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Agassiz Fall Fair and Corn Festival — We’re earresistable!

113th annual celebration runs Sept. 15 and 16
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Summer is fading quickly, the harvest is well underway in our local fields, and it’s time for country and city folk to get together for some fun and friendly celebration.

Fall Fairs have a lot of competition these days, but they continue to thrive, thanks to their unique ability to bring farm life to the city in a way that everyone can enjoy. Where else can you see perfectly groomed calves being proudly paraded by 4-H Club members, lots of kid-friendly events at the Kids Zone, Pinterest worthy crafts and baked goods vying for prize ribbons, enjoy some great live entertainment, or take a spin on a thrill-seekers’ midway ride?

For six years, the Agassiz Fall Fair has won the coveted title of Fair of the Year. The fair competed for the title with other fairs in the same attendance class. This award was given out by the BC Association of Agricultural Fairs and Exhibitions.

“The formal name for the fair is the 113th Agassiz Fall Fair and the 69th Corn Festival - two different anniversaries - but it’s one great fair,” says Victoria Brookes, president of the Agassiz Agricultural and Horticultural Association. The fair is successful as well, due to a large and enthusiastic volunteer effort.

With roots reaching back to 1904, the the 113th Fall Fair and 69th Corn Festival has remained relatively unchanged despite massive changes in the community and society in general.

Nestled just outside of the main town around the curve from Agassiz Avenue, the fairgrounds become a showcase for all things rural for two days every September. It’s a lively celebration featuring traditional fall fair exhibitions like the annual parade on Saturday morning, equestrian events, 4H exhibitions, crowning of the Corn King and Queen, celebrity goat-milking contest tractor pulls and the excitement of the midway.

The fair comes to town from Friday, September 15 to Saturday, September 16, beginning with the opening of the Agricultural Hall on Friday at 4pm. Fair organizers consider this special preview of the agricultural fair for children extremely important in helping to build a relationship between farmers and consumers.

Rural fall fairs are important for the community and a opportunity for children to learn where their food comes from and meet the farmers and kids who have made farming their family legacy.

Children are often awe-struck, perhaps seeing farm animals up close for the first time, learning where milk actually comes from, how a cow is milked, to what a chicken coop looks like at the BC Chicken Growers Association “Poultry in Motion” poultry barn, and to see beautiful Friesen horses up close and personal.

This year’s fair will also feature live bands and internationally known entertainment on Friday and Saturday, an afternoon tea in the Hall, commercial exhibits, vendors and more. It all comes together to make the Agassiz Fall Fair a unique way to celebrate and connect with rural life with a serving of education and entertainment on the side.

And don’t worry about parking. Three local churches have opened up their parking lots and Prospera Credit Union is sponsoring shuttles to and from the park. The Rotary Club of Chilliwack will be organizing a small train, giving rides to and from the fairgrounds as well.