THUNDER BAY – The 113th annual Hymers Fall Fair kicked off this long weekend, with the theme of tailgates and tractors.
The fair, running on Sunday and Monday, aimed to educate, showcase and raise awareness about agriculture, rural living and the country lifestyle.
“It’s just such a great fair and it’s so much fun to be here and we’re just supporting as much local things as we can,” said Laura Loan, the Hymers Agricultural Society’s president.
The fair featured a market with numerous local businesses, specialty hats purchased through local tractor retailer sponsorships, dog shows, animal displays, a hilltop stage kids’ area, main stage entertainment and a wide variety of food from big and smaller local vendors.
The top first-place prizes for jams, jellies, vegetables and fruits were also on display in the fair's exhibit hall.
“We have really been trying to push on our social media to get the word out that we’re here and that we’re very family-friendly. So we want families to come out. We want them to experience it and have fun just watching animals,” Loan said, adding that lots of people love the animals and that’s one of the fair’s biggest draws.
In addition, the fair also held a barbecue deep pit roast beef dinner on Sunday at the dining hall and the fair’s traditional turkey dinner returned on Monday.
“That’s actually been wanted to come back for a few years and it’s back this year. So we’re really hoping that a lot of people will enjoy that as well,” Loan said.
Traditionally, over the course of the weekend, Loan said, the turnout is around 7000, but she anticipates more this year.
Bill and Donna McMillan, who moved to Thunder Bay last year from Elliot Lake and originally from Niagara Falls, were among those attending the fair for the first time on Sunday. While at the Murillo Fair two weeks ago, which they said was also good, this fair is huge compared to that one.
“The first thing I’m going to do is go eat. We’re starved. It looks like there’s a lot going on here, so it’s going to take us a while to get all around here,” Bill said, adding that he did not think the fair would be as big.
Donna also agreed that there was a lot more than she was expecting at the fair.
“I’m amazed at this fair. I really wasn’t expecting quite this big… Like, whoa, it’s going to be fun,” Donna said.
Lennox McDonald was also at the fair with his family on Sunday. Having arrived at the fair in the early afternoon, he said they were going to wander around and see what they could see and do.
“I get to hang out with my parents, all my cousins and have a fun time,” said McDonald when asked about his favourite part of the fair.
This year, the fair put a lot of time, work and effort into transitioning the horse ring from grass footing to sand.
“That took… a lot of work to do, but the horse community was really looking for something like that for a couple of years now and we really wanted to be like ‘okay, let’s try and get that here for them,’” Loan said.
While the horse show on Sunday showcased more of a flat groundwork class, it is expected to have a Hunter Jumper show as entertainment on Monday.
“You just get to come and watch all these big beautiful horses run around with their riders that you know train all the time,” Loan said.
“I don’t know all of them that are out there, but I do know that there (are) some pretty high-level horses that are actually in the ring this weekend and honestly, it’s just so much fun to watch them. They’re such amazing animals and the riders, of course, are great too.”
This year, she added that they also started up a new system and got some WI-FI on the grounds for their first trial year.
“We’re hoping that we don’t come into too many hiccups, but just so that they’re aware that there is the option to pay by debit or credit at the gates and admission prices are still the same as what they were,” Loan said.
Admission to the fair is $10 for those aged 13 and older, $5 for those aged 60 and over or for children aged 6 to 12 and is free for children under six. Children can pay $1 with a zucchini or a sunflower and bus rides to the fair are also available.
The long-running fair runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday.
