The Aldergrove Fair had its best attendance ever.
“It is 50 per cent above last year,” said Karen Long, president of the non-profit society that organizes the event.
Admission to the fair July 15 to 17 was by donation but based on averaging, organizers do a rough estimate on attendance. The donations go to cover the cost of the event.
“We are 100 per cent volunteer,” she explained.
Long said a key factor in this year’s success was Rite Way Freight Systems sponsoring the mainstage which allowed the fair to book Chilliwack and two tribute bands Saturday.
The organizers tapped Aldergrove Community Secondary grad Hilton Nuygen to give the fair a social media presence and Long said that made a big difference.
Everything this year was in the same compact area around the Aldergrove Athletic Park and Kinsmen Community Centre.
“We really want to thank our neighbours,” because the event does mean a lot of commotion and noise for the quiet neighbourhood, Long noted.
The event relied on about 75 volunteers but Long said they can always use more and will look at ways to find more help.
The fair also saw countless balloons burst for the shooting contests hosted by the Thunderbird Fast Draw Club.
For several years the fair has been the site of the World Fast Draw Championships.
The professional competitors came from around Canada and abroad. The winners in order of their placings were:
Women
Judy Lawton, South Dakota
Carla Howell, Oregon
Karen Robinson, Burnaby
Paula Murphy, Langley
Alexis Rothenberg, California
Nicole Franks, Aldergrove
Faye Potter, Aldergrove
Men
John LeBlanc, Aldergrove
Dan Qualls, Idaho
Howard Darby, Calgary
Brian Colwell, Colorado
Ioan Nica, aka ‘Nick The Quick’, Quebec
Jon ‘Trickshot’ Wilson, California
Den Robinson, Burnaby
Shawn Murphy, Langley
Martin Quesnel, North Vancouver
Bob Nielson, Colorado
Glenn Renney, Abbotsford
Van Le, Surrey
Ryan Quesnel, North Vancouver
Garry Porteous, Surrey
Fastest Shot
– Women: Nicole Franks, 0.299 seconds
– Men: Ioan Nica 0.242
The Thunderbird Celebrity Challenge featured politicians, business owners, media and others from the Township and beyond.
“These celebrities, as well as the professional fast draw shooters, had to react to a timer’s signal light, then draw their single-action six-shooters to fire at a four-inch balloons,” said Den Robinson, vice chair of the World Fast Draw Association.
The winners of the 2016 Celebrity Shoot Championships are:
Women: Heather Colpitts, Langley Advance
Men: Bruce Heslop, former Aldergrove Business Association president
The future
Right after the fair closes the organizers take a bit of a break.
“Usually for about a week we hibernate,” Long joked.
Next week they will gather to discuss the fair and organize a volunteer appreciation celebration.
Then they get started on planning for 2017.
“Next year is the big one – Canada’s 150th and our 105th,” Long noted.