A 1950s photo captures Manitoulin locals—including Mrs. Noon, Mrs. Skippen, Mrs. Moggy, Mr. McDonald, Mrs. Tilston, Mr. McCulligh, and Mrs. Hunter—admiring traditional floral exhibits.
Expositor Staff
Check out our Events page to see the schedule for this year's Manitowaning Fall Fair.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story comes from an 1879 edition of The Expositor, which was at that time published in Manitowaning, and as such some of the language reflects the verbiage of the time.
The annual Fall Fair of the Assiginack Agricultural Society was held in this village on Friday, Oct. 3…Comment consent awards to this exhibition the honour of being the most successful ever held by the society. The total number of entries was 348 and the number of visitors is estimated at about 1,000; quite a number of these came from the north side of the Island, the Jane Miller having brought an excursion party on that day to attend the fair and a concert. The quality of the articles exhibited gives undoubted proof of the steady improvement of this section of the Island. The valuable stock would astonish some of our friends in the older settlements who look upon this Island as a backwoods settlement.
The grain exhibited was an excellent sample although – owing to the unfavourable weather – not so good as last year’s. The roots were ahead of everything we have ever seen. John Gorley had a magnificent lot of large white potatoes which were calculated to gladden the heart of a son of Erin T. English, of the Current, had his 105.5-pound squash on exhibition. The whole collection of roots was good and spoke well for the fertility of the soil.
A very large and beautiful display of ladies’ work was presented for the admiration of the lovers of the beautiful. This collection was too large to allow of any part of it. Some very pretty furniture was exhibited by J.J. Taylor and E. Bassingwaithe; there is no longer any need for even our wealthiest people making their purchases of this nature below when furniture of such a superior order can be had on the Island.
The collection of motto frames exhibited by the latter was particularly admired, as was a pencil picture of Manitowaning; this latter was the work of an Indian.
A Wanzer F sewing machine was exhibited by J. Reynolds and was greatly praised by the ladies who are the best judges of such articles. A large number of horses, cattle, sheep, swine, poultry etc. were exhibited and much admired. In fact, the whole show was exceedingly good, and far superior to that of any township fair we have ever attended. The officers of the Society have every reason to feel proud of the success already attained by the infant society and may well be confident of its future. They also deserve credit for their courtesy and fair dealing.
…There is no calculating the good a society of this nature does to a place; the amount of trade it draws to the village is a great thing in its favour and it brings our farmers together and gives them an opportunity to discuss matters calculated to promote their interests, while their friendly competition has a tendency to materially improve the stock and produce of the show.
Tom Sasvari
Michael Erskine
Margery Frisch