Perfect Weather, Big Crowds as Richmond Fair Marks 180 Years
After a summer that will be remembered for rain and bad weather, the first weekend of the fall provided the best weekend of the year for the 180th Richmond Fair.
All four days of the fair were perfect, from the opening ceremonies Thursday to the wrap up of the festivities Sunday.
Attendance was at its highest level since before the COVID-19 pandemic, which is now well in the past for fair participants and visitors.
On Thursday, the fair kicked off with the opening ceremonies held in the new Richmond Legacy pavilion.
Councillor and former Richmond Fair executive member David Brown began the opening ceremonies by introducing the fair’s board members in attendance: First Vice-President Doug Seabrook, Second Vice-President Johanna Kavanaugh, Homecraft President Cathy Craig, General Manager Ron McRostie, Treasurer Matt Covey, Bookkeeper Eleanor Kelly, and President Dave Seabrook.
Dave Seabrook thanked the board members, volunteers and sponsors for continuing to keep the fair strong. He also acknowledged the other fairs in Eastern Ontario and thanked them for the help they gave in preparing for the Richmond Fair. Delegates from fairs in Shawville, Almonte, Spencerville, South Mountain, Metcalfe, the Capital Fair (Gloucester), Arnprior, Beachburg, Cobden, Vankleek Hill, and Russell were among those in attendance.
Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe was on hand, saying that he had visited the Richmond Fair numerous times in the past as a journalist and broadcaster.
“David introduced me to a few minutes ago as his boss,” Sutcliffe said of Brown. “That’s not really true. That’s not the way it works. But most days it feels more like David is my boss, because he represents (Rideau-Jock residents) so well and does such a great job as your councillor. He’s very passionate and follows up with the issues to his community all the time, so you are very lucky to have David representative.”
Sutcliffe thanked all of the people who have been part of the fair and its tradition through the years.
“We’re so lucky in Ottawa to have this wonderful tradition in our community to have these fairs,” Sutcliffe added. “The Richmond Fair is the oldest at 180 years. It adds so much to our city and we are so grateful for everything you do in the rural communities of the city.”
Sutcliffe added that he and Brown frequently discuss the importance of the rural communities within the City of Ottawa.
“David is not my boss and I’m not his boss, but all of you are our bosses,” he said.
At the opening, it was announced that Sutcliffe was the winner of the chocolate chip baking contest. He was quick to admit that his wife, ginny, made the cookies and all he did was taste them.
“I entered the contest under both of our names,” Sutcliffe said. “And in keeping with the theme, she’s my boss.”
Sutcliffe and Brown also represented Ottawa in the Richmond Fair Parade.
