Coldwater Fall Fair returns for first time since 2019
Just as the calendar switches to fall, an annual seasonal favourite has returned to the heart of Coldwater.
The Coldwater Fall Fair kicked off Friday afternoon for the first time in three years. This year marks the 129th iteration of the popular event, with festivities having kicked off at 1 p.m. Friday.
"In most communities, the fall fair is probably the oldest event in the community, so it's just a sense of community and a sense of heritage and traditions that people don't see every day, but they come out once a year, and they kind of relive that tradition," says Matt Murray, the president of the Coldwater & District Agriculture Society.
The weekend-long festivities kicked off with a parade through the town, ending with a grand reopening at the Coldwater & District Agriculture Society's cattle barn. The barn burned down in 2019, leading to the fair being put on pause.
"That first day, we had about 30 volunteers come out and help us fence temporary fencing around it," says Murray. "And we actually gained closed to $20,000 in donations from the community to help us rebuild that barn, and that really gave us a sense of community and shows that people care that the volunteers at the fair are doing something that everybody really wants to have."
Throughout the weekend, up to 15,000 people are expected to come through the fair, with the mayor saying people come from far and wide.
"The fall fair is something that everyone looks forward to, and it's important because you meet all your friends and family. It's a great outing for the weekend," says Mike Burkett, the mayor of the Township of Severn.
This year the fair includes a midway, a demolition derby and plenty of food to satisfy any sweet tooth.
It starts at 9 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, with gates closing around 4 p.m. Sunday.
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