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Fernie Fall Fair returning Sept. 22
Back again in September 2019 is The Fernie Fall Fair!
This much-loved annual event is the perfect bookend to the Fernie Chautauqua weekend and is hosted by Wildsight Elk Valley in conjunction with the Fernie Museum.
The Fernie Fall Fair is a grassroots public event that encourages people to bridge rural and urban living by promoting agriculture, recreation, household arts, and gardening. It is Wildsight Elk Valley’s goal to showcase healthy, farmstead living and promote the importance and achievability of sustainable food production in the Elk Valley.
The Fernie Fall Fair offers community members and visitors of all ages the chance to enter their top harvests, home cooking and baking, artistic skills and more into classic Fall Fair categories for their chance to go home with a coveted blue ribbon. Blue Ribbon categories are plenty and there is sure to be a category for everyone!
It wouldn’t be a Fall Fair without family fun! The day is full of classic fun like three-legged races, burlap sack races, tug-of-war, chicken poop bingo, potato dig, egg and spoon races and the scrumptious cake walk among other classic games. And don’t forget to try your hand at the bean bag toss, milk bottle knock-down, and more! After working up a sweat at these fun games make sure to stroll over to see the goats and ponies.
The Fernie Therapeutic Horse & Pony Club and Vahana Goats will be bringing the cutest guests along with them and they are always a fair favourite!
We are thrilled that the Mountain Market is joining us at the Fair showcasing regional vendors, growers, and artisans who are enhancing the grow and buy local movement. Produce will be at its peak and handcrafted items will be a plenty so be sure to stock up your pantry as this is one of the last farmer’s market of the season.
Wondering what to do with your apple harvest? The Fernie Fall Fair is also Community Apple Pressing Day! Bring your fruit bounty and some clean containers and look for the big red presses. We will have people on hand to help you turn your apples and more into delicious juice that extends the season! The presses, as well as a shed of other items, are always available through Wildsight Elk Valley’s Tool Share.
The Tool Share offers dehydrators, smokers, canning supplies, sauce makers, event supplies and more at no charge (donations for maintenance are appreciated!). For more info on the Tool Share Program visit www.wildsight.ca/toolshare.
We will once again be offering the chance to see traditional arts in action with the Fernie Spinners & Weavers Guild and the Fernie Quilt Guild being in attendance as well, Henry Hamilton from Ferrebral Blacksmithing will be on site demonstrating traditional smithing over a coal forge. Make sure to check it out!
New to the 2019 Fernie Fall Fair are guaranteed to be entertaining Tricycle Races!
The Tricycle Race is your chance to challenge friends, family, neighbours, or whoever to a drag race style challenge. Multiple heats of three racers and sure to be fast and furious! Keeping the speed going is the second annual Zucchini Race!
Zucchini racers go head-to-head down the track to find out who is the last squash standing! Don’t have a garden? Not a problem as there will a number of zucchini and decorating supplies available at the event for a small fee.
The Fernie Fall Fair has an amazing soundtrack as well with mountain moving music being provided this year by Good Valley (10:30 a.m.), Seany J (noon), and the CCR Experience (1:30 p.m.). Grab a candy apple, find a seat on a hay bale, and settle in for some toe-tapping good times with new and old friends.
Interested in helping out?
The Fernie Fall Fair takes an army of over 60 volunteers and we are very thankful for each and every one! Closer to the date please visit the Fernie Fall Fair Facebook page where a sign-up link will be available. Volunteer shifts are short, varied, and fun!
The Fernie Fall Fair is on Sunday, September 22 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Fernie City Hall (501 3rd Avenue).
For all things Fernie Fall Fair please visit www.wildsight.ca/ferniefallfair and to find out all about the exciting events at Fernie Chautauqua check out www.ferniechautauqua.com.
The Fernie Fall Fair thanks all of our amazing sponsors: the City of Fernie, the RDEK, Columbia Basin Trust, BC Hydro, the Resort Municipality Initiative, and the Fernie Museum.
Photos submitted
Wildsight Elk Valley
