​Grade Two Social Studies
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Developing an understanding of local communities and exploring a variety of traditions

A1.1  
compare ways in which some traditions have been celebrated over multiple generations in families and identify some of the main reasons for changes in these traditions
​Ontario Curriculum, revised
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Community Fall Fairs
Going to the local community fall fair is a tradition that dates back many generations. Some of the activities people look for at a fall fair have changed over time. Some activities are new and some have been updated to fit the modern community.
In the beginning, some fairs had a practical function and were a way of ensuring that local farmers could get the seeds they needed for the following growing season. Early fairs centered on celebrating the farm with horses, cattle, sheep and pigs to see. The chance to show the results of your hard work through the year was a way to get people to attend this community event. 
There would be a fall harvest supper with all the good food from the garden and farm served that everyone would look forward to all year.  It was an important social gathering where you could catch up with friends and neighbours. 

Middleville and District Museum

Middleville and District Museum

The community would eagerly await news of the local fair each fall. These posters from 1917 gave hints of things to come. Think of all the ways we would get information about a local fair in our community today. The Middleville Fair has a website to tell visitors what to expect at the upcoming fair. 

Visitors are dressed in their fine suits and best hats to socialize with neighbours at the local fair.

These fair visitors are dressed up in their Sunday best to greet their neighbours and take in the Middleville Fair in the early nineteen hundreds. 

Visitors arrived at the fair by horse and buggy or sometimes in a fancy car. 

 Fall community fairs had a focus on agriculture. In fact, the original purpose of the Middleville Agricultural Society (originally called 'Lanark Township Agricultural Society') was to help farmers get the seed they needed to produce good crops and bring new livestock to the community to improve herds. The fair would become a great way to showcase how well the seed grew when the farmers brought in their fall harvests. 

Middleville and District Museum

scales used to weigh seeds at the first agricultural fairs in Middleville

Once the fair was established as a popular annual celebration of the year long efforts of local farmers, the Society set out a list of items that could be shown at the fair. These would be judged with the hope of exhibitors winning a prize. A large exhibition hall was built in Middleville in 1883 to showcase all the items entered into the competitions.  

The Exhibition Hall was built in Middleville in 1883 to showcase all the items brought to the fair by community members. It is still in use today.

A dining hall was added to the Exhibition Hall to accommodate the large crowds that attend the popular fall harvest supper. It is still packed to the brim on fair day each year.

In 1891, prizes were given for Holstein cattle and Shropshire sheep. In 1905, a prize of $2 was given for the best  butter. Handicrafts were also judged for prizes that year. By 1910, ploughing competitions were held. In 1927, there were prizes for exhibits of apples, cheese, butter, beeswax, honey comb and maple syrup as well as many other categories. Clydesdale and Percheron horses were also part of the fair. The list of items that could be exhibited grew to include skills, as well as produce and livestock. This is a custom that remains today. ​

Here's a list of items and skills visitors could exhibit at the fair in 1928. Some of the items remain on a current list today. Some things have changed. Middleville and District Museum

Middleville and District Museum

Middleville and District Museum

Middleville and District Museum

                        Exhibitors waited patiently to see if their items would be awarded a prize ticket like these ones. 

Check out this year's exhibit list at middlevillefair.ca 
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​See how things have changed and how they have stayed the same. Compare the prizes offered in 1928 and what the exhibitors hope to win this year. 

A prize winning sheep would help its owner take home this trophy. Middleville and District Museum

In 1927, this was a grand prize, indeed! Middleville and District Museum

If a farmer had prize winning livestock, he could have his name engraved on one of these trophies. The competition was always intense to have a family's farm animals recognized as the best in the community. ​

A prize winning cow with it's owner. Middleville and District Museum

preparing to enter the ring for competition in the nineteen thirties

prize winning sheep in the winners row after being judged at the fair

lamb fair in 1931 Middleville Fair grounds

​Of course, the animals have always been the stars of the show. Visitors, young and old, can't wait to see the newest crop of baby animals making their debut at the fair.

Horses waiting to perform at the fair. Middleville and District Museum

Piglets having a drink from their mother. Middleville and District Museum

These sheep were part of the popular shearing demonstration held at the fair. Middleville and District Museum

There are always lots of exhibits in the big, old hall and plenty of demonstrations to teach visitors something.

garden produce of all kinds is always on display in the exhibition hall for all to admire

a selection of wool ready for a demonstration by a local artisan Middleville and District Museum

fancy needlework, just hoping for a prize to be awarded Middleville and District Museum

an old fashioned churn used to demonstrate butter making Middleville and District Museum

The fall harvest dinner would produce a long line up to purchase tickets. The cost in the early days was 40 cents for a dinner ticket. The menu would include turkey and all the fixings. The selection of homemade pie was extensive. Everyone had a favourite kind and hoped there would still be some of it left by the time they got to dessert. Some of those good, old recipes are still in use today. 

The Lanark Township schools gathered for an annual rural school fair at the Lanark Township Agricultural Society  grounds in Middleville. They competed in many activities including a parade with each school showing off their costumes and banners. Ribbons and trophies were awarded for winners of ball games, races, art work and penmanship. Think of how students have opportunities to be recognized at their school today and might represent their school at a regional competition. How is it the same and how is it different? 

This is the banner carried by the students of Galbraith S.S. # 10 at the Rural School Fair in Middleville in the early 1900's. Each school in the Lanark district had their own banner and carried it in a parade at the fair. Middleville and District Museum

These ribbons would be awarded to students at the end of a day of enthusiastic competition in many activities at the Rural School Fair. Middleville and District Museum

In 1931, a champion pupil won this trophy for an all around good performance. Middleville and District Museum