Weather Cooperates for the 134th Parham Fair

In the week leading up to the 134th Parham Fair, enthusiasm quickly mounted from organizers and fairgoers alike. Events looked promising, and the weather predictions were perfect. However, even the best laid plans can hit a bump in the road. Jenna Perry, organizer of the Cattle Show was in full fair prep when her father Dave Perry, President of the Beef Farmers of Frontenac, suffered a significant heart attack. After putting out a call for assistance, a dozen people showed up to assist with erecting the two large shade tents, that had just been donated by the Centreville Agricultural Society. But only the next day, an unexpected wind storm crumpled a portion of one of those tents, as well as the Beer tent shelter, lent to Parham by the Battersea Pumpkin Festival. On site at the time, Grounds Chair Haley Rose said, "You expect something to go wrong somewhere, but I didn't plan on being lifted off the ground hanging onto a tarp!" But farmers always figure it out, and the Parham Fair ended up going off without a hitch. The damaged portion of the cattle tent was removed, and Sherman Scott quickly volunteered a tent to replace the Pumpkin Festival's.

And so the show went on Friday night, with the Pet Show, as well as Wayne Scott and the Sittin' Ducks. Saturday dawned bright and warm - a perfect day for a fair. And a perfect day it turned out to be, breaking records across the board. The cattle show saw 67 cattle in the ring, the Antique Vehicle Display (manned by Wayne Kehoe and Tim Flynn) doubled it's numbers, 20 teams showed up for the Horse Draw, and altogether, a record estimated 950 people came through the Parham Fairgrounds gates. Fairgoers were not all local either. There were attendees from Kingston, Ottawa, and even Toronto, where a man named Parham decided it would be neat to see the country fair that shared his name!

Through the day, the slip n' slide from the Central Frontenac Firefighters was active, fairgoers admired handmade creations, baked goods, and vegetables in the Palace, the vendor market was busy, the Sharbot Lake Lions Club served up cold beer all day, and the Country Fair Games were well attended. The ever popular Frog Jumping competition was exciting for all - especially 2026's Grand Champion, Everett Harmon. The fair continued well into the night, with Jeff Code & the Silver Wings onstage, and the horse draw in the ring. Next year, the Parham Fair will celebrate 135 years of building community through agriculture