Langton Fair’s family fun returns Sept. 16
Chris Abbott
Editor
Big traditions continue this year at the 136th Langton Fair on Wednesday, Sept. 16.
The Langton Fair has been a mid-September event for generations, but this year it’s ‘early’ due to the late Labour Day and elementary students returning to school Sept. 8.
“The schools don’t have a lot of time to prepare this year,” said Carol Overbaugh, president of the North Walsingham Agricultural Society. “It’s just one of those years.”
The traditional parade kicks off the fair at 11 a.m., followed by opening ceremonies at the Langton Lions Community Sports Complex, near the pavilion, which includes bicycle rodeo award presentations.
“The fire trucks are going to lead us in the parade again,” said Overbaugh. “We’re hoping for good weather and good crowds.”
There will be a baby show at 12:30 p.m. inside the arena, an outdoor nail-driving competition – with children and adult divisions - starting at 12:45 p.m. and a tobacco hand tying at 1:15 p.m., both near the stage. The junior talent contest is 1:30 p.m. inside the arena - another great tradition going back many decades.
“We’re going to carry on with the tobacco tying as long as we can,” said Overbaugh, hoping to see some new teams join the fun this year.
Kids will enjoy inflatable games, and there will be food trucks to experience fair food. The Langton CWL will host a lunch in the community centre, a great opportunity to buy lunch and catch up with old friends. In the arena, Eva sells homemade pies, chili, and sandwiches at the Langton Fair table.
Norfolk County Library sets up games for kids in the baseball outfield or soccer fields.
The car show is always popular. Plaques are awarded for best tractor and car in the parade. Parade participants, as well as the public, can vote for their favourites.
A special ‘Young Farmer’ addition will be featured during this year’s opening ceremonies.
“Daryl Granger, who did the documentary Young Farmer, his nephew (Roman Boyd) goes to Sacred Heart School. I thought what better chance to promote agriculture, plus Roman being the star of this documentary – both his brother and sister had a big part in it as well. So I asked Daryl if he would officially open the fair.
“The whole school (Sacred Heart) went to see the movie, except the Kindergarten, I think back in June.”
As young as he is, Roman has a long history participating at the Langton Fair.
“Oh my, yes,” Overbaugh laughed. “Ever since the children were born. Since they were little they brought in wagons of fruit and vegetables from the farm – they’d make four or five trips to the truck with their wagon to get all the stuff! The Boyds are very, very supportive of the fair and we are always very appreciative of that. It’s great they did that.
“All three of them came to the daycare ((Norfolk Little People’s Daycare) when they were little, and they entered things in the fair. Even when they were little, they’d be dragging that wagon with lots of fruits and vegetables and stuff.”
Fruits, vegetables and related entries were up again last year, said Overbaugh.
“They were very good last year, so we were very pleased with that. The tables were pretty much full, children’s and adult sections. They can enter flowers, baking, preserves – all that stuff – although the preserves are mainly done by adults.
“We’re hoping it’ll be the same this year,” said Overbaugh, who fondly remembers her mother, who while looking after six kids and feeding a crew of 40 during tobacco harvests, entered everything she could in the fair.
“She would say every year, ‘Oh it’s just too much,’ but we would hear the clanging pans and she would bake for every single category in the fair book – tarts, pies, cakes, everything. And she canned for every single entry. You name it, she canned it, all summer. She’d tag them and take them to the old community centre, and she’d just make the deadline before the judges started judging.
“One year she would win most points, then the next year Mrs. Barker from Courtland would win most points. They kind of went back and forth. She enjoyed the competitiveness and she loved to bake and she loved to can, so she would just ‘go for it.’ I don’t know how she did it, looking after all of us and the harvest gang, but she did it.”
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