It’s been 38 years since Wayne Ramsay first started helping with the Plympton-Wyoming Fall Fair.
The Plympton-Wyoming Agriculture Society member said he keeps coming back to help keep alive the tradition that started in 1846. It’s billed as Lambton’s oldest fall fair.
His daughter also helps, as do other members of his family, Ramsay said.
“It’s just tradition to go on and do it.”
That said, this year’s booths, concessions and halls organizer said he’d gladly take a step back if the agricultural society could find more volunteers.
“We can’t get young people to come on our board, and they still rely on the old folks to do the same amount of work or more,” he said.
The fairgrounds in Wyoming were quiet the last two years amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and the fall fair’s return this Friday and Saturday was exciting, said Lauren Armstrong, the agricultural society’s president.
“Just to see the grounds packed again with people, I think it’s a great thing that the community comes together,” she said.
The decision to scale down to two from three days is essentially because of difficulty attracting volunteers, she said, estimating 40 to 60 people this year were helping the society’s 16-member board of directors.
“It’s a lot of work putting on a three-day fair,” she said. “We kind of wanted to scale back this year and get back up on our feet again.”
The sentiment is similar to other fall fairs in Ontario, she said, noting she’s the representative for the area known as district 13 with the Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies board.
“I’ve seen fairs across Ontario scale down this year (to) get up on their feet,” she said. “It’s hard getting volunteers.”
Food booths, livestock shows, various vendors, a wrestling show, talent show, chainsaw carver and other attractions were part of the draw in Plympton-Wyoming, along with a parade Saturday.
Jordan and Amanda Poore from Wyoming were among the people taking in the attractions Saturday with their two-year-old son Iver.
“We just want to support our local fair,” Jordan Poore said, noting it was Iver’s first fair experience.
“It’s nice to finally come out, bring our son out and have a good time,” he said.