Preparations underway for 2020 Queens County Fair
CALEDONIA, N.S. – It was 140 years ago that horsepower was officially put to the test at the Queens County Fair.
“The horse pull always draws the crowds,” Doreen Holdright, secretary manager at the Queens County Fair, said. “On the freefor-all day we have somewhere between 75 or 80 pairs of horses that pulled.”
The first Queens County Fair was in 1880.
“This year is our 140th anniversary, so we’re looking to enhance the programming for this year,” Holdright said. “But it’s still early so we don’t have any definite plans made yet.”
The 2020 fair runs Sept. 22 to 26. Fair organizers are hosting their annual general meeting on Jan. 11 at 2 p.m. at the dining hall at the fairgrounds. Everybody is welcome, and the meeting will be followed with a potluck meal. Holdright hopes they get a good crowd for the annual meeting.
Last year’s fair ran from Sept. 17 to 21, and Holdright said they attracted more than 5,000 people over the five days.
“It was successful. Our attendance was up, and it went off very well.”
Unlike many fairs and exhibitions in Nova Scotia, the Queens County Fair runs during the school year.
“All the exhibitions are given time slots and we happened to be on the fall session,” Holdright said.
Because it’s held late in the season, they don’t have midway rides.
“We don’t have rides because it’s too late in the season, but we do have a playground for the kids and a playroom,” she said. “We also have competitions for the kids" including peddle tractor races for young children last year.
The 4-H Club plays a key role at fairs throughout the province, and the Queen’s County Fair is no exception.
“4-H have their livestock competitions with us and they have a separate building where they do their crafts and photography,” Holdright said.
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