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d6 economist suntribune september 24 1986 contests contests everywhere cathy lee she likes contests by nancy iioskin what would a country fair be without its contests their his tory stems back generations with some of the same contests being participated in today as when our great grandparents attended fairs youll find a variety of old time contests adorned with new ones at this years markham fair for kids of all ages children and adults may enter as offen as they wish all are free to join the number one favorite con test is holding its own the fid dling contest which this year will be held on saturday night at 7 pm attracts contestants from across ontario who compete for prize money crowds which in past years have topped 500 watch with de light as entertainers perform firstclass country tunes there will be four classes to watch each with first second and third prizes being offered the fiddling contest has al ways played a big part in agri cultural fairs it adds to the down home country atmosphere everyone enjoys said cathy lee chairperson of the contest committee another event which is ex tremely popular at the markham fair is the baby contest because this contest has gained much notoriety over the past few years the contest committee has had to limit the number of applicants participating babies aging from three to fif teen months are elgible to enter and are divided into several cate gories male and female contes tants are judged in different groups as are their ages three to six months six to nine months nine to twelve months and twelve to fifteen months old there are also categories for twins and tri plets the stouffville progress club provides the trophies for this event and sponsorship is secured for nonmembers from 1200 noon to 530 pm call for class schedule all memberships are on time stop markham village lanes shopping centre mmm w markham village womens club we are temporarily located at the works department behind the markham village lanes 2947764 144 main st n markham monfri 730 am900 pm f c mm 7 t h hrtt m x by several large manufacturers of baby products including ger- ber and heinz all participants re- ceive a grab bag filled with goodies chip off the old block a short contest which lasts only 45 minutes is fun to watch or maybe youd rather participate in it en ter on the spot or sign up prior to the competition two people related to each other in some way and who look simular are eligible the pair judged the most alike are the win ners some dress up for the occa sion in identical clothing while others just make their way to the stage from the audience the spelling bee a contest that had its beginning decades ago has always been a success cham pion spellers are preselected from local schools to participate and represent their classmates the adult spelling bee was in troduced last year a contest that was requested with response being good mrs lee hopes that this years fair will attract the newcomers to the area our fair is for everybody and we hope everyone will join in the fun people flock to markham to escape the citys busy pace she said though were growning this is one event where you can still believe that markham is a small town since being crowned miss mar kham fair in 1978 mrs lee has been active in fair activities she has served as a junior director and has chaired the contest com mittee for four years so whether youre interested in watching the celebrity cake de corating contest the popular pet show or just wish to relax and lis ten to some old fashion fiddling there is a variety of contests which to provide quality enter tainment and fun safety a prime concern by nancy hoskin safety is of prime importance when organizing any sized event especially concerning the upcom ing markham fair according to harold snowball head of the emergency services committee the fair has main tained a good record in the pre vention of accidents during the past several years we havent had any serious acci dents the occasional broken leg from a rider being thrown from his horse is as serious as weve ever had commented mr snow ball heat exposure children skin ning their knees and children get ting seperatcd from their parents are the top problems that keep the emergency service team busy each year parents are advised to keep a close watch over their children with good sized crowds it is easy to lose sight of one another creat ing frustration for both parents and children search and rescue a volunteer organization will be on hand as in previous years to administer first aid and to help look after chil dren who are lost while trying to find their parents their booth is manned at all times with between eight and 20 volunteers helping out at one time the markham fire depart ment will be located opposite the general exhibits building along with all other emergency ser vices as well as being on hand for any mishaps that may occur fire fighters will also be manning a booth