, local 4-H clubs come together. 4-H is a program for young people. They show off projects they worked on all year. They also show animals they have raised and trained.
These projects include many cool skills. Kids learn about cake decorating, crafts, and cooking. They also do scrapbooking, photography, and welding. Some learn about small engines or outdoor skills.
The 4-H animals include dairy cows, beef cattle, and sheep. There are also goats, horses, and mini horses. Kids show their dogs, rabbits, chickens, and ducks too. Other animal events happen on the first weekend. These include big draft horse shows. There are also ox pulls and horse pulls. You can also see exciting barrel racing and pole bending.
Second Weekend Excitement
The second weekend is also packed with animal and farm events. One big event is the Classic Heritage Beef Show. This is the largest beef cattle show in the Maritimes. Over 200 beef cattle come to this show!
Also on the second weekend, there are horse jumping classes. These happen in the main arena. Western style horse riding shows are also held. Both weekends feature many displays. You can see beautiful flowers, vegetables, crafts, and art.
Many local sellers set up booths at the fair. There is also live music and other shows to enjoy. A big midway is set up for kids. It has lots of fun amusement rides and carnival games.
Exhibition Park All Year Round
The exhibition grounds are busy even when the fair is not on. Many other events happen in the buildings. The main Exhibition Arena has 2,500 seats. There are also four large barns and other exhibit buildings.
One fun event is a giant pumpkin weigh-off. Farmers grow huge pumpkins using special Atlantic Giant seeds. The arena is also home to the West Hants Warriors minor hockey team. The community uses the rink a lot.
After winter, the ice is removed from the rink. Sand is put down instead. This makes it ready for horse events. The Avon Pony Club uses it for their activities. Other horse groups also use the space. There is a large horse barn on site. A smaller riding arena is also available for lessons and events.
