The Rock Creek Fall Fair is just a couple of days away, and volunteers have been working steadily to put finishing touches on the grounds and the exhibition spaces in this, the fair’s 70th year.
This year, fair hosts will be welcoming visitors through a newly constructed gatehouse, built at the main site entrance by the Kettle River Lion’s Club with mostly donated materials.
Entry fees will be processed by several brand new electronic cash registers, which the fair board has installed in an effort to administer tighter control of the thousands of dollars that are collected.
The fair will feature its usual strong line-up of entertainment throughout the two-day event, headlined by Canada’s own Willie and the Poorboys (a Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute band) and also featuring Devon Coyote, a ‘”vast musical project that has grown to be a snarling, pure and powerful sound.”
The fair would not be complete without a country music flavour, and providing a bit of “twang” this year will be, amongst others, B.C.’s own Lisa Nicole, who appears poised for a breakthrough in the North American indie country music industry.
The inaugural Talent Competition is a new addition to the fair line-up and promises to showcase some impressive vocalists from the region. Beginning at 10am on Saturday morning, the contest will feature three categories, youth, teen and adult. Each vocalist will perform one song and the winners will be announced at Sunday’s closing ceremonies, slated for 3 pm.
Organizers of the Bridesville Community Club concession are excited this year to be serving local beef burgers, the beginning of a drive to eventually feature only local produce at the booth. The beef was raised on Sidley Mountain and butchered and prepared by Magnum Meat’s Chad Marhuis. The Bridesville concession is traditionally a busy affair, and the club hopes that serving home-grown products will make it even more popular.
As always, 4H events will be prominent throughout the weekend, and there will be ongoing displays of arts, crafts, baking, garden produce, wine and lots more to give each and every visitor an appreciation of what country living is all about.
Donations for Rock Creek fire relief will be accepted at the fair by the Kettle River Lion’s Club, which has placed a poignant reminder of the fire just inside the fairground’s main entrance. A burned-out tractor’s bucket has been fitted with a donation box, which the Lions hope to see filled by the conclusion of the fair.
