An apple blossom festival with no apple blossoms is like an apple pie without apples. A bit odd but then odd can be interesting. Or so we told ourselves as we wandered around the Colborne Apple Blossom Tyme Festival, east of Toronto.
With all the pickings of a perfect town fair, we decided to rename the festival and explore it with fresh eyes.
So what makes a perfect town fair in Canada?
Well first and foremost, you must have tractors, trucks, old cars and a few old men sitting in lawn chairs. You can’t call yourself a fair without these!
And what says fair more than fried mars bars, fried pickles, sausages, and fries. But cheesecake and wood oven pizza? Foodies are taking over, even at the fair!
Remember when kids used to play with hula hoops instead of app buttons? And pony rides cost a dollar?
And when was the last time you saw such a quaint, make you want to walk in kind of law office, ever?
Of course, fairs have ducklings but laser tag? I guess this is a town fair trying to get some teen buy-in.
Every perfect town fair has to have buskers, a ferris wheel, trinkets to buy, and a fire truck on display. We refrained from riding the ferris wheel when Chris deemed it a “no go” zone. Apparently the rust features didn’t scream rideability. But then again, Chris does do not rides…ever.
And it could never be a perfect town fair without a strong man competition. For those trying this at home, these are the steps to success.
And then for some light reading after the fair, you can pick up a free bible.
Or go to the quaintest church that reminded me of those in Mexico. And off my mind goes… dreaming of somewhere else.
I have to admit that being from the prairies, I am used to fairs with livestock, horse shows, 4H sewing and baking competitions, cowboy hats and of course, belt buckles! But we have hit the big leagues here in Ontario, so our criteria for judging the perfect town fair has changed. And this one was a winner.
What is your favourite part of a fair? MIne is the candy apple minus the apple!
four camels and a coffee to go 
Food – sausage sandwich. They have been steaming all day long and go so well with fried cheese. But most importantly, the rides. Long time ago, at local frog jump festival I had opportunity to make quick cash taking rides apart. Way too few bolts hold them together. Carnies are far more interesting then you think.
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The too few bolts doesn’t sound too good.
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You had me at fried pickles!!! YUMMM!
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What a fun post! I have to say I like the tractors and old trucks and cars. Anything with big wheels. Fair food! I don’t know about a law office with the name Hustler on the building. Hee!! Sorry we missed it.
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I hadn’t noticed the name of the law firm. Too funny and a tad unfortunate for the firm.
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I grew up in the prairies and a lot looks familiar, especially those tractors. I would love to see the strong man/woman competition. Always fun to see what weird and wacky food creations are available too.
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I have to admit I never saw fried pickles in my day in the prairies nor fried mars bars. Things have changed but the tractors remain!
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Fried Mars bars? I thought that was an allegedly Scottish thing – so we’re not the only ones!
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You know I have never had one. I think I like my Mars bars just the way they are. And I would have thought that such a fried idea would come from this side of the pond.
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Me neither!
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Here we have 4-H fairs…and my favorite part, aside from the rides and the greasy food, are the exhibits the kids put together…and the animals they raise…cows, pigs, chickens. It’s all fun.
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My mom was in 4-H so I always preferred those exhibits as well. The kids would be so proud. It was a shining moment for them.
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love any fair and being from Ontario they are all fun. Now being in Manitoba they do have some good ones here too.
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I am from Manitoba so my reference point at the end on belt buckles.. livestock.. horse shows… was to all those fairs there that I have attended. And there were a few in those long hot summer days.
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Yes I am learning that here. Really enjoy these manitoba fairs
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I love fairs. I love the quaint church, the free bibles and the hand sanitizer above the crate with chicks. My kids would have loved the “strong man” with the tree trunk. 🙂
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Yes, the boys would have loved that. I was pretty mesmerized myself. The hand sanitizer is quite funny… back in the day, there would never have been one there.
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I grew up on the 5 sec rule…I must have consumed a ton of germy things. I’m not a fussy housekeeper and my family is rarely sick. Beautiful Monday to you 🙂
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Thanks and to you too 🙂
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Do you know why that strong man guy was lifting that log in the middle of traffic? What if he had faltered and that heavy thing fell back on the car directly behind him. I like those deep-fried pastries with the whipping cream and powdered sugar – can’t remember for the life of me, what they are called!
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Oh those pastries sound yummy. The car was actually parked to keep others away so the whole thing was blocked off. But when those log things fell, they sure crushed the tires that were meant to hold them in place. They were strong indeed!
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My husband says they are called funnel cakes. They are very scrumptious. Kind of like a beignet (like a Café Du Monde), but not as good (according to my husband).
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Oh I have heard of them but have never tried one. I will have to try one someday.
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It sounds like the perfect way to spend a beautiful sunny day. I can’t remember the last time I went to a small town fair … another lifetime or two ago. As a kid, I was all about the midway rides and never, EVER had the money for any of the food. Ah, good times 🙂
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Even as a kid, they were expensive. I remember that and yes, the food was always very costly.
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It looks like the festival was a success even without the apple blossoms. The town did well! 🙂
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Yes, they did do well given they are pretty small in population. They had a lot to offer!
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Interesting! There must be some historical explanation why it’s an “Apple Blossom Festival”? I can’t imagine going to DC for the “Cherry Blossom Festival” and find no cherry blossoms! I’d be so disappointed.
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I think the blossoms had already happened maybe… and the festival was a tad late. Still not sure.
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