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{{Short description|Annual fair held in London, Ontario, Canada}}
'''The Western Fair''' is a mult--faceted not for profit organization based in the heart of London, Ontario. Through its facilities and events, it is a leading year-round entertainment, agricultural, commercial, sports and recreational destination for residents in the city and far beyond anchored by the annual Western Fair, one of the Top 100 Events in Ontario, as voted by FEO (Festivals & Events Ontario) for 2010.
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox recurring event
| name = Western Fair
| logo =
| image = Western Fair 004.jpg
| imagesize = 180px
| caption = 2008 Fair photo
| location = [[London, Ontario]]
| years_active = {{Time ago|1868-09|ago=}}
| founded = 1868
| dates = early September
| genre = [[State fair|fall fair]]/[[Agricultural show]]
| website = https://www.westernfair.ca/
}}
The '''Western Fair''' is a [[fair]] held annually in [[London, Ontario]], [[Canada]] in early September.


==History==
Western Fair Association's grounds house several complexes that offer popular consumer and trade shows and exhibits, a first class harness horse racetrack and state of the art slot operation, great dining, meeting and banquet facilities, as well as a industry leading sports complex which is home to a variety of ice events.
[[Image:JohnHuseSaunders.jpg|thumb|right|John Huse Saunders]]
The first Western Fair was held in September 1868 in downtown London, northeast of the current location of Victoria Park. Organizers had hoped to use the [[Crystal Palace Barracks]] as the main exhibition area. Livestock shows took place on the parade grounds outside the Crystal Palace.


In 1887, when the fair gained legal status through the Provincial Charter and Act of Incorporation, it moved to 900 King Street in east London, where the fairgrounds remain today. The present fairgrounds were purchased for $65,000. Except for an eight-year period between 1939 and 1947 when the Canadian [[Department of National Defence (Canada)|Department of National Defence]] occupied the grounds and 2020–2021, the Western Fair has operated on the new site.
One of the leading employers in the region, the Western Fair Association has a huge impact on the local economy and is a major contributor to the community in a wide variety of ways.


John Huse Saunders was President of the Western Fair Association (WFA) for 22 years.{{when|date=December 2015}} He devoted more than 50 years to the Western Fair and was known throughout North America as a poultry breeder. After receiving Honorary Presidential status the WFA changed the by-laws and limited the term to three years.
==Mission==
The Western Fair Association is an Agricultural Society that, through its people, activities and facilities, excels in creating unique experiences that fulfill the evolving entertainment/recreational and educational interests of their customers.


In 2011, the former Western Fair Association re-branded itself as the Western Fair District, to better represent the reality that the grounds and building facilities had expanded beyond a 9-day fair to year-round activities.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.westernfairdistrict.com/about-us/who-we-are/our-history |title=Our History &#124; Western Fair District |access-date=September 16, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409104521/http://www.westernfairdistrict.com/about-us/who-we-are/our-history |archive-date=April 9, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==What They Do==
===The Fair===
The annual Western Fair, which encompasses 80 acres, is one of the largest and most successful fairs in Canada attended by an average of some 200,000 people each year from the London area and well beyond. Beginning each year on the Friday following Labour Day, the 10 day event offers first class entertainment, popular midway rides and games, food, diverse exhibits, attractions , artists and animals.


With 2020 & 2021's cancellation due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], the 145th was deferred to 2021.
===Trade and Consumer Shows/Entertainment===
The many venues on the property at Western Fair Association are utilized year round to host a myriad of diverse trade and consumer shows and exhibits. A number of these events are produced and operated by Western Fair including the London Wine & Food Show, London Golf & Travel Show, Western Fair Farm Show, Poultry Industry Conference & Exhibition, and the London Health & Fitness Show. The facilities are also rented to many organizations to house shows such as the Boat Fishing & Leisure, London Spring Home & Garden Show, RV Show, Can Am All Breed Equine Show, Forest City Yearling Sale etc.


==The fair==
The Grandstand, the London City Music Theatre and the Carousel Room are also used regularly to present a wide variety of live entertainment and many meetings and banquets are hosted at the facilities as well. Western Fair and its food service partner Compass Group, takes great pride in the quality of food presented at our facilities and the service by which it is delivered.
The Western Fair runs during the second full week of September, starting on Friday and ending on Sunday.


The original basis for the Western Fair was agricultural displays, arts and crafts, and [[vendor]]s, with a heavy emphasis on competition. Later additions included the midway and booked entertainment acts. A seasonal harness racetrack was opened in 1961, with simulcast betting added later.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.westernfairdistrict.com/raceway|title=The Raceway &#124; Western Fair District}}</ref> The racetrack was later separated from the fair proper.
===The Sports Centre===
A joint venture with the City of London, this state of the art 160,000 square foot facility houses three NHL ice surfaces and one Olympic size rink. In addition to hosting thousands of participants each year in sports from ice hockey to ringette, figure skating, etc., it also is the first choice for hockey tournaments throughout Southwestern Ontario. The first class venue was recognized recently by Skate Canada as it selected it to present the 2010 Canadian Figure Skating Championships in January.


The only 24-hour food vendor at the Western Fair, St. Anne's Church, served meals at the Western Fair from 1947 until 2015, with the proceeds going to local charities and to fund church activities. In 2016, St. Anne's Church did not renew its contract after new regulations restricted its operations to fair open hours only, which would have forced it to operate at a loss.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lfpress.com/2016/09/13/western-fairs-seven-decade-food-vendor-st-annes-cant-swallow-loss-from-new-contract-packs-up-its-tent|title=Western Fair's seven-decade food vendor St. Anne's can't swallow loss from new contract, packs up its tent}}</ref>
===The Racetrack===
Western Fair Raceway hosts more than 100 programs of harness racing each year. It was the first Standardbred racetrack in Ontario to provide night racing and has been offering first class harness racing now for 50 years. The track is recognized as one of the best in North America and many prominent performers in racing, both equine and human, have received their starts at Western Fair Raceway.


==Facilities==
London and its surrounding communities represent a major hub for Standardbred horse racing and breeding in Canada. The industry provides jobs for thousands and is the third largest agricultural sector in the province. Racing at Western Fair contributes to sustaining that industry and provides significant economic spin-off benefits to the City of London and its surrounding communities.
The Western Fairgrounds are open 12 months a year. In addition to the fair itself, the fairgrounds are also home to the horse racing Western Fair Raceway, the [[Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation|OLG]] casino [[slot machine]]s, an agricultural complex, and several large buildings which are frequently rented out for events. It also used to be home to the former Western Fair Museum and Archives and the former [[IMAX]] theatre, both of which closed in 2005. The IMAX theatre was taken over by London Musical Theatre Productions in 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mtplondon.ca |title = Musical Theatre Productions {{!}} London, Ontario}}</ref>
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Western Fair Raceway Infield.jpg|thumb|right|A horse racing fan enjoys the harness racing from the infield area at Western Fair Raceway.]] -->


===Raceway and slot machines===
In addition to hosting live racing, Western Fair Raceway also provides simulcast wagering on racetracks from across North America 364 days a year.
London's primary [[standardbred]] [[horse racing]] facility is the '''Western Fair Raceway'''. A slot machine facility on the site was opened to the public on September 28, 1999, as authorised by the [[Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation]]. As of April 2008, the facility contained 750 slot machines and has seen 9.4&nbsp;million people, supported by a $15&nbsp;million staff budget.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.olg.ca/olg-slots/western_fair.jsp |title=Western Fair Raceway at OLG Slots |access-date=July 12, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080316065218/http://www.olg.ca/olg-slots/western_fair.jsp |archive-date=March 16, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=LFP2008>{{cite news | url=https://lfpress.com/perl-bin/publish.cgi?x=articles&p=231067&s=successstories | title=Betting on success | newspaper=[[London Free Press]] | access-date=July 12, 2008 | date=April 18, 2008 }} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>


[[Image:WFAmedal001.jpg|thumb|right|Western Fair Medal ''circa'' 1900s]]
===Slot Operation===
Western Fair is home to a first class slot venue operated by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming. It is home to 750 slot machines and provides significant economic support to the City of London.


===Farmers' Market===
===Museum and archives===
The '''Western Fair Museum and Archives''' began with the efforts of Inge Sanmyia, who was working on her PhD in history at [[Wilfrid Laurier University]] in [[Waterloo, Ontario]] in 1997. Her three-month summer research project soon became the foundations for the Western Fair Museum and Archives. Since 1997 she has designed historical displays for the Fair and written its history: ''A Celebration of Excellence: The history of the Western Fair''. During its existence, the WFA Museum and Archives accumulated material from the Western Fair, members of the public and historians, and catalogued the Western Fair Archives list of photographs. Through the acquisition of these materials, the museum put on regular short and long-term displays as well as distinct displays during each fall fair. For example:
The Western Fair Farmers and Artisans Market is a hidden gem in the heart of London’s old east village, located in the historic Confederation Building. It operates every Saturday (8 am – 3 pm) throughout the year and provides residents with a place to purchase locally produced food and merchandise and the merchants a facility to sell their products.


*''Transportation and the Fair'' 1999
The market features two floors of merchants, each floor offering over 75 vendors. The main floor focuses on fresh foods, featuring a full line of vegetables, fruits, meats, fish, baked goods and cut flowers. The second floor is filled with crafters and artisans.
*''The Great War'' 2001
*''Ann May (Dingwall)'' Queen of the Cowgirls 2002
*''Tings to Remember'' 2003
*''London Firefighters'' 2004


In its efforts to record and catalogue the material it had acquired, an extensive systems of records and labelling was set up and a Finding Aid was designed and installed in the in-house computer system for easy access. The Museum was affiliated with: [[Canadian Museums Association]], [[Canadian Heritage Information Network]], and [[Virtual Museum of Canada]].
In 2010, the Western Fair Farmers Market announced that The Fire Roasted Coffee Company was making a $40,000 investment and opened a new 2,000 square foot, open concept coffee roaster/café on the second floor. A home grown success story, Fire Roasted Coffee has become the supplier to the top tier of local retail and food establishments such as Remark, UWO (University of Western Ontario), Fanshawe College, to name just a few. What started as a part-time passion for David Cook, owner of Fire Roasted Coffee has now come full circle.


''Examples of Headings''
==Partnering in the Community==
*WFA = Western Fair Association
Western Fair Association is very cognizant of its position as a community leader and as such contributes greatly to the community in a variety of ways that benefit a wide segment of society within London and the surrounding region of South Western Ontario. It is our belief that by providing financial support to many diverse groups, in both difficult and prosperous times, we can maintain an ongoing and positive relationship with all of our partners.
*WF = Western Fair
*HS = Horse Show
*LSC = Livestock Catalogue
*FS = Farm Show
*SPF = Sports Fair
*ND = No Date
*PL = Prize Lists


''Examples of Series codes by Box''
This is accomplished by assisting non-profit and agriculture related events on site with discounted facilities and services, as well making donations to a wide variety of organizations in the community. Western Fair established a Community Enhancement Fund, which is funded by one half of one per cent of the revenue from our slots operation (the other half provides funding for our agriculture grant program). Since its inception it has benefited numerous causes and relief efforts within South Western Ontario.
*1 WFA 1000A
*6 HS 7000
*7 LSC 7000


''Examples of Archival Box Contents''
Western Fair takes great pride in our staff and our facilities and we enjoy sharing those with all members of the community including hundreds of local school children who are treated to tours annually.
*Box No. 3 WFA 1000C
*City presentation 1970 Fair expansion
*Government of Canada (ND) Exhibition survey
*Comparison of State Fairs 1969 US & Canada
*Midway games proposal (ND)
*Central Canada Exhibition Association(CCEA) 1972 Survey
*International Association of Fairs & Expositions 1985 Directory
*Report of Western Fair Research


===IMAX theatre===
As a responsible corporate citizen Western Fair Association has made great strides in making our operations and facilities as environmentally sound and efficient as possible. We believe it is essential to minimize the environmental impact of our operations by doing our best to conserve, recycle, embrace emerging technologies and explore alternative and renewable sources of energy that will provide a better future for WFA, our customers and our community.
An [[IMAX]] film theatre was situated at the Western Fair site for nine years, closing on September 30, 2005, due to low attendance (''an average of only 100,000 patrons per year''). After the IMAX equipment was removed, the theatre was leased and renovated by Dale Henderson, a retired engineer and former leader of the Stardust Orchestra, who opened the London City Music Theatre in October 2007.


==See also==
Other Canadian annual and/or agricultural fairs
* [[Canadian National Exhibition]] – [[Toronto]]
* [[Calgary Stampede]] – [[Calgary]]
* [[K-Days|Edmonton K-Days]] – [[Edmonton]]
* [[Pacific National Exhibition]] – [[Vancouver]]
* [[Ottawa SuperEX|Central Canada Exhibition]] – [[Ottawa]]
* [[Canadian Lakehead Exhibition]] – [[Thunder Bay]]
* [[Markham Fair]] – [[Markham, Ontario]]
* [[Red River Exhibition]] – [[Winnipeg]]
* [[Royal Agricultural Winter Fair]] – [[Toronto]]
* [[Royal Manitoba Winter Fair]] – [[Brandon, Manitoba]]
* [[Schomberg Fair]] – [[Schomberg, Ontario]]
* [[Sooke Fall Fair]] – [[Sooke]], [[British Columbia]]


==History==
==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}
Western Fair Association was founded in 1867 through the amalgamation of the East Middlesex Agricultural Society and the London District Horticultural and Agricultural Society. The first official meeting of the Western Fair Association was held the following year, which was also the inaugural year for the annual Western Fair.

Western Fair was granted a Provincial Charter and incorporated as an Agricultural Society on April 23, 1867. This was under the Ontario Agricultural Societies Act that is still the basis for the structure and mission of the Association today.

By the Act of Incorporation, the Association is a company separate from the municipality in which it is located, and pursuant to section 30 of the Agricultural and Horticultural Organization Act, the land occupied by the Association is exempt from taxes other than those for local improvements, provided all proceeds from the use of the land are retained solely for the Association’s purpose.

With that benefit comes significant responsibilities, some which are dictated by the legislation, others, which are self-imposed by the Association.

Western Fair is a member driven organization supported by an extensive group of volunteers. Over 100 organizations appoint representatives to Western Fair. Representatives sit on Advisory Committees and act as a voice of the community and provide recommendations on various aspects of the Fair.

Reporting to the Membership, the Board of Governors is charged with the fiduciary responsibility of diligently supporting the Association’s Vision and Mission Statement while overseeing the execution of its Principles outlined in its Strategic Plan.

Reporting to the Board of Governors, the Fair Directors oversee the annual fair operation ensuring that this business unit is financially responsible and effective in “Creating Unique Experiences” that fulfill the evolving entertainment and educational interests of its patrons.

The Senate is comprised of All Past Presidents and Chairs of the Association. The Senate serves as policy advisors to the Board of Governors on any matters pertaining to the Association’s broad mandate, they are Ambassadors during community events and the Annual Fair and they also oversee the Community Enhancement Fund and the selection of funding recipients as set out in the Fund’s Policy.



==References==


*{{cite book |last= Sanmiya |first= Inge Vibeke|title= A celebration of excellence: The history of the Western Fair |publisher= WFA |year= 2000 |isbn=0-9687675-0-8}}
*{{cite thesis|degree=PhD|first=Inge Vibeke| last=Sanmiya|url=http://scholars.wlu.ca/etd/48/ |title=A spirit of enterprise: The Western Fair Association, London, Ontario: 1867-1947 |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University|year=2002}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons}}
{{Commons}}
* [http://www.westernfair.com/ Western Fair website]
* [http://www.westernfairdistrict.com/the_fair Western Fair District]

{{London, Ontario}}
{{London, Ontario}}
{{coord|42.9889|N|81.2191|W|display=title}}
{{coord missing|Ontario}}
{{Horse racing venues in Canada}}


[[Category:Annual fairs]]
[[Category:Annual fairs]]
[[Category:Casinos in Ontario]]
[[Category:Casinos in Ontario]]
[[Category:Horse racing venues in Canada]]
[[Category:Horse racing venues in Ontario]]
[[Category:Recurring events established in 1866]]
[[Category:Recurring events established in 1866]]
[[Category:Agriculture in Canada]]
[[Category:Agriculture in Canada]]
[[Category:Festivals in London, Ontario]]
[[Category:Festivals in London, Ontario]]
[[Category:Fairs in Canada]]
[[Category:Fairs in Ontario]]
[[Category:1866 establishments in Canada]]
[[Category:Companies based in London, Ontario]]
[[Category:Festivals established in 1866]]
[[Category:Fairgrounds in Canada]]

Latest revision as of 00:13, 16 January 2024

Western Fair
2008 Fair photo
Genrefall fair/Agricultural show
Datesearly September
Location(s)London, Ontario
Years active155 years
Founded1868
Websitehttps://www.westernfair.ca/

The Western Fair is a fair held annually in London, Ontario, Canada in early September.

History[edit]

John Huse Saunders

The first Western Fair was held in September 1868 in downtown London, northeast of the current location of Victoria Park. Organizers had hoped to use the Crystal Palace Barracks as the main exhibition area. Livestock shows took place on the parade grounds outside the Crystal Palace.

In 1887, when the fair gained legal status through the Provincial Charter and Act of Incorporation, it moved to 900 King Street in east London, where the fairgrounds remain today. The present fairgrounds were purchased for $65,000. Except for an eight-year period between 1939 and 1947 when the Canadian Department of National Defence occupied the grounds and 2020–2021, the Western Fair has operated on the new site.

John Huse Saunders was President of the Western Fair Association (WFA) for 22 years.[when?] He devoted more than 50 years to the Western Fair and was known throughout North America as a poultry breeder. After receiving Honorary Presidential status the WFA changed the by-laws and limited the term to three years.

In 2011, the former Western Fair Association re-branded itself as the Western Fair District, to better represent the reality that the grounds and building facilities had expanded beyond a 9-day fair to year-round activities.[1]

With 2020 & 2021's cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 145th was deferred to 2021.

The fair[edit]

The Western Fair runs during the second full week of September, starting on Friday and ending on Sunday.

The original basis for the Western Fair was agricultural displays, arts and crafts, and vendors, with a heavy emphasis on competition. Later additions included the midway and booked entertainment acts. A seasonal harness racetrack was opened in 1961, with simulcast betting added later.[2] The racetrack was later separated from the fair proper.

The only 24-hour food vendor at the Western Fair, St. Anne's Church, served meals at the Western Fair from 1947 until 2015, with the proceeds going to local charities and to fund church activities. In 2016, St. Anne's Church did not renew its contract after new regulations restricted its operations to fair open hours only, which would have forced it to operate at a loss.[3]

Facilities[edit]

The Western Fairgrounds are open 12 months a year. In addition to the fair itself, the fairgrounds are also home to the horse racing Western Fair Raceway, the OLG casino slot machines, an agricultural complex, and several large buildings which are frequently rented out for events. It also used to be home to the former Western Fair Museum and Archives and the former IMAX theatre, both of which closed in 2005. The IMAX theatre was taken over by London Musical Theatre Productions in 2007.[4]

Raceway and slot machines[edit]

London's primary standardbred horse racing facility is the Western Fair Raceway. A slot machine facility on the site was opened to the public on September 28, 1999, as authorised by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation. As of April 2008, the facility contained 750 slot machines and has seen 9.4 million people, supported by a $15 million staff budget.[5][6]

Western Fair Medal circa 1900s

Museum and archives[edit]

The Western Fair Museum and Archives began with the efforts of Inge Sanmyia, who was working on her PhD in history at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario in 1997. Her three-month summer research project soon became the foundations for the Western Fair Museum and Archives. Since 1997 she has designed historical displays for the Fair and written its history: A Celebration of Excellence: The history of the Western Fair. During its existence, the WFA Museum and Archives accumulated material from the Western Fair, members of the public and historians, and catalogued the Western Fair Archives list of photographs. Through the acquisition of these materials, the museum put on regular short and long-term displays as well as distinct displays during each fall fair. For example:

  • Transportation and the Fair 1999
  • The Great War 2001
  • Ann May (Dingwall) Queen of the Cowgirls 2002
  • Tings to Remember 2003
  • London Firefighters 2004

In its efforts to record and catalogue the material it had acquired, an extensive systems of records and labelling was set up and a Finding Aid was designed and installed in the in-house computer system for easy access. The Museum was affiliated with: Canadian Museums Association, Canadian Heritage Information Network, and Virtual Museum of Canada.

Examples of Headings

  • WFA = Western Fair Association
  • WF = Western Fair
  • HS = Horse Show
  • LSC = Livestock Catalogue
  • FS = Farm Show
  • SPF = Sports Fair
  • ND = No Date
  • PL = Prize Lists

Examples of Series codes by Box

  • 1 WFA 1000A
  • 6 HS 7000
  • 7 LSC 7000

Examples of Archival Box Contents

  • Box No. 3 WFA 1000C
  • City presentation 1970 Fair expansion
  • Government of Canada (ND) Exhibition survey
  • Comparison of State Fairs 1969 US & Canada
  • Midway games proposal (ND)
  • Central Canada Exhibition Association(CCEA) 1972 Survey
  • International Association of Fairs & Expositions 1985 Directory
  • Report of Western Fair Research

IMAX theatre[edit]

An IMAX film theatre was situated at the Western Fair site for nine years, closing on September 30, 2005, due to low attendance (an average of only 100,000 patrons per year). After the IMAX equipment was removed, the theatre was leased and renovated by Dale Henderson, a retired engineer and former leader of the Stardust Orchestra, who opened the London City Music Theatre in October 2007.

See also[edit]

Other Canadian annual and/or agricultural fairs

Footnotes[edit]

  1. ^ "Our History | Western Fair District". Archived from the original on April 9, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  2. ^ "The Raceway | Western Fair District".
  3. ^ "Western Fair's seven-decade food vendor St. Anne's can't swallow loss from new contract, packs up its tent".
  4. ^ "Musical Theatre Productions | London, Ontario".
  5. ^ "Western Fair Raceway at OLG Slots". Archived from the original on March 16, 2008. Retrieved July 12, 2008.
  6. ^ "Betting on success". London Free Press. April 18, 2008. Retrieved July 12, 2008. [dead link]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Western Fair.

42°59′20″N 81°13′09″W / 42.9889°N 81.2191°W / 42.9889; -81.2191

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