Agricultural fairs in the province are slowly going by the wayside, though Ponoka is indeed the exception.
The Ponoka Agricultural Society held its annual Home, Hobby and Horticultural Show on Friday, Aug. 19 and Saturday, Aug. 20 at the Royal Canadian Legion auditorium, one of the few fairs left in Alberta that continue the historic tradition of showcasing the best in agriculture.
The hall was packed full of tables and walls featuring vegetables, fruit, art, crafts, photographs and paintings just to name a few of the categories that saw the number of overall entries grow over last year.
According to organizer Amanda Carleton, the future of the fair could be brighter than ever as the number of entries in the junior categories - those 17 years of age and younger - is where the majority of growth took place this year.
“This fair is growing, especially among the youth, and that now makes Ponoka’s fair among the largest in Alberta,” said fair convenor Donna Rudd.
“It’s amazing to see and what else keeps it going is the committed volunteers that help promote the fair and encourage entries into the various categories.”
This year, the fair also helped celebrate 2016 as the International Year of Pulses by showcasing how they can be enjoyed by offering sample servings of stews and soups.
The winners at the fair included:
Agriculture - best of division and high point Kirsten Whiteside; All things Christmas - best of division and high point Katie van Tiesenhausen; Arrangements and houseplants - best of division Kathleen McKelvie, high point Gail Davies; Art - best of division and high point Tracy Shaw; Arts and crafts - best of division Marion Carter, high point Katelyn Van Haren; Culinary arts - best of division and high point Crystal Hamm; From Scratch - best of division Earl Booth; Fruit - best of division and high point Janet Hatala; Horticulture - best of division Fred Broska, high point Evelyn Geetsma; Knitting and crocheting - best of division and high point Katie van Tiesenhausen; Photography - best of division Irene Leuck, high point Kelly Bell; Quilts - best of division and high point Katelyn Van Haren; Sewing - best of division and high point Annette Fenske; Special needs - best of division and high point Allison Soosay; Vegetables - best of division Kirsten Whiteside, high point Fred Broska.
Garden - Rural Gail Davies, Urban Shirley Power; Landscaping - Rural Gail Davies, Urban Jim and Marge Ashbaugh; Water garden - Rural Sabine McDougall.
Juniors - division 1 - best of division Jocelyn Bos, high point Vala Whiteside; division 2 - best of division Jessica Kramer, high point Rebekah Hamm; agriculture - best of division Priscilla Kramer, high point Jessica Kramer; Garden division 1 - Joselyn Bos; Garden division 2 - Amelia Bos.
Seniors - Arts and crafts - best of division Earl Booth, high point Nellie Bos; Culinary arts - high point Irene Rausch; Knitting and crocheting - high point Irene Rausch; Quilts - best of division and high point Irene Rausch; Sewing - best of division Irene Rausch, high point Elsie Urger.