The 130th Parham Fair -Celebrating Agricultural History

Kelli McRobert | Aug 24, 2022

With a quick check on Wikipedia, you can find out that the first known agricultural show was held by Salford Agricultural Society in Lancashire (a county in Northwest England) in 1768. Jump ahead to approximately 1890 in Parham, Ontario, and a fair was started in this small rural community. By the end of the 19th century almost every state and province were having some type of fair or exhibition. One local story being told is that handmade quilts were draped over caskets at the Goodfellow Funeral Home, as residents celebrated ‘Agricola’ Latin for Farmer, and ‘Feria’ Latin for ‘free day’ or Agricultural Fair as it is come to be known.

This past week, 7 -13-year-olds and a host of adults spent their days helping set up for the 130th Parham Fair. Tents, tables, chairs, and a variety of other supporting equipment was pertinent for the event to run smoothly. After a brief pandemic hiatus, the fair was opening it’s doors with a full event scheduled over two days to celebrate the long standing tradition. Thanks to a Trillium Grant of $20,000.00 and generous local donations of $9000.00, the fair was off to a good start for 2022. All proceeds from this non-profit event are returned to the community and allocated for future events.

As opening day approached, tents and fencing began to form the vendor village and would help to set up the flow of 750 visitors on day one, and 1500 on the second, an impressive turnout by all counts. Parking was filled to overflowing on day 2 and with the assistance of the local OPP, visitors were able to easily navigate a quick walk through the field to enjoy the festivities. 25 volunteers were on hand to direct and work behind the scenes, some returning for multiple shifts in the summer heat, proudly donning their fair tees. Vintage Parham and Vintage Tichborne were on-site to share the rich history of the towns and re-tell stories of days gone by with vintage photos, clippings, and documents, steeped with the roots of generations past.

Young children eagerly showed off their frogs as they registered for the ‘frog jumping contest’ and headed to centre stage to await the much-anticipated race. Families came and went and enjoyed a ‘membership’ that would allow them free access for day two so they could enjoy the musical talent in the evening or shop in the vendor village with over 30 booths offering up artisanal crafts and goodies. The Demolition Derby is always a town favourite and this year did not disappoint with the satisfying crunch of metal for spectators to enjoy while snacking on a hot dog and enjoying a cold beer (475 sold) or soda. *it is interesting to note that Parham has NEVER sold alcohol in it’s town EVER until now…

Food trucks were lined up as children, and adults alike, enjoyed a fresh beavertail, ice cream, and Chubby Baby specialities. The Recreation Committee ran the canteen while the Parham United Church manned another food booth to sustain the crowds through the Horse Draw, Cattle Show, Best Dressed, and Pet Show. The rivalry was steep as judges spent the morning reviewing competitors’ entries in a variety of categories. Some were edible like pies, veggies, and eggs, while others were beautifully stitched quilts that hung in geometric patterns, floral arrangements, photography, and children’s crafts, to name but a few. Each one, a winner in my books, as the rustic setting was bursting with colours, textures, and creativity proudly displayed for all to see.

Outside the buzz of activity continued from early morning until late in the evening with the Lowery Mills Band closing out the show and ‘Striking Like Thunder’ as the crowd was on their feet dancing and moving to the hard rock country beat with this Kingston based group. The band features Jordan Lowery and Jay Mills, hence the name, and they have been making music together for the past 10 years with the addition of Chris Melanson on drums. Add to all this a 3500lb bull named Leroy, and you have the makings of a perfect fair atmosphere, that is fun for everyone!

Congratulations on a successful event and looking forward to the next one!

For more information on the Parham Agricultural Society, you can contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or you can meet them at the Farmers Market in Sharbot Lake on August 27th, where they will be looking to sign up volunteers for next year’s event.