Other Ag Info

Your Arran-Tara Agricultural Society Board 2020

POSITIONS

President,
Natalie Mather

1st Vice President,
Lyndsie Greig

Secretary/Treasurer,
Amanda Hammell

Past President ,
Simon DeBoer

Financial Examiner ,
Dianne Hills

DIRECTORS

Murray Byers

Howard Tedford

Ron Hammell 

Crystal Gunson

Jenn Christie

Dave Tedford

A bit of history
  • 1857 the Agricultural Society was formed
  • 1857 – 1910 John Douglass was elected as Treasurer and continued to serve for 53 years also taking on President and Secretary roles
  • 1858 was the first year the Arran-Tara Fall Fair ran
  • 1882 the fair began its long stay in the village of Tara, it had previously moved around from Invermay-Arkwright-Tara
  • 1899 the Tara Dramatic Company performed at the fair
  • 1900 presumed 5,000 people were in Tara and Young St. and featured a band concert into the evening on the Wednesday (Oct. 3) of the fair
  • 1903 Admission to the Fair- ¢10 and ¢15
  • 1924-1925 the Agricultural Society sponsored a 3 month course for young men (agricultural) and young women (home economics)
  • 1933 Councilor James Fletcher asked the Council to make Arran-Tara fair day a school holiday, it was accepted
  • 1946 (the 89th fair) was first held at the present day (larger) Fair grounds on the West side of Hamilton St. 4000 People in attendance with a regulation length horse race track for harness races (races which continued off and on until 2016)
  • 1946 the Fair has it’s first Midway, costing the Society $40
  • 1948 the first record of a school parade and pet parade
  • 1951 the Lady Directors was formally organized – a group formed to manage the homecraft division and the food booths
  • 1953 the Fall Fair Play was introduced
  • 1954 the sponsored Baby Beef club became Arran-Tara’s first 4H club
  • 1954 the grandstands were built to accommodate 400 spectators
  • 1957 the 100th fair goes without recognition
  • 1959 the Board of Directors decides to celebrate the Centennial Fair (2 years late)
  • 1960 attendance at the Fair, 6,500
  • 1962 Admission to the Fair- ¢25 and ¢75
  • 1962 pie eating contest was introduced
  • 1964 air plane rides given by George Trelford at the fair
  • 1972 the first Fall Fair Queen, Nancy Gordon
  • 1976 the new Arran-Tara Community Centre opened
  • 1981 Tara Centennial possibly attributing to 5,000 in attendance
  • 2005 the first woman to be the president of the Board, Kathy Tedford
  • 2020 Covid 19 pandemic forced cancellation of the fair for 2020 and 2021