Alexander Leach, Editor
COBDEN – The Cobden Fairgrounds may be quiet this year, but the Cobden Agricultural Society is taking it virtual in order to keep the events going in spite of the pandemic.
The website “https://cobdenfair.com/virtual-fair” hosts a series of events throughout the summer, allowing participants to engage in a scavenger hunt and buy typical fair foods.
“We still want to provide some ag(ricultural) education and promote rural Living to the community.” said Tara Tennant, Director on the Fair Board. “We didn’t need a big fair to do that.”
Tennant said the community supports the virtual fair as an alternative to a live fair.
“People are happy we didn’t just cancel.” Tennant said. “The reason we can do a fair is that we still have the support of our local community. We still have a lot of people to donate.”
Sponsers on the website include Scotiabank, Bonnechere Excavating Inc, and Huckabone’s Equipment.
Tennant said the Scavenger hunt requires participants to answer questions about the area around the Whitewater and Admaston/Bromley area, online.
Fair-food bags with staples such as cotton candy and popcorn can be preordered online, and will be available for sale at the Cobden Agricultural Hall on Saturday, August 29th.
An online auction is also available, with items such as coffee, roast chicken, a soaps gift basket, and a live bunny starter kit available for bidding.
Tennant said that the fair’s theme would be ‘Show off your Cobden Flair’, and encouraged residents to decorate their lawns and houses for the event to show off on social media.
“We’ll find out. We’ve just had it up fora few weeks. Engagement is hard to judge for now.”
Tennant said the fairgrounds on Astrolabe Road in Cobden will still have a barbecue on August 29th, even if a full fair will not occur, in addition to the above food packages.
Tennant said social distancing guidelines were to be followed.
Phase 3 pandemic guidelines have rolled out across the province of Ontario, allowing for seating in restaurant indoors with mandatory masks and social distancing.
The County of Refrew announced the Taste of the Valley festival would be cancelled for 2020, possibly resuming in 2020 (Full Release on Page 2)
