Uxbridge Fall Fair ready to roll with packed weekend lineup

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 late-summer traditions.

The fair gets underway on Friday evening, with gates, buildings, the midway, and the Celebrate Agriculture Tent, opening at 5 p.m. The evening’s featured attraction will be the Tractor Pull, at 7 p.m., giving fairgoers an early taste of the motorsports action which has become a highlight of the weekend.

The midway will remain open until 11 p.m., while buildings close at 8 p.m. Last admission or re-entry, on Friday and Saturday night is at 9:30 p.m.

Saturday brings a full day of activities, beginning early, with gates opening at 8 a.m., and the Western Horse Speed Events and Games getting underway at 8:30 a.m.

By 10 a.m., the fair buildings and Celebrate Agriculture Tent will be open, with livestock shows, live performances, and family entertainment continuing throughout the day.

Agricultural events include: the Dairy Goat Show, Sheep Show, Open Dairy Cattle Show, and the Durham West 4-H Tractor Pulling competition.

The entertainment lineup will also keep visitors moving around the fairgrounds, with: performances by Lisa Jean; Canadian Beat Box Champion, Scott Jackson; Tara Acton Step in Time Line Dancing; the Vocally Inspired Performers; Lexy the Rap Dad; the Lindsay Rose Highland Dancers, and Dancebridge Dance Studio.

Saturday evening will shift into high gear when the annual Demolition Derby, starting at 7 p.m. The buildings close at 8 p.m., but the midway remains open until 11 p.m.

Sunday offers another full day at the fair, beginning with the Heavy Horse Show at 9 a.m. and Cruise-In registration.

The Cruise-In Car Show gets underway at 11 a.m., while the fairgrounds will also feature the Beef Cattle Show, Pedal Tractor Pull, and Horse Pull.

One of the weekend’s popular family attractions, The SuperDogs, will make several appearances, on Sunday at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m.

Other Sunday entertainment includes: Birds of Prey demonstrations, performances by Lexy the Rap Daddy and Brooke Hughson, Ms Music Fun for toddlers and preschoolers, and other local entertainment.

The final day also gives visitors a chance to explore the fair’s exhibits and agricultural displays, before the buildings close at 4:30 p.m. Exhibits can be picked up, beginning at 5 p.m., as the midway is closing.

Admission prices vary by day.

Friday admission is $15, for adults aged 14 and over, and $10 for children ages six to 13. Children five and under are free, while a family pass, for two adults and two children, is $40.

Saturday admission is $20 for adults and $15 for children ages six to 13. Children five and under remain free, and a Saturday family pass is priced at $60.

Sunday admission is $15 for adults, $10 for children six to 13, and seniors 60 and over, while children five and under are free. The Sunday family pass is $40.

Admission includes: the Tractor Pull, Demolition Derby, entertainment, agricultural shows, demonstrations, and exhibits.

For those heading to the fair, on-site free parking is available, through the Elgin Park Drive entrance. Accessible parking is available for vehicles displaying the appropriate permit, including a new limited accessible parking section near the bleachers.

Fairgoers can also walk in, through the Water Street, Main Street, or Joseph Street gates.

A free shuttle bus, provided by Town Trolley, will operate on Friday, from 5 to 10 p.m., and Saturday, from 4 to 10 p.m. Buses run approximately every 20 minutes, from the Body Fit parking lot on Reach Road, Uxbridge High School, Herrema Fields, and Uxbridge Arena. The shuttle drops passengers off at Joseph Street.

Visitors are reminded, backpacks are not permitted on the fairgrounds. Clear stadium bags with visible contents are allowed, while other bags and large purses may be searched. Diaper bags are permitted when an infant is present.

Service dogs, with appropriate documentation, are welcome, but no other dogs are permitted on the fairgrounds. Alcohol is also strictly prohibited.

With agriculture at its heart and entertainment around every corner, the Uxbridge Fall Fair promises another weekend where old-fashioned fair traditions meet plenty of new reasons to come out and enjoy the community.

Whether it’s the roar of the Tractor Pull, the excitement of the Demolition Derby, the sight of livestock in the barns, the midway rides, or simply catching up with neighbours, there will be plenty to see and do when the fair rolls into town this weekend.