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23 f wartime at 1940 fair f canadas greatest county exhibition this has long been the proud boast of markham fair and appeared on the cover of the 1000 or more copies of the prize list printed by the economist and sun in 1940 the directors had decided to hold the fair as usual that war year only cancelling the harness races as an economy measure the dates were oct 35 a three day fair but its financial success for any year despite grants donations ad vertisements in the prize list and fees for con cessions hinged largely on the gate on saturday which in turn depended largely on the weather admission charge was 35 cents autos 35 cents children free the official opening was always on friday afternoon and in 1940 the paper reported the fair board is to be congratulated on securing mr rex frost well known radio com mentator for the opening ceremonies mr frost will give his regular broadcast of farm news in addition to introducing the 85th anniversary of markham fair horseshoeing not a- lost art the directors aofthe fair faithfully sought for some new attractions each year the economist com mented in 1940 one of the new attractions that wijlsurely be of interest is- the horseshoeing contest saturday af ternoon spectators will be reminded of the poem under the spreading chestnut tree the village smithy stands as the hammers resound and jtie sparks fly some people might think that a tirechanging contest would be more likely to draw a large number of contestants but we are assured that many can still shoe a horse there was a busy blacksmith shop on church st at that time some of the highlights of the program in 1940 were the black arid white show holsteins on friday junior farmers com petitions pony races boys coll races on saturday a horse show by the hunt club parade of prize winning stock before the wooden grandstand originally privately owned the midway pretty meagre in those days a merry round of course a sideshow or two refresh ment stands games of skill and chance although- these were forbidden by the fairs constitution- and probably still are most people went home before darkness set in exhibits were hastily removed from the agricultural building the rink r which was then readied for the monster dance in variably well attended and financially suc cessful square dancing was very popular and still is whenever there is the opportunity for it another fair time attraction was the play crazy house staged at the town hall by the young people of the united church under the auspices of markham wi friday and saturday nights the proceeds were for markham library it didnt receive any money from the taxpayers on october 3 the opening day of the 1940 fair the economist and sun reported a forerunner to markham fair was witnessed on saturday evening last when a free race was staged down main street by burkholders dairy horse arid wagon the race started in mount joy and continued to the tremont hotel where the horse stopped the only other entrant in the race was reeve heisey in his v8 accompanied by the milkman geo sellers they arrived down town just as the percheron had won the race george promptly took the reins and brought the winner up street again and after careful examination it was found not even one bottle was smashed a day to meet old friends saturday af ternoon was the time to meet old friends at the fair it could be counted on the paper reported that mr r j mann of prince albert orit present on saturday had not missed a single fair in 66 years born at browns corners lie said he had attended without a miss since he was 8 years old 40 years earlier in the year 1900 the economist reported that the fair was in full swing and that the display in the two halls is the largest and best in the history of the fair the entries comprise houses 385 cattle 200 sheep 150 poultry 550 butter 150 honey and pastry 220 roots 100 apples 450 vegetables 175 flowers 150 ladies work 500 fine arts 125 grand total of entries nearly 4000 faker on the midway report in the issue of oct 17 january 21 to april 7 1976 cost per person from toronto per t person double occupancy fe rvci rv featuring nordair jet flights to grand junction elysiam skylark 297 17 oo l90mainst unionville next to the post office ivta atc asta otic the year was 1967 and canadas cen tennial was in full swing suitably dressed for the occasion at markham fair was gerri cosburn now mrs dennis seeley of union- ville extra i extra 7 read all about the markham fair features pictures prizewinners r 1 in the v markham economist and sun thursday october 10 if youre not already a subscriber send 800 yearly 500 halfyearly with this coupon in time for your copy i mail to the markham economist and suni i to i i address from 19 to 1 19 enclosed find s i 72bmain street north markham ontario 4bm48j 2942200 l- wk