In the view of its president, Robert Addis, the Cookshire Agricultural Fair is a great way for urban dwellers to observe first-hand the achievements of farmers in the region. The event is coming up on August 17 to 20 at the Cookshire Fairground on Route 108.
The Cookshire Fair is not to be missed. For more than 115 years, the event has attracted its share of faithful visitors each year. With close to 300 exhibitors, including the new generation of 4-H Club members, visitors have a vast choice. For certain exhibitors, the fair has become an intergenerational family affair, including children, parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents, who proudly show their animals.
Addis said that young and less young visitors alike will be wowed by the array of animals, such as the milk and beef cattle, the light and the draft horses, the sheep and the goats, the chickens and the ducks, the rabbits and much more. « City people don’t often get to see these animals. It’s impressive to see the draft horses up close. People who buy milk, meat and vegetables at the grocery store don’t really know how farming works or what is done. They will be able to ask questions, because the producers are right there and will be glad to respond. Farmers don’t have many vacations; they work seven days a week. The aim is to offer people an agricultural experience. » He added that the small farm arranged for visitors to view always raises a lot of interest.
Besides the animals and the competitions, the fair offers a number of other attractions. The truck and tractor pulls generate high excitement from visitors. This year, for a change, the fair management has asked the Association Sportive de Tire de Tracteurs du Québec (ASTTQ) to organize these competitions, and participants from New York are expected to take part, said the fair’s president. As for the other activities, they are tried and true, said Addis, and are really enjoyed by visitors. For example, the bingo game on Thursday evening is followed by music and a dance with the Slightly Haggard music group at the McAuley Centre. The machinery exhibits should include some new arrivals, and the amusement park rides and exhibits in the main building are essential parts of the bilingual event. The entrance fee gives visitors access to all the activities, including the amusement park rides.