What a Day at the 98th Country Fair!

Here's another shout out to the Beiseker Lions' Club for a hugely successful Beiseker Country Fair on Saturday!  What a great day!  I managed to get around to most events during the day but my recent medical issues prevented me from seeing everything that was going on.

We enjoyed a magnificent breakfast at the Hall, sponsored by LUFF Industries and Louis Dreyfus, then to the official opening and the grand parade. I was most impressed to see the Calgary Stampede Queen and Princesses in our parade again this year. 

After the parade, I was able to sneak over to Airdrie to watch my granddaughter's dance debut on stage!  She's four years old and her performance was impeccable!  Her grandmother and I thought she was the very best dancer there, although we may be somewhat biased!

Back in Beiseker, I judged Chris Heighton's Main Street Car Show looking for the "Mayor's Choice" award again this year.   Thanks Chris and all your helpers for another great show.  This year I found a beautiful 1940 Ford which took my eye.  Fantastic! 

I quickly visited some of the other venues and had to come home to rest, which meant I missed pie at the Seniors` Centre!  My loss!  I also missed the 4H show and sale!  I do enjoy watching those young people keeping family agriculture alive and well. 

After I  rested at home for a while, my daughter and son-in-law joined us for another fabulous beef-on-a-bun supper at the Hall. 

Overall, an incredible day in our village.  Our Lions` Club is quite small with just over twenty members and their ability to assemble all the activities of Country Fair and run them glitch-free is totally amazing.  It was not surprising to see the same few Lions` members working at event to event throughout the day. 

Rest up, gentlemen!  You have the 98th Beiseker Country Fair in the books as a huge success.  You should be proud!

What a Great Day at the Beiseker Country Fair!

Despite the horrible weather forecasts, the turnout at Beiseker's 94th annual Country Fair was fantastic.  And those who ignored the forecasts, had a great day in the Village. 

It all started with a delicious breakfast attended by more than 450 hungry folks.  Breakfast was also attended by the Calgary Stampede Queen and Princesses - Candice Lee, Dani Gariepy, and Jessica Manning - along with this year's Calgary Stampede Indian Princess, Amelia Crowshoe.  From Crossfield's Pete Knight Days, the 2011 Queen and Princess - Emily Marston and Miranda Ross - were also there, accompanied by the three 2012 Queen and Princess contestants. 

During their introduction Dani Gariepy related how years ago she rode in her Grandpa's (Ed McNair's) gravel truck in the Beiseker Parade throwing candy to the kids!  Then Amelia Crowshoe performed a native Jingle Dance for us.  What an exciting way to start a super day.

Next was the parade.  It was great to see former mayor Bruce Rowe back in Beiseker. He rode in this year's parade for the first time as MLA for Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills, while Frank Schwengler drove me around the parade route in a gorgeous convertible.  I threw candy, I waved and I had fun!

After the Beiseker Country Fair Parade it was over to the arena for the Beiseker 4H Show.  I watched the proud youngsters show their calves in the very nicely prepared arena, then off to the Community Links Building for some goodies. 

As the teams competed for bragging rites at the ball diamonds, we chowed down on some delicious pie at the Golden Years Club.

Next it was over to Main Street to become a part of the 8th Annual Beiseker Main Street Show & Shine.  Local businesses, led by Chris Heighton, put on a great car show.  More than 40 vehicles were on display there - the number of cars was down this year, probably because of that crappy weather forecast.  Chris handed out door prizes and  I got to pick the "Mayor's Choice"!

I carefully looked at all the entries shining there in the afternoon sun.  I decided to pick a car that I would have loved to drive up and down Eighth Avenue in Calgary back in the late 1960s. There were a few cars there which qualified, but I picked a pretty little blue Pontiac Firebird!  I've got to tell you it was the hardest job of the day picking just one of those gorgeous cars!

During the afternoon I dropped in on some of the other things happening around the Village; everything from ATV & motorhome displays to "bouncy houses" for kids!  We finished off the day with beef on a bun at the Community Centre.  We left as the DJ was warming up and the kids were jumping around on the dance floor.  We were tired and we called it a day at that point. 

What a fantastic day in the Village of Beiseker!

If you're Lions' Club Member or a spouse of a Lion, take a huge bow for a job well done!  I know the Lions' Club here in Beiseker isn't that big but you'd never know that around the Village during the Country Fair!  Those folks worked so hard and so long to make the day a success.  The people I saw in the  Hall doing the breakfast were there working at the supper!  Many of those same folks ran the parade and helped elsewhere during the day, too!  Those guys and their wives made the Energizer Bunny look like a laggard!  

Well done; all of you!  I'm already looking forward to the 95th version of the Beiseker Country Fair next year!