About Our Fair
Celebrating 173 years, the Sunderland Fall Fair is the oldest fair in Durham Region and is and always has been a mid-week fair that focuses greatly on our youth. It originated as the Sunderland Rural Fair with the first day dedicated to the children. Today, the Fair opens at 4.00 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon and continues throughout the day on Wednesday. We still enjoy strong participation on Wednesday from our local schools. The two elementary schools participate in the parade and vocalize their “School Cheers” which can be heard while you enter the fairgrounds, the high school band provides the Parade’s musical entertainment.
Fair Book 2012 Article
Presentation on the Sunderland Fall Fair 2011
What constitutes an “agricultural fair”? The answer is, Livestock and Agricultural products with most fairs remaining true to their mission statement of “promoting agriculture and rural life”. What is interesting about Sunderland Fair is that it also historically included a School Fair for the children to be involved in and offered midweek so that the local schools could be part of the educational opportunity that the fair offered.
The first Sunderland Fair was organized by the Brock Agricultural Society in 1851 and included a Merry-Go-Round.
Some years later Mr. St. John donated the present fairgrounds to the society.
By 1887 The Brock Agricultural Society’s fair was held on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at the beginning of October.
In 1904 Railway arrangements had been made with Grand Trunk Railway (GTR) for excursion rates on both days of the show. This year the fair was held on Tuesday and Wednesday.
An example of classes from 1904 included: Class 9, Domestic Manufactures – such as 5 yards of full cloth, home-made; A coverlet; pair of woolen mitts. For Class 12 this included work “by girls under 12 years of age” – with classes for a trimmed cotton pinafore, two pairs of socks or stockings etc. Class 13 was listed as “Farm Implements and Manufactures” which included such items as a turnip drill, horse rake, gang plough or a specimen of cooper’s work.
In 1920 the first exhibit hall was a frame building which was used for skating in the winter.
In 1931 The Rural School Fairs were sponsored by the Ontario Department of Agriculture and organized by the local agricultural representative. The Department of Agriculture gave seeds to the school children in the spring so that the children could plant and care for vegetables and flowers then exhibit them at fairs. The children had to place the seed package with their entries which encouraged new varieties of seeds to be discovered. Prizes were donated by T. Eaton Company and the Ministry of Agriculture.
In 1937 The Fall Exhibition was for two days, one for the children (School Fair) and the next for adult entries. The School Fair included a parade, physical drill and money prizes for students in agricultural classes, public speaking, spelling match, and instrumental solos to name a few.
After WW2 the township built a new memorial arena, north of the frame building. It was at this time that the agricultural society turned the grounds over to the township.
In 1946 Junior Farmers competed at the fair.
In 1949 a Memorial Arena was built after WW2
In 1951 new entrance gates were erected to commemorate the 100th anniversary
In 1957 the old wooden grandstand was flattened in a windstorm.
In 1965 the name of the society was changed from the Brock Agricultural Society to the Sunderland Agricultural Society.
In 1974 was the first Fair Queen Competition with three contestants.
The Lions built a new front on the arena. The dressing rooms were enlarged and an air-conditioned auditorium created upstairs.
In 1979 the first Tractor Pull was held.
In 1981 the first Demolition Derby took place on the Wednesday night and the first Horse Pull was held. The Horse Pull replaced the Horse race event.
In 1984 Brock Township, the Lions and the Fair Board all worked together to build washrooms along the west side of the arena allowing access both inside and outside the arena. The cost was $27,720
In 1985 the first Service Award was presented to Harold Doble.
In 1993 saw the beginning of the giant vegetable class
In 2000 the grandstand, food booth and barn were painted. A new chain-link fence was installed around part of the fairgrounds. Three new bleachers were built.
In 2001 a horse plowing demonstration and competition was introduced. A spelling bee becomes part of the fair.
The fair continues to evolve, drawing neighbours and visitors from afar and proudly remembering and celebrating the Agricultural roots of this community. The fair board is operated by scores of volunteers, many who have given decades of service to this event. Be sure to pop onto the Sunderland Agricultural Society and Agricultural Fall Fair website to see the full schedule for this years events and bring your family out to enjoy one of the longest traditions of Brock’s history.