Donald Teuma-Castelletti
SHAWVILLE Sept. 3, 2017
Soggy Sunday may have started off slow for those made of sugar, but it certainly didn’t end that way.
With folks streaming in from all over, the gradual ascension from disappointing weather saw a huge change as day gave way to night and Dean Brody drew out the crowd.
But before all that, there was still tones of fun to be had throughout the day. Over in the Agri-Awareness tent, Jennifer Grimsey from Ottawa’s Canada Agriculture and Food Museum was plenty busy teaching about two sweet spreads: butter and honey.

With a butter-making demonstration held in the morning and a beekeeping one in the afternoon, folks treated both their taste buds and curiosities. Though butter-making proved more popular both days, Grimsey said adults tend to be more interested in the beekeeping.
Accompanied by the occasional interrupting cow, Grimsey showed off the tools of the trade, having brought a smoker, protective gear and a hunk of beeswax the size of a fist. But the real treat came in the form of taste-testing four different kinds of honey.
Grimsey would introduce each honey with what the bees brought back in order to make that flavour, describing the flavours that could be expected. Dispensing tastes on tongue depressors, her crowd more than doubled, drawing everyone in closer.
“The angle is of educating,” said Grimsey of why the museum participates in the fair. “We try to keep everyone informed through different fairs.”
Once the group’s mouths were sweetened up they had the chance to pose a few questions, and everyone seemed to have something they were curious about when it came to bees.
But there was more fun to be had elsewhere, such as with Kyle Bertrand at his wood-carving booth behind the beer tent. Huddled under his tent were bears, owls, masks and decorative paddles – all carved via chainsaw.
And Bertrand was just getting ready for another demonstration, this time carving another owl from a log just short a metre long.
“I usually have an idea,” said Bertrand. “But it never turns out the way it starts.”
Having started carving like this over three years ago, he’s had some practice with the craft and produced a popular business in the form of Bertrand’s Big Bear Carving. What began as a way to make a homemade present for his wife has evolved into his work being sold as far away as British Columbia.
And the novelty wasn’t lost on the Shawville Fair crowd, as he sold the majority of the carvings he brought with him. No doubt encouraged by his live demonstrations, where he expertly slices up the wood like a sculpter, changing a plain medium into a family favourite in under an hour.
While demonstrations from the likes of Bertrand and Grimsey were periodic throughout the Sunday, there was certainly no break from all the foot-stomping live music occupying the beer tent.
Shawville-raised Ray Harris got the music started at the height of the afternoon, before opening the tent to a performance by the Arnprior McNab Pipes and Drums procession. Having both been forced indoors, they had no problem filling the space and cheering up a crowd looking for escape from a grey sky. Following their performances were Ransom, a five-piece band with a knack for country music, who couldn’t resist pointing out that at least the weather inside the tent were favourable.
As it rolled around to four in the afternoon, the upbeat-stylings of the Bowes Brothers took the beer tent stage over with their sing-along country songs and hooking harmonies. Belting out the favourites from Johnny Cash to Leroy Van Dyke, they proved capable of topping themselves with each song peeled off their setlist.
The inclusions of “Take Me Home, Country Roads” and “Tillsonburg” may have had the whole crowd singing and dancing along, but none proved more into it than the band’s bass player, stomping so hard he might knock his own amp over.
Finally, as evening took over, the main stage was reopened for musical acts, and Phil Denault made sure to welcome everyone over. The Fort Coulonge native was happy to be back for another year at the fair and made sure to offset the night’s musical balance, playing the old-school country songs that’ve prevailed through the years. Featuring a wicked amount of pure jamming between the band members, it must’ve been hard for anyone to stop their toes from tapping nonstop during the performance.
As Denault wrapped up, the audience began to swell as if by magic, tripling in the span of a half hour in anticipation of the day’s big act. Pouring in quicker than some were tossing back beers, the crowd were antsy for one man to take the stage and he did not disappoint.
When Dean Brody climbed up onstage, cheers cried out and everyone let their country roots take over as they sang along to the small-town Albertan’s anthems. As the hooting and hollering began in every direction, Brody brought the party and kicked it up a notch for everyone involved.