Zurich Country Fair brings returning favourites and new attractions

By Dan Rolph

The Zurich Country Fair will be back in town from July 24 to 26 for another weekend of classic festival fun.

This year’s event marks the 162nd year in the long-running agricultural fair’s history, and Jenna Becker of the Zurich Agricultural Society said the fair has changed a great deal over those years.

“It’s a big title to keep going,” she said. “It used to be such a different type of fair back in the day. When my dad would go to the fair as a little boy, it was all a part of a week of school being off and businesses would shut down.

“That’s how the community would enjoy the fair all together as one.”

Though there have been many changes in 162 years, community spirit remains at the heart of what the Zurich Country Fair is about.

This year’s fair will begin on Friday, July 24, at the Zurich Community Centre with the return of a crowd favourite that hasn’t been seen at the fair since before the COVID-19 pandemic — wrestling. London’s Hammerlock Wrestling is lined up to put on 6 matches, starting at 6 p.m. Tickets will be sold for $10 for adults and $5 for children, and the proceeds from the evening will support the Hunter Costello Memorial Foundation, which provides support to families in Huron County and the surrounding area with ill or injured children.

Once the sun goes down, eyes will turn skyward as a fireworks show lights up the night.

“It’s a great community event for everyone to come and enjoy,” said Becker. “It’s a great way to kick off the fair.”

Saturday, July 25, will be the main event at the community centre, with attractions including horse shows, exhibits, food trucks, inflatables, a petting zoo and more. The annual parade will start at 11 a.m. on Main Street, while the opening ceremonies are scheduled to take place at noon.

Another Zurich Country Fair staple, the annual baby show, will also be returning for another year of fun, where some of the area’s youngest members of the community will be on stage.

“It will be a hit,” said Becker. “It’s always a great time.”

The Saturday evening will also bring the festivities outside for the first ever Dancing in the Dirt, where Copper Sky and Graham Bedard will take to the stage for a night of fun, and the elimination draw will take place.

Becker said the move outdoors has been brought up by organizers during planning before, and this year’s shift in locale should particularly help with temperatures, as the ice surface can get warm in the summer.

“We just said ‘you know what? This is the year we’re going to do it,’” said Becker. “We’re doing it outside where we can pump things up a bit as a group and just have some fun.”

The festivities will wrap up on Sunday, July 26, with tractor pulling and a food truck at 10 a.m., with the beer tent opening at 11 a.m.

Though the group that plans the fair consists of eight people, Becker said the event requires the help of as many as 100 volunteers to make everything happen over the weekend each year. She said they are always looking for volunteers who may want to get involved, whether they’re interested in lending a quick hand or taking on more responsibilities throughout the weekend.

Those interested in volunteering can reach out by emailing ZurichCountryFair@outlook.com or by messaging the Facebook page @ZurichCountryFair.

For more information about the Zurich Country Fair, visit zurichcountryfair.com.