CALEB NICKERSON
SHAWVILLE Aug. 30, 2018
Though the gates had been open and eager children spilling into the midway since the early afternoon, the 162nd Shawville Fair really kicked off on Thursday evening with the roar of engines and the smell of exhaust at the truck and tractor pull.
Dozens of gearheads gathered near the gate on Lake St., ready to show off their rigs. As usual, members of the Shawville-Clarendon Fire Department were at the ready if some rides got a little too hot under the hood.
Across the grounds in the main arena, but still well within earshot, the official opening ceremonies got underway shortly after. Though there was seating on the arena floor, plenty of people opted to watch from the stands as well.
MC Phil Holmes lent his voice to lead everyone in “O Canada”, before handing the mic off to Pontiac Agricultural Society (PAS) President Stacy Howard.
Howard thanked everyone for coming and recalled some fond memories from fairs past.
“My favourite show, it’s no secret, it’s the 4-H PeeWee Show,” she said. “Seeing the excitement of the children as they bring their projects before the judge … Seeing the thrill of the wee ones fills my heart with joy.”
She also spoke highly of her team with the PAS, before naming them and asking those in attendance to stand.
“[They’re] the best group of volunteers you could ask for,” she said.
Howard singled out one volunteer in particular, office assistant Lucy Hamilton, for her indomitable spirit and hard work that she’s put into the fair office.
PAS grounds director Andrew Simms also recognized two other long-time volunteers who have put in many hours behind the scenes, Garry Young and Jim Wallace. Wallace has been the groundskeeper for many years and Simms said he has treated the place like his own front yard.
“It didn’t matter what time you came to visit, he had this place looking great,” he said.
Simms added that Young is a wizard with all the plumbing and pipes that are needed to keep the fairgrounds sanitary for the weekend.
“Most people don’t spend time at the fair thinking about plumbing, but there’s quite a bit of it around here, and believe me, when the plumbing stops working people get really cranky, really fast,” he said, to a laugh from the audience. “That’s where Garry comes in.”
Following some brief messages from local dignitaries and politicians, 2018 Shawville Fair Ambassador Alex Mayhew spoke about his love of Holstein cows. The first male to win the contest, he encouraged everyone to take a trip out back to the barn to see some of the livestock up close.
He was presented with The Equity Rose Bowl by 2017 Ambassador Avery Richardson.
Holmes closed out the show with a little bit of mindful reflection about what makes long-standing cultural institutions like the fair special. He surmised that it was the combination of tradition, which is comforting, and new things, which are exciting.
As a final send-off, he encouraged everyone to seek out a little bit of both over the weekend
