In the span of a little over six weeks, the Shawville Fair board of directors, volunteers and sponsors have done the seemingly impossible: They’ve built a five-day extravaganza for the people of the Pontiac. To put things into perspective, planning usually starts a minimum of six months in advance.
After last year’s cancellation, the first in the Fair’s 165-year history, and the bleak spring of COVID lockdowns spilling into the early summer, the possibility of cancelling the Fair for the second year in a row seemed likely.
But by early July, vaccinations rates were up after a massive push by all levels of government, cases and hospitalizations were steadily declining. The community was enthusiastic and saw a window of opportunity to get together and celebrate. The Fair board decided to go for it and put on the best and safest fair possible with the little time remaining.
And there were many hurdles to overcome in doing so. How to manage the gate with the launch of Quebec’s COVID passport system? How to deal with large crowds that invariably develop in the beer tent or at the main stage? Music acts are usually booked a year in advance; who would play the main stage?
All three were managed elegantly and purposefully.
The crowds were reduced, no doubt, but it also meant the lineups were smaller, the waits were shorter. Crowds for events that would typically be more than 20 people deep behind the stands were small enough for anyone to get a good view. The smaller crowd also made the Fair feel more local, more intimate.
The Fair board and volunteers did us proud, producing what everyone would agree was a tremendous Fair with most of the key ingredients that it has come to be known for over its many years. At the heart of it all, the dairy, beef and heavy horse shows, and of course the midway, live music, with a strictly local flavour, the truck and tractor pull and the demolition derby, among other events.
For the first time, the Fair held an Indigenous day recognizing and celebrating Canada’s First Peoples. Live music was performed by a whole host of Indigenous artists with a show emceed by Algonquin Nation Grand Chief and Country Music award nominee John Boudrias.
The only real hiccup was a runaway cow on Saturday’s Beef Day, which was handled without incident.
Bringing the Shawville Fair back under the current circumstances and against all odds is a triumph and every volunteer, director and patron should be incredibly proud of what has been accomplished.
Jorge Maria
