Celebrating its 100th birthday, this beautifully maintained 1923 Ford Model “T” 5-passenger touring coupe will be participating in this year’s parade. Photo by James Armstrong
It’s hard to believe, but after months of planning by dedicated organizers, the Bayfield Fair is set to open this Friday. The fairground gates will open on Friday, August 19 at 4:30 p.m. and close on Sunday at 3:45 p.m., giving the community two and a half days of a traditional agricultural fair complete with homecraft exhibits, demonstrations, competitions, events, activities, and music to enjoy.
Read on for a snapshot of what fairgoers can expect to see, taste, and experience at the Fair.
Fish Fry Dinner. The Bayfield Agricultural Society is hosting a fish fry dinner on Friday at the Bayfield Agricultural Park with continuous serving from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. Each dinner will include 2 pieces of Alaska Pollock, fries, coleslaw, roll, and a dessert. For details, please visit Fish Fry Dinner. Advance tickets can be purchased by emailing info@bayfieldfair.ca There will be a limited number of tickets available at the gate, so pre-purchase to avoid disappointment.
Fireworks Display. A spectacular fireworks display will be held on Friday night at 9:00 p.m. in the fairgrounds.
Parade. A full parade will take place on Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m. on Bayfield Main Street, starting at Catherine Street, proceeding past Clan Gregor Square and along John Ave. to the fairgrounds. Confirmed parade participants include local businesses, marching bands, Shriners units, dignitaries, fire trucks, vintage vehicles, and more. Don’t forget to bring non-perishable food donations for the Bayfield and Area Food Bank volunteers who will be collecting along the parade route. Bayfield Fair volunteers will be collecting cash donations along the route to cover parade costs. For additional information, please visit 2023 Parade.
Fun Activities for Kids. It wouldn’t be a fair without games and activities for children. Age-appropriate games and activities galore will be offered for three different age groups: Preschool, School Age, and Young Adult. Grand River Inflatables will provide endless bouncy fun for the kids on Saturday. And the ever-popular train rides will be available throughout the weekend for the little ones.
Exhibits, Displays, and Presentations. Don’t miss the Homecraft Show in the arena, which provides a showcase for the incredibly talented exhibitors in this community – baking and canning, flowers and plants, fruits and vegetables, art and photography as well as handcrafted quilting, sewing, knitting, crocheting, and woodworking. It’s always a feast for the eyes! The Penhale Landau will also be making a special appearance in the arena. And don’t forget the Poultry Show, which will be running all day on Saturday in the Lions display building behind the arena. Several special presentations will be offered in the arena over the weekend: “Flower Arranging” with Rose Odell and “Fermentation of Garden Produce” with Jorrie Flack and Sandy MacDonald, both on Saturday afternoon; and “Planting a Pollinator Garden in your Yard” with Rhea Hamilton-Seeger on Sunday afternoon. A Robotics Demonstration is scheduled for several times on both Saturday and Sunday. Greenacre Dog Agility and Training will be making a return visit to the Fair with two demonstrations on Sunday afternoon. Please check the 2023 Schedule for the times and locations of all exhibits, displays, presentations, and demonstrations.
Food. Want to know what food will be available at the Fair? The Bayfield Fair welcomes newcomer Truckin Mamas on the Run, a food truck with an extensive menu. Naomi’s lemonade stand and ice cream will also be there to help everyone beat the heat. Also available will be cotton candy, snow cones, bag candy, hot dogs, pop, and water. There will be lots of choices to satisfy every craving!
Entertainment. Fair organizers have planned a full lineup of quality entertainment for this weekend. At Friday’s opening, Adam Lang will provide the evening’s entertainment with his easy-listening guitar playing and vocals. On Saturday afternoon, Erick Traplin, a very popular children’s entertainer, will be doing two high-energy, interactive shows. The Rock Revival Concert at the fairgrounds on Saturday night will feature tribute bands Zed and Southern Fried. These two bands will be performing hits from Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, and more, giving everyone a chance to rock out the park after dark! For tickets to this concert, please visit Bayfield Town Hall/Events. Last, but certainly not least, the Bayfield Ukulele Society will be performing for everyone on Sunday afternoon. For exact times of all performances at the Fair, please check the 2023 Schedule.
This is just a brief overview of what will be happening at the Bayfield Fair. For additional information about the Fair, please visit Bayfield Fair. The Bayfield Agricultural Society extends a warm welcome to everyone in the community, as well as visitors, to “Come to the Fair and Join in the Fun”.