Sure, the Emo Fair is all fun and games for most, but if you’re into serious competition, the place to be is Exhibition Hall, where just about anything you can raise, grow, build, bake, knit, craft, carve, pickle or crochet can be submitted for judgment—and win prizes.
The Exhibition Hall has long been a central part of the annual event, officially known as the Rainy River Valley Agricultural Society (RRVAS) Fall Fair. With competitions in dozens of classes (and numerous subclasses) that allow entrants to submit just about anything, the hall draws in a mixed crowd of competitors and attendees curious to see what’s being showcased, said society President Sherri Hay.
“The exhibition hall is where everyone in the district can exhibit the things they’ve grown or made,” Hay said. “Wheat, vegetables, flowers, things they’ve sown, they can show it. There’s also lots of other categories for things like antiques and photos too.”
And more. Much, much more. Into LEGO building? There are categories for that. How about scarecrow construction? Got you covered. Grow some wicked houseplants? You can enter them. Beadwork and jewelry, artwork, woodworking, photography, Christmas and Halloween decorations. And it doesn’t end there.
Perhaps the best part is that anyone can enter. Just about everything under the roof of Exhibition Hall is a contest where everyone who has entered an item to be showcased is competing with everyone else in the same class.
Although open to anyone, competitors must first obtain a fair membership. These memberships cost $20 for individuals over 18 and $15 if under. Alternatively, there are family memberships for $25, which cover two guardians and any children in the household under 18. All are available at the front of the Exhibition Hall on Aug. 10 or can be obtained in advance by emailing R.R.V.A.S@hotmail.com.
Once a member, the next step is to fill out an entry form at www.emofair.weebly.com.
During the Tuesday of fair week, exhibitors with initials A through M will drop of their items to the hall between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. On Wednesday, exhibitors with initials N through Z will do the same.
All exhibitors must present to the Emo Fair Board office before dropping their exhibits off.
The following day, the judges will begin reviewing exhibits at 9 a.m., making their decisions before the public has had the chance to view any items on display. Each class has a first, second and third place winner and comes with different monetary prizes to be paid out after the fair has ended.
This year, the fair’s board has decided to add three new prizes to the Exhibition Hall’s pot, said Fair Director Marie Saunders.
“We’ve decided to do some involvement awards for the hall,” Saunders said. “The first one is the Family Involvement Award, because we have a number of family groups that come in. Basically, what that entails is the family group with the most entries in the hall will win. They’ll have their name put on a plaque and win their membership for next year.”
The Family Involvement Award was established to encourage family groups to work together in the hall. A family is defined in the guidelines as “A social unit made up of parents, children, foster children, and any other relatives living in the same home,” and must include a minimum of one youth under 18 and a parent or guardian.
The next new award is the Junior Achievement Award, aimed at encouraging youth under 18 to participate. The winner will be the exhibitor with the most points on items they’ve entered through different classes in the hall. Placing first in any class will give three points towards the Junior Achievement Award, second will give two points and third one point.
The final new addition is the Exhibition Hall Award, which functions very similarly to the previous award, but is aimed at adults.
“It’ll also be a point system,” Saunders said. “The highest points will also have their name on a plaque and membership.”
A full list of the different classes that exhibits may fall into when being showcased in the hall is available in the Fair Book. Printed copies can be picked up at Rainy River Municipal Office, Wood’s Quality Bakery, Beaver Mills Market, Andrew’s Snack Shack, Stratton Equipment, the Chapple Municipal Office, Emo Municipal Office, Emo Feed Services, Tompkins Home Hardware, Devlin’s Corner Store, Fort Frances General Supply, Fort Frances Times, Fort Frances Library & Technology Centre and Wilson’s Business Supply or downloaded at www.emofair.weebly.com.
The fair kicks off on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 8 a.m.
