A beloved Emo Fall Fair tradition has undergone significant changes in order to keep with the times.
The Rainy River Valley Agricultural Society Fair Queen event, a longstanding fixture of the annual Emo Fair, is no more. According to event organizer Mary Croswell, even though the event hasn’t run since 2023, it’s been at the forefront of people’s minds as they work to have it run again, but the changing times caught up to it and led them to take a shift in direction.
“For more than half a century the annual Fair Queen competition stood as a cherished tradition, a highlight of the summer that brought families and friends together,” Croswell said.
“Generations watched daughters, sisters and neighbours take the stage not just for beauty or poise but for community. As the final tiara was placed in 2023, the chapter quietly closed. The decision to end the competition wasn’t made lightly, the committee spent the last few years hoping to continue the competition, but organizers cited changing times, dwindling participation and a desire to focus on more inclusive programming that reflects the evolving identity of the Fall Fair.”
Thus, while the final Queen rides off into the sunset, a new event is rising to take its place and continue to champion those values the previous event did. The Rainy River Valley Agricultural Society Fall Fair Ambassador Bursary Program has taken shape and is scheduled to run for its inaugural year during this summer’s Fair. According to Croswell, the shift in the structure and focus of the event is allowing the organizing committee to keep recognizing the hard work of local youth, but opens it up and shifts it away from potentially tired gender lines. Other agricultural fairs have been making the same shift from King/Queen to Ambassador, so the local organizers felt it was time to follow suit.
“As our communities change, so must the ways we recognize and support our youth,” she said.
“The Ambassador Bursary allows us to honour the same values of service, leadership, volunteerism, and community engagement. The Ambassador will demonstrate a commitment to their community, leadership in agriculture or urban life, and a vision for their future.”
Croswell noted that the new event is open to everyone in the Rainy River District between the ages of 17 and 22, and the new Ambassador Program Handbook, though not completely finalized as of writing, says that the event is open to any gender, and that participants need not be from a farm, but “should have some knowledge of the local system and annual fair.”
“The Ambassador Program is designed to engage and empower community youth to represent and promote the Fair,” the handbook reads.
“Ambassador will act as the face of the fair, building excitement before and during the event through social media, word of mouth and direct engagement. This program offers an opportunity for a passionate individual to become leaders in the community, sharing the joy and value of the Fair with others.”
The application process for those interested in becoming the Fair Ambassador includes an interview with a judging committee, as well as a written component from 1,000 to 2,000 words that explains to the judges who the applicant is through their involvement in the community or Fair, why they wish to sere as Fair Ambassador, and what qualities or experiences they have that make them a strong representative.
“Include in the written component something you are passionate about and write about it,” the handbook says.
Once chosen as Ambassador, the youth will receive $5,000 in bursaries dependent on completing all obligations of the station, which will include participating in all three days of the annual Fair in various capacities, promoting the Fair through social media, representing the Fair at other local events, and speaking about the Fair and Ambassador program to schools and other community groups, among other listed responsibilities.
While the last Emo Fair Queen Crown was bestowed in 2023 to Isabelle Meeks, Croswell noted that last Queen will serve as a bridge between the two events, and the spirit of the Queen tradition lives on through the members of the committee who have been involved in many different aspects over the years. Croswell noted organizing member Sis McCormick wore the crown in 2002, and Croswell own daughter was Fair Queen in 2013. The new event will continue to represent the values that were enshrined in the previous competition, while bringing it into a modern age.
“Dorthy Bonot created the Emo Fair Queen Contest, and the longevity of the program has been strong,” she said.
“Many who took part in the contest shared many wonderful memories of selling buttons, parades, interviews, and the friendships made representing their community as the Emo Fair Queen. Though the crowns and banners may no longer grace the Fairgrounds, the celebration of everyone who wore the crown will always be part of the tradition and can evolve while still honouring where we have come from and where we are going. The legacy of the Emo Fair Queen competition are its values of community, confidence, and connection.”
The entry applications for the Rainy River Valley Agricultural Society Fall Fair Ambassador will be available and submitted online in the near future, with a deadline of August 1, 2025, but anyone with more questions or concerns about the event is encouraged to contact Croswell at marycroswell@hotmail.ca or Ashley Lepore at ashleylepore@outlook.com.
