Country fairs are magical events where fun is the order of the day, and dreams can literally come true. They are a reminder of the simple pleasures in life: sharing laughter with friends, celebrating the community, and making memories that will last a lifetime. The fair is a collection of sights, sounds and smells that can transport you to a place of pure carefree happiness.
The Saanich Fair delivers all of that, and more – and it’s not to be missed.
The Fair will run at the Saanich Fairgrounds from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1, and General Manager Bryan Burns is confident that this year’s fair will be better than ever.
“There are lots of new things happening this year along with all of the great events that people have come to expect at the fair,” said Burns.
New additions include the first appearance of the West Coast Lumberjack show, with axe throwing, tree climbing and more (see “Lumberjacks come to the Fair”). There’s also an expanded “Tiny Town” – an area designed to thrill and entertain the youngest visitors to the fair with a fun (but not scream inducing) series of calmed-down rides, face painting, bouncy castles, OTRA racing cars, a live stage with bands, clowns and artists and much more.
“In Tiny Town we have the wagon wheel stage to entertain the little ones, as well as a massive, tented play zone,” said Burns. “We have an old-time threshing machine, a candy scramble, ponies, and a chance to get up close and personal with a donkey as you lead it around a ring.”
The Greater Victoria Concert Band and the Victoria Symphony will also be on hand at Tiny Town, and children will have a chance to get hands-on and try out some of the instruments.
Speaking of music, the main stage will feature live performances by Jump and The Trews (see entertainment feature “Music comes alive at the Saanich Fair”) and guests can watch the free shows at the Saddleback Stage or take a seat in the licensed Crooked Pitchfork Bistro for some fabulous food and beverages while they groove to the beat.
“There’s so much going on it’s hard to know where to start,” said Burns. “We have this great midway, of course, with all day wrist bands available for unlimited riding. There’s also a selection of old-fashioned games of chance put on by the Rotary, and even a raffle. Buy a ticket for $2 and you could win the $2,500 first prize, or any of a of bunch of other great prizes.”
Fairground food is always something to look forward to and the Saanich Fair doesn’t disappoint.
“We have 35 food vendors with everything and anything you can imagine, and we purchased a bunch of new picnic tables and shade/rain shelters to make the experience even better,” Burns said.
Naturally, the Saanich Fair is, at its heart, an agricultural fair. It started 157 years ago when 10 local farmers decided to host an agricultural exhibition that would allow them to get together and compare their stock, crops and crafts. That has never changed.
“We have about 7,000 entries in 29 different departments that range from home arts to animals, from fruits to photography and from a milking parlour to a LEGO competition,” Burns said. “We have horse shows and some very talented dogs on hand, and even a chance to milk a cow. The agricultural side of the fair is important given that there are a lot of people these days who have no idea where their food actually comes from.”
The fair is expected to attract about 45,000 folks over its weekend run and, as always, kids under 6 years of age will be admitted free of charge. There’s also a sneak peek opening on Friday evening from 3 p.m. to 11p.m., where fair enthusiasts can try out the midway with no admission charge. The regular fair and all the attractions will open at 10 a.m. and run until 11 p.m. on Saturday (Aug. 30) and Sunday (Aug. 31), and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday (Sept. 1).
“It doesn’t matter what you’re interested in, whether it’s the new history of the fair display, the crafts, agricultural products and displays, the shows or the rides, the one thing that is guaranteed is that you won’t be disappointed and you’ll definitely leave with a smile on your face,” said Burns.
