Queens County Fair continues tradition
A 142-year tradition is returning to the Queens County this month.
Held at the Queens County Fair Grounds in Caledonia, the Queens County Fair is an agricultural fair that has been held almost continuously since 1886. This year’s event, from Sept. 20 to 24, will host a variety of activities including horse and ox pulls, light horse events, draft horse events, the Queen of the Fair pageant, Little Miss and Master pageants, and a variety of entertainment. The annual parade has a theme of 142 reasons to celebrate.
Secretary manager Doreen Holdright says one thing they are focusing on this year are activities for children.
“It seems like if you don’t have a midway, they say there’s nothing for kids to come for,” says Holdright. “We have our own bounce castles, so we’re looking to enhance that with other things. We have paddle tractors, so we do a little tractor race for the younger kids and we have a clown who comes in and he does magic; then he
goes to the playground and does balloons; the kids seem to love it.”
For older children there will be competition events like hay rolls and sack races.
“It’s more things they can participate in rather than just watch,” says Holdright.
Additionally, the light horse events will be a bit different than previous years. Along with older events like barrel racing, Western showmanship and English pleasure, there are a few new or altered events like Buddy Pickup, which has one competitor ride their horse as fast as they can into the arena and pick up their partner who is standing on a barrel. They then must ride out with both of them on the horse as quickly as possible.
“Some of them are quite entertaining,” says Holdright. “They’re really simple classes but they’re done differently and it makes it more fun.”
There are also a few other changes. Earlier this year the fair was given a grant from ACOA (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) which would help update their facilities. Holdright says most of these are complete, with the rest scheduled to be done by fair time.
“We now have a new modern washroom, which is fully accessible and the pavilion’s whole outside wall has been replaced and upgraded,” she says. “We’re looking at putting a new water system in. So that will be working before the exhibition because water has always been an issue here.”
As for those interested in participating who may not be as interested in horses, cattle or oxen, there’s one area Holdright says they could use more entries: the Main Building.
“Our entries have been down and we’d like to see people get involved with those,” she says.
“We particularly would like to see some quilts. Most of our quilters have passed or are just not able to do it anymore.”
For more information on the 2022 Queens County Fair visit queenscountyfair.ca or search Queens County Fair Caledonia Nova Scotia on Facebook.