Petrolia Fall Fair promises ‘fun for everyone’

Lambton County’s fall fair season arrives this weekend.

Article content

The Petrolia and Enniskillen Fall Fair, opening Friday evening and continuing Saturday and Sunday, is the first of four annual community fairs in Lambton capped off by the Bridgen Fair Oct. 11 to 14.

The Plympton-Wyoming Fair is Sept. 13 to 15, followed by the Forest Fair Sept. 20 to 22 and the Brooke-Alvinston and Watford Fair Sept. 27 to 29.

Demi Krall, president of the Petrolia fair board, said the fall fair has been part of her life since she was a youngster growing up on a local farm.

“My grandparents were involved, my aunt and uncle are involved,” she said. “It has been a family thing.”

Families are what the fair, held on the grounds next to Petrolia’s Greenwood Recreation Center, is geared to, Krall said.

“There’s not always a ton of things for families to do around here, so I think fairs are a big draw,” she said. “It has something for everyone to enjoy.”

Article content

This year, that includes a midway, baby show, children’s pet show, tractor pull, wrestling, magic show, ATV and dirt bike races, homecraft and agricultural exhibits, beef, sheep and horse shows, a parade at 11 am Saturday and a popular demolition derby Sunday afternoon.

The agricultural society in Enniskillen Township dates back to 1876, according to the Lambton County museums website at lambtonmuseums.ca

“Historically, fairs were to show off your crops and your canned goods and that kind of stuff,” Krall said.

“As less and less people farm now, it had become more about farming education and that’s something I’m very passionate about.”

The weekend’s full lineup is posted on the fair’s website at petroliafair.ca.

Article content

About 15,000 people typically wait over the three days, Krall said.

“Obviously, it was a little slower getting back after COVID, but this year we’re hoping we start to see a good change,” she said. “We’ve also been able to get some more entertainment this year.”

The band, Dirt Country, performs Saturday evening for a barn dance at the fairgrounds.

Planning and preparing for the fair is “definitely a year-round job” for volunteers with the Petrolia and Enniskillen Agricultural Society, Krall said. “After this fair’s over, we will start booking for the next fair almost immediately.”

The fair board meets monthly through the year and activity “ramps up” as fair weekend approaches, Krall said.

“We have a really great group of volunteers that works really hard to put this event on,” she said. “We do our best every year to make sure it’s fun for everyone.”

[email protected]

Article content