by PAUL RAYNER

While reflecting on the past, and being proud of the present, organizers of the Boissevain Fair are planning a great celebration for their annual summer event.

The 120th Annual Boissevain Fair, sponsored by the Turtle Mountain Agricultural Society, will be held from Saturday evening, June 23 to Sunday, June 24, 2007 at the Boissevain Fair Grounds.

According to Turtle Mountain Agricultural Society secretary-treasurer, Lorraine Houston, the fair is a great occasion to celebrate our prairie lifestyle.

“The Boissevain Fair is an opportunity for the community to work together to preserve and showcase our Canadian prairie agricultural heritage. Agriculture is a major part of our rural life and we should be thrilled to salute the men and women who make up our community.”

At this year’s fair the community are invited to come and celebrate an early Canada Day on Sunday morning for a free Western breakfast, hear local singer Kelsey Saban singing O’Canada at 1:00 pm, and free Canada Day cake and coffee in the afternoon from 2:00 to 3:30 pm.

As many of the events of the past fairs have returned, some changes and additions have taken place.

The traditional horse pull has been moved to Saturday at 5:00 pm, prior to the Boissevain Fire Department sponsored ATV Mud Bog. The Westman Jeep Association are joining the fair fun, having their jeeps on display and club members are keen to visit with the community to give them some history of how jeeps were used in agriculture after WWII. The Boissevain Kinsmen Club will also be starting off their 4^th Annual FarmAll contest from the fair on Saturday evening.

If you enjoy steak cooked on an outdoor grill, who will enjoy the new steak night added on Saturday. From 5 to 9 pm, patrons can come and enjoy a steak, spud and sud in the beer garden for just $10.00. Plus if they stay around they can enjoy entertainment from a growing popular band, Diamonds and Dirt, who will perform country, country rock and classic rock. They perform live in the beer garden from 8:30 pm to 12:30 am.

On Sunday, the long-standing tradition of hosting the horse and cattle shows will continue. A special breed cattle show by the Manitoba Hereford Association has been added this year. Plus with the growing popularity of miniature horses, the horse section has expanded and will feature their own ring for the minis. The Ranch Horse rodeo will start the morning off, along with the light horse and pony and heavy horse events.

The display building section is also a popular section for the crafters, sewers, photographers, and bakers. Exhibitors, young and old can still enter items into the fair. For a list of categories pick up a fair book, available at the Boissevain Recorder or at www.boissevain.ca or by phoning 534-6479.  If you or your children are planning to enter into the fair be sure to contact the secretary for an exhibitor number and bring the items to the curling rink before noon on Saturday, June 23. Over ten judges from across the province have been hired to begin judging at 1:00 pm on Saturday to acclaim rights for the best pie, best jam, best quilt and best of many more.

For kids, the popular carnival games will be back with the addition of laser tag. Use of the games are free once a weekend pass has been purchased.

According to Ag Society president Paul Bell, he believes the fair is a good event for farmers and members of the community to attend, because they can take a break from work by socializing with their neighbours and the people of the community.

According to Bell, the fair has existed for 120 years due to family tradition.

“New farmers continue to participate in this event because their grandfathers and fathers passed on the tradition,” said Bell. He added. “Farmers also need to show their livestock, in order to build a reputation for their herds.”

As Houston explained, the primary mission of hosting a fair is to provide positive educational and social experiences for those who choose to participate, either as exhibitor or as an attendee.