Apple Pies & Harvest Skies
President’s Message
A huge thank you to all the volunteers in the Bayfield Agricultural Society. Our Directors spend their time ensuring all the planning is in place for the fair and our fair volunteers make the experience at the fair one that is fun and safe and memorable.
“Apple Pies & Harvest Skies: 170 Years in the Community” is the theme for this special year. Imagine all the changes that have happened over 170 years, yet apple pies and harvest skies still exist and remind us of our rural roots and outdoor experiences.
The fair continues to have a wide variety of exhibition classes that people can enter. Music has always been a part of the fair experience. There will be music Friday and Saturday nights. Animals will be on the fairgrounds at the 4-H shows, the horse shows, and in the farm animal display barn. Food has always been at the fair and this year there will be once again a Community Meal on Friday night and food trucks will provide tempting treats.
Change is evident in the classes entered. Over 100 years ago, butter was exhibited and homemade cloth was on display. Horse racing was part of the fair experience in the past and now no evidence is left of the race track or grandstand. Cars don’t park in the fairgrounds today and school children don’t march in school by school to be awarded prizes for how well they marched and dressed for the occasion.
The fair still generates memories for our current visitors. It connects our rural and urban communities during the fair weekend. It facilitates a social opportunity for tourists, residents, and cottage owners to experience something together. When the fair weekend concludes, the fairgrounds take on a quieter role of being a space so many use to experience the outdoor environment with sports or relaxation or view the harvest skies. Join us on the fairgrounds, August 14-16. Happy 150 birthday Bayfield and celebrate with us our 170 at the Bayfield Fair.
Doug Yeo, President/Chair
Homecraft President’s Message
On Saturday July 5, 1856, a group of farmers met at the Exchange Hotel in Bayfield to establish an Agricultural Fair committee.
That same year, the Bayfield harbour was the scene of shipping one hundred thousand bushels of wheat. This was at a time when only approximately 20,000 acres of land was being crop farmed. Wheat was transported by wagon to the river flats elevator, loaded, and sent across the country or exported beyond. Bayfield was thriving!
Historical records tell us that, in later years, the Bayfield area was the original home of Ontario’s second-largest apple evaporator. That brings us to the celebration of this year’s theme: “Apple Pies & Harvest Skies.” Orchard Line remains well-named to this day as the strip of land parallel to the lake shore that continues to be a haven for fruit growers.
Come out to learn about and celebrate our heritage as the village also marks the sesquicentennial of its incorporation. The connection between land and lake at this tiny port — from its fishing industry roots to today’s love of recreational boating — has kept Bayfield in the hearts of seasonal visitors for more than a century.
Now called the Bayfield Community Fair, and hosted by the Bayfield Agricultural Society, we invite you to experience and enjoy the fun and entertainment. The challenge is open for your participation in the competitions on display throughout the arena floor. Consider entering in any or all of our Homecraft divisions: Art and Photography, Culinary (Adult and Youth), Farm Products, Flowers and Plants, Fruits and Vegetables, Handcrafts, Woodworking and a broad range of Youth Class possibilities!
Pamela Stanley, Homecraft President