With the 28th annual Chestermere Country Fair around the corner, Chestermerians hoping to compete in the red ribbon competition are hard at work putting the finishing touches on their entries.
“It’s really exciting to see these homemade, handmade, often traditional skills…coming back,” said Red Ribbon Coordinator Jen Peddlesden.
She has been volunteering with the Red Ribbon Organizing Committee for years and said that while the work can be exhausting, it’s always worth it come the day of the fair.
“On the day of that fair when you see people bring in their hand made, hand baked, hand drawn, hand painted, whatever it is…they’re so proud of these things,” she said.
“I find that part really exciting,” said Peddlesden.
She likes how the community has embraced the country theme that the fair celebrates through not just the red ribbon competition but all of the day’s activities.
Over the years, different crafts and arts have come and gone in popularity.
“In the past we would get a lot of sewing but that’s not so big anymore,” she said.
Instead, knitting seems to be making a comeback in popularity said Peddlesden.
“People are doing a lot of knitting these days,” she said.
Other popular categories include baking, wood crafts, and gardening.
Regardless of what crafts are in vogue, the children’s entries always make up the bulk of the competition.
Another category that has been growing in popularity is beekeeping for honey.
“It has been really growing and we’re really trying to feature that,” said Peddlesden.
Fair organizers are hoping that the honey category will grow enough in the coming years to become its own competition separate from the Red Ribbon Competition.
“That really fits… we’re a bee city we have the bee society in Chestermere,” she said.
The Agricultural society is also starting a 4H program on honeybees.
The Country Fair is more than just the Red Ribbon competition.
Perennial favourites such as an outdoor market, kids activities, food trucks, and the fun country riders gymkhana are back again this year.
The ever-popular zucchini car races are returning this year as well.
“Those are just so much fun,” said Peddlesden.
She said that the races have been steadily growing in popularity every year.
As always, the fair will kick off with the parade in the morning.
New to the fair this year is the fall super with the pie auction and dance which will be hosted in the multi-purpose room at the recreation centre.
“So there’s going to be music, it’s very exciting,” said Peddlesden.
Tickets are required to attend the dinner.
For more information on the Country Fair go to www.chestermereagriculturalsociety.com/country-fair.
