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Preparations have kicked into high gear this week, since the fair's just a week away. Ms Murphy had been touching up paint at the fair- ground before this interview. She's on’holidays from her personal sup- port worker job at Parkview Home for the Aged during the lead-up to the fair. “It’s been a busy year,” she said. But Ms Murphy reports that everyone has been very supportive of her, including the fair executive and past presidents. Running it means lots of work for Ms Murphy, fair statf and the many volunteers who help put it on. Michelle Irwin, the faii’s manâ€" ager, says Ms Murphy brings a lot of fair history with her, as well, because she’s been involved for so long. “She’s just such a warm, won- The fair, hosted by the Markham and East York agricultural societies, started as a showcase of the area's agriwltme. That continues today, even as ' Though things have’ changed since that time, the event, considâ€" ered Canada's largest four-day fair, still draws upwards of 60,000 visi- tors each year. “We start in January and it takes the year to plan it," she explained. It’s been a 7 fall tradition here since 1844. She started as a child, when she entered the fair's contests. Ms Murphy was the runner-up for fair ambassador, the young adult who helps promote the fair during the year, then a junior director, a senior director and finally, a member of the fair’s executive. Her family has produced two fair presidents, including Edward D. Kirk, related to Ms Murphy through her paternal grandmother, who held the position in 1909. The Markham Fair’s history strgtghgs far beypnd that century. But her lifelong involvement _with the fair â€" and eVen her lineage â€"- seemed to guide her toward it. “It’s sdmething I never imaged I would be doing,” she said. Ms Murphy is the president of the 2009 Markham Fair. Flash forward three decades and the Stouffville woman is. now over- seeing the classic fall event she's been involved with through her childhood, teens and adult life. She wasn’t even a old durâ€" ing her first visit, when she was entered it} the baby contest. Karen Murphy’s love of the Maykham Fair started early. STOUFFVILLE PEOPLE: Karen Murphy’ 3 link to Markham Fair goes way back community in which I reside. ” ‘Ytdefinitely makes me feel more informed about the BY KEELY GRASSER kgrasser@yrmg.com “lemaylweivhgmdmadingmmoffllemw- mnWMmummmm mummthhidflredde.” mmmm momma. Karen Murphy is this year’s president of the Markham Fair. Karen grew up on the farm and here helps feed a little calf on Little Rouge Farm in Whitchmch-Stouflvifle. This year’s fair runs Oct. 1 to 4‘at the Markham Fairgrounds on McCowan Road. Thefairisafamilyafiairat the Murphy household: husband Tyler (they were, entrants in the same baby contest) is also a volunteer and the couple’s 7-year-old daughter, Sarah, also helps out, Ms Murphy reports. The family lives beside the farm, on Kennedy Road between Stouffville Road and Bethesda Sid- eroad, where Ms Murphy grew up. They help her brother and his wife, who now run the farm, with chores from time to time. derful person and caring of anyone involved in the fair,” she said. Ms Murphy said she really wants to encourage new families to the area to come to the fair and see what it is all about; For example, local 4-H members will hold live demonstrations at the fair. “Mth agriculture, we’re having a lot of challenges with the Ms Murphy said, but noted it also presents an opportunity to edu- cate residents about where their food comes from and to show how important agriculture is to the com- munity. So this year, the fair has expand ed its focus on agriculture educa tion, she said. the area becomes more and more urban. “1 think you'll see a lot of chang- es with the fair in the next five or 10 years," Ms Murphy explained, add- ing things in society are changing drastically, including technology, entertainment and agriculture. The fair already embraces both the traditional and the new. Modern attractions â€" like this year’s tribute shows to Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers and Hilary Dufl’, the Dixie Chicks, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw â€" run alongside classics like horse shows, Old Macdonald's Farm and farm and handicraft displays. The entertainment, Ms’Murphy said, is one of her favourite parts of the fair. Part of what the fair's about will change over time. She'll still be involved next year. “I think," she said, “I will always have a part of the Markham Fair with me." Looking back, her early favourite memories involved coming to the fair and checking whether she had won any ribbons for the items she exhibited, she said. She also looks fondly back on the demolition derby, the midway and just the sound of the fair, she said. She says you can smell the fair, the candy apples and the cotton candy and hear the excitement. Ms Murphy won't step away from all this when she finishes her term as president after the fair, she said. STAFF PHOTO/SJOERD WITTEVEE N