The greatest fair on earth: The Shawville Fair again reaped a bountiful harvest as 34,000 people passed through the gates on their way to turning the annual event into a huge success.

“It was our second-best year ever,” says Mavis Hanna, president of the Pontiac Agricultural Society.

From the cattle barns to the displays to the midway, people flocked to experience what is being touted as one of the best fairs anywhere.

“They have a good package here,” says Barry Parker, a tourism operator based in Ottawa.

“There is quality value and everyone seems to be an ambassador for the community. It’s an excellent show. The people have lots to be proud of,” says Parker.

This year’s music lineup, from Prairie Oyster and George Fox to Jamie Warren, was a hit with the crowd.
Edu-tainment winners: A new event at this year’s Shawville Fair was an edu-tainment day at the fair for elementary school kids. As a pilot project, students from Grades 4,5 and 6 at Dr. S.E. McDowell Elementary School in Shawville attended the fair Friday morning.

The students visited displays and were later quizzed on what they learned about farming and forestry.
Winners of the agriculture awareness awards were: Ryan Racine, Ryan Yach, Katie Beer, Travis Corrigan, Myles Foley, Megan Tubman and Shannon Farrell.