The Brampton Fall Fair is an annual agricultural and entertainment event in Brampton, Ontario

Brampton, Ontario

Brampton is the third-largest city in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada and the seat of Peel Region. As of the 2006 census, Brampton's population stood at 433,806, making it the 11th largest city in Canada. It is also one of Canada's fastest growing municipalities, with an average...

, since 1853. It features rides, games, a demolition derby, and various kiosks peddling knitted goods.

History of the fair

In the early 1830s, farmers from the 212 farms of Chinguacousy Township came to Martin Salisbury's Tavern in biannual fairs.

As the Industrial Revolution

Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...

 and other influences changed society, agriculture morphed from a subsistence process to an actual industry, followed by an increase in demand for equipment, supplies, and power. The government

Government

Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...

 created an act in 1853, to enable and assist counties to form agricultural boards. The resultant government funded organization was the County of Peel Agricultural Society.

In 1853, a small agricultural fair was set up by the organization, held at the corner of Main and Queen streets. Modest overall, but an important step in the right direction, horses and cattle

Cattle

Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...

 were lined up for show, while grain

GRAIN

GRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Our support takes the form of independent research and analysis, networking at local, regional and...

s, produce

Produce

Produce is a generalized term for a group of farm-produced goods and, not limited to fruits and vegetables . More specifically, the term "produce" often implies that the products are fresh and generally in the same state as where they were harvested. In supermarkets the term is also used to refer...

, roots, and dairy

Dairy

A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...

 products were displayed for sale. One could even suggest this was the indirect precursor of today's Brampton Farmers' Market. This agricultural fair eventually became the modern Brampton Fall Fair.

The first official fairgrounds were bought in 1871, consisting of 7 acres (28,328 m²) at Wellington and Main streets, for a sum of $1235. This eventually was sold to make way for the County Jail

Jail

A jail is a short-term detention facility in the United States and Canada.Jail may also refer to:In entertainment:*Jail , a 1966 Malayalam movie*Jail , a 2009 Bollywood movie...

 and Court, now the Peel Heritage Complex museum and art gallery. In 1871, the fair moved to Wellington and Mary, and in 1884 to 13 acres (52,609.2 m²) on Elliot Street. According to Brampton: An Illustrated History, the Elliot Street location land was sold to the Agricultural Society by William McConnell, owner of the Brampton Driving Park.

Once a highlight for farmer

Farmer

A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...

s, draft horse competitions were replaced in the 1920s by tractor

Tractor

A tractor is a vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery used in agriculture or construction...

 demonstrations. Still, many of the Fair's picks for top riding horses on display went on to subsequently winning at the Canadian National Exhibition

Canadian National Exhibition

Canadian National Exhibition , also known as The Ex, is an annual event that takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada during the 18 days leading up to and including Labour Day Monday. With an attendance of approximately 1.3 million visitors each season, it is Canada’s largest...

 and Royal Winter Fair.

The Brampton Fall Fair Elliot Street grounds erected the Junior Farmers Building and the Memorial Arena in 1950, and the Brampton Curling Club in 1951. Because of its unique all-wood roof structure, Memorial has recently been used for a Tim Hortons

Tim Hortons

Tim Hortons Inc. is a Canadian fast casual restaurant known for its coffee and doughnuts. It is also Canada's largest fast food service with over 3000 stores nationwide. It was founded in 1964 in Hamilton, Ontario, by Canadian hockey player Tim Horton and Jim Charade, after an initial venture in...

 Timbits hockey ad. The Canadian curling-themed feature film Men with Brooms

Men with Brooms

Men with Brooms is a 2002 Canadian romantic comedy film, starring and directed by Paul Gross. Centred on the sport of curling, the offbeat comedy tells the story of a reunited curling team from a small Canadian town as they work through their respective life issues and struggle to win the...

(2002), starring Paul Gross

Paul Gross

Paul Michael Gross is a Canadian actor, producer, director, singer and writer born in Calgary, Alberta. He is known for his lead role as Constable Benton Fraser in the television series Due South as well as his 2008 war film Passchendaele, which he wrote, produced, directed, and starred in...

 and Leslie Nielsen

Leslie Nielsen

Leslie William Nielsen, OC was a Canadian and naturalized American actor and comedian. Nielsen appeared in more than one hundred films and 1,500 television programs over the span of his career, portraying more than 220 characters...

, was partially filmed at the Memorial and the Brampton Curling Club. A lacrosse box was added to the ground in 1971.

Most residents associate the Brampton Fall Fair as a place for midway rides and games, more than agriculture and handicrafts. This association began in 1975, with the addition of Campbell Amusements. The 1980s brought antique car

Antique car

In the United States, an antique car is generally defined as a car over 45 years of age, this being the definition used by the Antique Automobile Club of America. However, the legal definition for the purpose of antique vehicle registration varies widely. The antique car era includes the veteran...

 shows to the fair, whereas the 1990s brought demolition derbies.

The fair today

The Brampton Fair Grounds were sold to the City of Brampton in March 1992, with the exception of the Brampton Curling Club properties. In 1995, the Region of Peel Agricultural Society bought 95.43 acres (386,191.8 m²) of land at Heart Lake Road and Old School Road, moving the fair to that location in September 1997, for its 144th season. Despite moving out of it central location, the Fair gained record attendance in some years, well justifying the extra exhibit area and parking. Just as it was a distant site for the Chinguacousy farmers in the fair's audience, the fair is now relatively out of reach for most Bramptonians. The Society claims that as the city continues to burgeon, the location will be in the midst of thousands in the new developments.

The new location includes the Peel Junior Farmers Hall (6000 sq ft), meeting rooms, the Show and Sale Pavilion (33,000 sq ft), ten multi-purpose buildings, and outdoor show rings.

The Fall Fair's Homecraft Division, chaired by Pam O'Sullivan, consists of arts & crafts, photography, handicrafts, needlework, baking and kitchen craft, gardening and flowers, fruits and vegetables, quilting, arrangements, and antiques. Many of these categories have both junior and adult versions. Special categories for developmentally challenged students have been introduced recently to the fair.

Highlights

152nd

September 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th, 2005

Theme of ducks, "Waddle To The Fair".

Entertainers include All Star Gymnastics, Fair Idol, Jimbo the Clown, River Road Cloggers, Smudge Fundaes

153rd

2006 (TBA)

Theme of sunflowers.

Presidents

• 1853 P. Howland
• 1854 R.C. Smith
• 1855-57 John Vodden
• 1858 John Tilt
• 1859-60 James Patterson
• 1861-63 John Tilt
• 1864-65 R.A. Hartley
• 1866-67 Emerson Taylor
• 1868-69 M. Perdue
• 1870-72 J.P. Hutton
• 1873 Wm. Elliott
• 1874-75 John C. Spell
• 1876-78 Rich Hamilton
• 1879-80 James Jackson
• 1881 John Smith
• 1882-85 George Cheyne
• 1886-88 J.P. Hutton
• 1889-90 A.F. Campbell
• 1890-91 S.J. Person
• 1892 John Smith
• 1893-94 J.J. Stewart
• 1895-98 Robt. Crawford
• 1899-1900 J.H. Watson
• 1901-02 W.H. Rutledge
• 1903-04 Dr. J.F. Quin
• 1905-06 H.C.Clarridge
• 1907-08 J.D. Orr
• 1909-10 H.A. Dolson
• 1911-12 F.J. Jackson
• 1913 J.R. Cole & L.J.C. Bull
• 1914 L.J.C. Bull
• 1915-16 Darius McClure
• 1917-18 Jas. Laidlaw
• 1919-20 Albert Hewson
• 1921-22 W.B. McCullock
• 1923-24 W.J. Hunter
• 1925-26 Dr. F. Hutchinson
• 1927-28 Thos. Dolson
• 1929-30 James Tilt
• 1931-32 Frank Fenwick
• 1933-34 W. Gladstone Shaw
• 1935-36 W.L. Wilkinson
• 1936-37 J.W. Crashley
• 1937-38 Alex McKinney, Jr.
• 1939-40 Wm. Bovaird
• 1941 Charles R. Fendley
• 1942 Charles London
• 1943 Haddon Pegg
• 1944-45 J.M. Fraser
• 1946 Douglas S. Dunton
• 1947-49 J.N. Duncan
• 1950-51 Oscar Graham
• 1952-53 J.W. Wiggins
• 1954-55 Fred Gowland
• 1956 C.M. Hutton
• 1957-59 J.M. Brownridge
• 1960-61 J.J. Shaw
• 1962-63 L.R. Livingston
• 1964-65 John H. McCulloch
• 1966-67 Allen A. Andrews
• 1968-69 Richard House
• 1970-71 Donald A. Garbutt
• 1972-73 Wm. Brander
• 1974-75 Jack Klassen
• 1976-77 Wm. Taylor
• 1978-79 John M. McClure
• 1980-81 J. Albert Dunn
• 1982-83 David M. Julian
• 1984-85 John Johnson
• 1986-87 Jean House
• 1988 Ross Milne
• 1989-90 Fred Kee
• 1991-92 Joanne Currie
• 1993-95 Wm. R. Richardson
• 1996-97 Ken Williamson
• 1998-99 Trevor Small
• 2000-01 Peter Armstrong
• 2002-03 Bill Jackson
• 2004-05 Tereska Matthews
• 2005-06
• 2006-07
• 2007-08
• 2008-09

Secretaries of the fair

Despite the job title, the position is that of manager.

• 1857-70 John Lynch
• 1871 A.B. Scott
• 1872-74 D.L. Scott
• 1875 J.P. Clark
• 1876-85 A. Armour
• 1886-1901 Henry Roberts
• 1902-10 John Cooney
• 1911-16 Miss. M.M. Kirkwood
• 1917-23 John H. Watson
• 1924-25 Robt. McCullock
• 1926-35 T.W. Thomson
• 1936 Frank Kitto, Wilma Snyder, Assistant
• 1937 D.E. Smith
• 1938-44 Fred McBride
• 1945-69 H.J. Laidlaw
• 1970-76 Robert J. Shaw
• 1977-82 Jack Klassen
• 1983 Pam Grellette
• 1983-84 Leona Allen
• 1985-88 Diane Irwin
• 1988-89 Norma Reinhart
• 1989-90 Vern Breen
• 1990-96 Ken Ewan, Brenda Bebbington, Assistant
• 1997-2008 Brenda Bebbington

External links

• Brampton Fall Fair