Fair boards shouldn't be expected to parent

Sep 14, 2007

To the Editor:

In response to “Fair fare lacked taste,” in the Sept. 7 edition of the Almaguin Forester.

The “old fashioned” fall fair is a thing of the past. All small fairs in Ontario are experiencing a very difficult time surviving and have for some years.

Many have folded or are only hanging on by a thread. For a small fair to survive now, they have to change and adapt. That is why you may see very little “agriculture” at an agricultural fair. This is because of government regulations, insurance, liability, the high cost of gas and the decline of farming. The “traditional values” are changing with the times and so must small fairs.

The t-shirt vendor (Keely Grasser) refers to has been at the fair for at least 10 years, more likely a lot longer than that. Obviously, you haven’t been to our fair in awhile. The other things you mentioned in your article; pipes, knives, lighters, etc, are not illegal. It is not the fair board’s responsibility to be babysitters, censors, morality police, religious zealots or disciplinarians. We are trying to provide “something for everyone.” If the fair boards don’t adapt and adjust to stay alive, there will not be any fall fairs left.

We are not substitutes for parents. On Sunday at 6:30 p.m., we had two small boys, aged 11 and 12, stealing from the Derby cars. Earlier, they were removed from the exhibit building for trying to steal baked goods. They eventually had to be taken to the police station. They told many different stories, but the question is: Where were their parents? What were they doing at an event full of strangers with no parental supervision?

That is why this article is offensive. We have around 15 people working tirelessly to put on a “community event.” It is all volunteer and it seems there is always someone begrudging us having a successful fair. We work hard to have a variety of events, attractions and yes, vendors. If someone finds something they don’t like, they can walk away, and it is only one small section where these vendors are. It is the parents’ responsibility to PARENT! Children of the 21st Century see and hear much, much worse on TV, the Internet and at school.

While it is always pleasant to recall the fun times we had as kids at the fall fair, as adults we must realize that times change, whether they be for good or bad, nothing stays the same.

Isabel Topps
Powassan