Hold your horses – Fair fun starts Friday in Killarney
Killarney Agricultural Fair runs Friday and Saturday, June 28-29 at the Ag Grounds
BY KIM LANGEN
Friday night the big ag fair opens with all its glory in Killarney.
It’s the 137th Annual Killarney Agricultural Fair, and there is a heap of fun and interesting things to enjoy over the two days.
The gates open at 5 p.m. on Friday, June 28, and the $10 entry admission includes a Pork-on-a-Bun meal for patrons. You can claim your supper next to the Beer Gardens, which will be open from 5 p.m. until 11 p.m.
From 5:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. it’s the Mini Stick Hockey Challenge, and at 7 p.m. it’s time for the exciting Chuckwagon Races on the racetrack. And new this year, a Calcutta will be held during the intermission.
On Saturday, it’s a packed day of events, starting with a hearty hot breakfast.
At 7 a.m. there’s a pancake and sausage meal being served up (price included in your $10 admission) until 9:30 a.m., and at 9 a.m. the Homecraft Display Building opens up for sharp-eyed viewers until 6 p.m.
The Miniature and Light Horse Show runs all day, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., with lots of beautiful animals, and their riders showing their skills in the saddle.
And at 10 a.m. it’s time for the Fair Parade, which runs from downtown to the Ag Grounds.
During the parade the Killarney and Area Foodbank will also be visible, collecting donations of non-perishable food for their Fill the Truck Fundraiser. You can bring a tin to throw in, and you can also ride along with them to help collect the food items if you want (contact 1-888-280-5950).
And if you are in search of food for yourselves, the Killarney United Church, Beach Hut, Greene’s Dog House, and also Allan the Donut Guy will be providing it in booths (or even from Blair’s mobile green dog house) on the fairground site.
At 11 a.m. the kids aged three to 12 years can toss around with abandon in the Straw Pile Search, while from 10:45 a.m. until 3:45 p.m. there is pre-school kids fun by Lakeview Community Church, inflatables, laser tag, balloon twisting, mini sticks hockey – and even the Ride-a-Paint horses will be there all day.
Shannon Costello will be coaxing in a full raft of cute animals to enjoy at her Petting Zoo, with this wonderful stroking of fur, feathers, and wool taking place for all ages from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.
The Beer Gardens will be open by the racetrack from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., and the Junior King and Queen Farmer Contest (age under 15 years) runs from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.
There’s a Baby Show at noon for tiny ones aged 12 months and under, and a second Baby Show at 12:20 p.m. for heftier babies aged 13 to 24 months.
Moving onto something even larger, the Baby Shows will be followed at 1 p.m. (until 4 p.m.) by the Open Cattle Show.
Meanwhile, from 1:30 p.m. until 3 p.m. you can holler out your vocal talent in the Killarney Karaoke contest – for cash prizes. (Register at 1 p.m. for this contest.)
There’s more Chuckwagon Races on the racetrack at 2:30 p.m., and at 3 p.m. there will be free coffee and cake for the seniors in the canteen next to the racetrack (included with admission), and it will be served up by the kind Killarney 4-H Explorers Club.
Ryan Price takes the stage at 3 p.m., followed by the Watermelon Eating Contest at 4 p.m. (also on stage), while at 4:30 p.m. it’s Mutton Bustin’ for kids aged five to 10 years, right in front of the stage. And at 5 p.m. the big fair winds up with the Gymkhana Show.
For the full Killarney Fair schedule see the poster below or pick up this week’s edition of The Guide.
