101st Ormstown Fair Keeps Up Momentum of Last Year

The 101st Ormstown Fair welcomed approximately 15,000 guests this past weekend, with a record number of fairgoers attending on Saturday, June 13th, 2015 in Ormstown.

This past weekend, the Ormstown Fairgrounds hosted the 101st Ormstown Fair from the 11th of June to the 14th. Celebrating its 100th anniversary last spring, this year’s expo had big shoes to fill. With an attendance of about 15,000 altogether, the fair pulled in a record number of people on the sunny Saturday afternoon, welcoming approximately 8,000 guests through the gates.

The 101st Ormstown Fair started off much like it normally does—with excited fairgoers looking into the distance for the grey clouds that usually haunt the fair. Fortunately, the weather cleared up in time for the expo to jump into full swing. While fairgoers enjoyed classic fair favourites such as the bustling midway and sugared doughnuts, the real pull of the fair was the agricultural section, which featured a lively display of animals ranging from Silkie chickens to draft horses. Thanks to MAPAQ funding, the fair organizers were able to launch a dairy salon, organized by McGill University’s Macdonald Campus. Along with educating visitors about both dairy and poultry farming, guests were also able to churn butter and pet calves, providing people from outside of the farming community with a glimpse into the world of farming. This year also saw the introduction of a family center—a much needed facility, especially given that the fair is such a family-friendly event.

Another highlight of the expo were Sunday’s bagpipers. With numerous bagpiper associations from across the province participating, the fair’s arena was packed on with both guests and bagpipers alike. According to one fairgoer, there wasn’t a dry eye in house after the bagpiper’s rendition of “Amazing Grace.”

This year, many expo enthusiasts might have noticed the increase in the Ormstown Fair’s online visibility not only via its website, but on social media sites, including Twitter. With over 5,000 tickets presold this year, the Internet is becoming an important tool for promoting the fair. Current Expo Manager Christina Franc, who has worked for the non-profit organization for about two years, (George Barrington currently serves as president) hopes to expand the Ormstown Fair’s online presence in the future.

When asked about her favourite part of working for the Ormstown Fair, Franc credits it to a strong sense of community, and teamwork. “Everyone is so positive, which is one of the reasons I love working for the fair.” And let’s be honest—it’s probably one of the reasons that the entire community makes the trek out to the fair every year—rain or shine.