WILLIAMSTOWN, Ontario – On Saturday, Sept. 5, fans of the Williamstown Fair will have an experience unlike any other in the events 209 year history.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional Williamstown Fair event had to be cancelled, along with all of the other country fairs in the region.
The Williamstown Fair committee was determined however to find away to keep Canada’s oldest agricultural fair going for another year.
“We felt that if we could do something with the approval of the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU), we should,” said Chelsea Hope, chair of the committee.
That vision has now taken shape with the Williamstown Fair committee offering a drive thru experience this year.
Beginning at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5, guests will be invited to drive through the Williamstown fairgrounds, entering through the entrance on Johnston Rd. (County Rd. 19).
As they drive through, they will have a chance to enjoy cotton candy, candy apples, and music created especially for the event that can be listened to on a car’s radio. There will also be farm equipment on display including antique tractors.
A highlight surely will be the reverse parade. Participants in the reverse parade are being asked to decorate their floats at home, and then park them on site for guests to view, and in the evening, many will be lit up with Christmas lights, as will some of the structures on the fairgrounds.
To help celebrate this even, the Raisin Region Conservation Authority (RRCA) has offered to give away 500 trees.
“I’m very excited about it,” said Hope. “I think this has given us a chance to think outside the box. It gives the community something to do and we hope they enjoy it.”
This event is free, although there will be a donation box at the exit of the drive thru, this year’s edition of the Williamstown Fair will primarily be supported through sponsorships and support from community partners.
For more information on the Williamstown Fair, visit their website.
