STORY CONTINUES BELOW THESE SALTWIRE VIDEOS
After a two-year absence due to COVID, agricultural exhibitions with all the trimmings are back in southwestern Nova Scotia, starting with the Western Counties Exhibition in Yarmouth from Aug. 3 to 6.
“The committee is proud of the event list we’ve put together and hope people come out and support it,” says Amy Rose, director of the Yarmouth County Agriculture Society. “It will be great to have another event to be able to actually go to, see old friends and some of the old traditional exhibits that we have and some new ones too.”
Rose said at this year’s Western Counties Exhibition a multicultural festival will be part of the festivities on Aug. 5. Jamaica, Mexico, Nova Scotia Metis, South India and Black African Nova Scotians will be represented. Four different cultures will be cooking and providing samples of their cultural food. There will also be entertainment, including dancers and singers, as well as other culturally-related activities.
Adding a multicultural festival to the exhibition lineup had been in the plans for 2020 but due to COVID was delayed until this year. Rose says organizers are hoping to make it an annual event.
Ox hauls and light horse events, the Kiddie Farm, musical entertainment events including an Alan Jackson Tribute Concert, Yarmouth Big Bounce, laser tag and virtual reality games, truck pulls are much more are among the highlights of exhibition activities this year.
Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children 5-12 and free for children 4 and under.
There is no midway this year due to a decision by the company that owns the rides not to attend several exhibitions in the province this year.
People can visit the Western Nova Scotia Exhibition's website and Facebook pages for more info on the daily exhibition schedules.
As in the past, a grand street parade on Aug. 9 will get the fun going for the Shelburne County Agriculture Exhibition, scheduled for Aug 9-13. The parade starts at 6:30 p.m. on Water Street in Shelburne, following a route through town to the exhibition grounds on John Street.
“Everyone I spoke to so far is very excited to have a full exhibition back,” says Jamie Matthews, president of the Shelburne County Agriculture Exhibition.
“There’s going to be a couple of changes. There’s no mechanical midway this year. East Coast Midway apparently had a hard time during COVID and are only doing two or three of the larger exhibitions in Nova Scotia so we improvised a little bit. We’re doing some other events like a mini-excavator competition," Matthews says.
"Yarmouth Big Bounce houses is coming in. We do have a variety of carnival games coming in, a full line up of vendors in the arena and some great entertainment this year," says Matthews. “Saturday night is our big night for entertainment. We have Ian Stewart and we have a Tragically Hip tribute band coming in from New Brunswick. “
Matthews says there will also be a great selection of food vendors on site this year – “Probably the biggest selection we’ve ever had” – including Beavertails, Jolly Rancher slushis, a gourmet sausage wagon, and the Sugar Hut and more.
Matthews says last year Shelburne did hold a mini exhibition but it was more animal-related stuff and not many people were allowed to attend. “It was successful for what it was but it was not a full exhibition by any means."
Pro-wrestling at the Shelburne County Arena on Aug.14 will wrap up the exhibition festivities in Shelburne.
The Barrington Municipal Exhibition, dubbed the Big Little Ex, is scheduled for Aug. 18 to 21 and the Digby County Exhibition in Bear River, taking place on Aug. 24 to 27, will wrap up the exhibition season in the tri-counties.
Again, visit event websites and Facebook pages for info on schedules and admission.
“We are excited to have our exhibitions and fairs taking place after two years of COVID restrictions caused many to close or operate modified versions following the Public Health protocols,” says Gidget Oxner, president of the Exhibition Association of Nova Scotia.
Oxner says many of the events are facing challenges with volunteers and staffing. “We encourage people to reach out to their community fair and offer to help if they can spare even a small amount of time,” she says.
“People are excited to be able to attend these important community events. It is often a time to 'come home' and reconnect with family and friends. We are confident everyone will use good judgment in regard to one another's safety.”
The Exhibitions Association of Nova Scotia (EANS) is made up of 13 exhibitions and 8 fairs that were established between 1765 and 1927. Established in 1765, the Hants County Exhibition is the oldest agricultural fair in North America.
Ensure local journalism stays in your community by purchasing a membership today.
The news and opinions you’ll love for only $14.99/month.
Start your Membership Now
Your home for the news shaping Canada's East Coast