DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: There was hardly a cloud in the sky as the sights, sounds, and smells of the Port Perry Fair filled the Fairgrounds over Labour Day weekend. With beautiful summer weather providing the backdrop, thousands of fairgoers had plenty of reasons to linger, from the midway and live entertainment to livestock competitions, tractor pulls, rodeo action, and one of the community’s most anticipated annual demolit

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard UXBRIDGE: The midway lights will soon be glowing, tractors will be rumbling, and the sounds of livestock, live entertainment, and excited fairgoers will once again fill Uxbridge’s Elgin Park. The Uxbridge Fall Fair returns, from Friday, September 11th to Sunday, September 13th, bringing with it a packed three-day schedule, celebrating agriculture, local talent, competition, and one of Uxbridge’s favourite lat

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: The sound of engines roaring, the midway coming to life, and the unmistakable buzz of a late-summer fair will soon fill the air in Port Perry. However, this year, the Port Perry Fair is getting started a little earlier. For the first time, the Fair is adding a Friday night concert to its Labour Day weekend festivities, bringing country music stars 'the James Barker Band' to town, with special guest Ro

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: Sunshine, warm temperatures, and plenty of community spirit combined Saturday, to make the 159th annual Blackstock Fair a memorable celebration of rural tradition. With temperatures reaching the mid-twenties, under beautiful sunny skies, families, farmers, exhibitors, and visitors made their way to the Blackstock Recreation Centre and Fairgrounds, on August 29th, for the one-day celebration. From earl

PAM PUTMAN-KIMMETT Outreach Team, Cambridge Street United Church KAWARTHA LAKES: Cambridge Street United Church, Lindsay, is partnering with local supporters to help the Canadian Foodgrains Bank to provide “A Christian Response to World Hunger”. Ten acres of soybeans have been planted near Oakwood, with funds raised by the church, on farmland donated by the Bruce VandenBerg family, and with help from local suppliers, namely: Huitson Farms AgriServices, in care of Bayer; Littl

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard SCUGOG: For nearly 160 years, the Blackstock Fair has brought the community together to celebrate agriculture, local talent, and the traditions which make rural life such an important part of Scugog’s identity. That tradition continues, on Saturday, August 29th, when the 159th annual Blackstock Fair welcomes families, farmers, exhibitors and visitors to the Blackstock Fairgrounds, for a full day of competitio

COLLEEN GREEN The Standard SCUGOG: The agricultural community is mourning the loss of one of its longtime supporters, following the passing of Keith Frederick Phoenix, who died peacefully at his home, on Tuesday, August 4th, at the age of 79. For decades, Mr. Phoenix was a familiar face throughout Scugog's farming community, dedicating his life to agriculture and the dairy industry. Farming was more than a career, it was a lifelong passion for him which reflected his unwaveri

UXBRIDGE: The sights and sounds of Ontario's agricultural past came to life on Sunday, July 19, as visitors gathered at the Lewis Family farm for the annual Lewis Family Threshing Day. The popular event showcased antique farm equipment, vintage tractors and traditional farming demonstrations, giving families an opportunity to experience how crops were harvested and processed before modern machinery transformed agriculture. One of the highlights included horse-drawn plowing de

By Colleen Green, The Standard SCUGOG: The future of the Port Perry Fairgrounds remains uncertain after the Township of Scugog Council voted to defer consideration of the Port Perry Fairgrounds Visioning Exercise Final Report until the first quarter of 2027, leaving long-term plans for the site in limbo. Council chambers were filled to capacity during the July 13th meeting, with residents turning out in large numbers to voice concerns over the future of the fairgrounds and th