Millarville Racing & Agricultural Society: THE 104TH ANNUAL PRIDDIS & MILLARVILLE FAIR

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The 104th Annual Priddis & Millarville Fair, happening Saturday, August 20th and fully integrated with the famous Millarville Farmers' Market, is one of the last, great Agricultural Fairs in Canada.
The day is a great one for children in particular, with Kid's World and its craft corner, jumping tent, races and other entertainments, a Petting Zoo, the return of the friendly, gigantic grey Percherons from the Bar-U Ranch and a team of horses named Nelly and Shelley making ice cream (yes, you read that right) and all manner of ducks, roosters, chickens, kids roping, children's pet shows, a messy pie-eating contest, dressed-up horse competition, hayrides, a parade . . . . and the list goes on.
An Acreage Equipment Show (new this year), Automobile Show N' Shine, live auctions and of course the original reason for the Fair itself in 1907, the more than 4,000 entered competition exhibits of produce, grains, grasses, livestock, baking, sewing, artwork, creative writing, photography and many other categories to gaze upon.
The Fair will also be a waypoint for Wild Pink Yonder's epic, 22 day horseback trail ride from southern to northern Alberta, with an overnight stopover and then an "On Track To Beat Breast Cancer" awareness/fundraising walk on the Millarville Racetrack on Fair day. It will be your chance to show your support with pink scarves, shirts, hats and special bracelets and make the Fair the pinkest in Canada.
New to the Fair this year will be a hilarious Working Farm Truck Competition where the local farmers and ranchers will be able to bring their most serviceable but ingeniously duct-taped, baler-wired, binder-twined, older but functional farm vehicles in for a little competition with a surprise celebrity judge. Each contestant will start with 200 points with deductions starting for the newest, shiniest and cleanest of vehicles but points gained for demonstrated survivability, jumper cables on the seat, quarts of oil rolling around on the passenger floor, an old hound dog in the back . . . . .
Adding to the fun of the Fair is the Reggie The Rooster Raffle where the winning ticket has a choice of one (1) of Reggie, our eight-foot tall, 400 lb Rooster, or a 1978 Chevy 3/4 ton farm truck that still runs on five year old gas left in the tank after it was abandoned in a field or, finally, having MRAS make a $2,500 donation to Wild Pink Yonder to benefit Breast Cancer Research.
Tickets are $5 with 2000 being printed. Reggie The Rooster Raffle tickets can be bought at the Millarville Farmers Market on Saturdays or the MRAS office on weekdays. Draw will be held on Fair Day.
Reggie could also use some help from kids and adults alike in the "Reggie's Long Journey Home Contest." You can enter an essay and art contest and fill in the blanks with your imagination as to where he's been in the time between the first Fair in 1907 and the present day. Details are on our "Contests & Fun" page at www.millarvilleracetrack.com Just click on the Rooster!!!
The Fair enjoyed a record year in 2010 with more than 7,000 in attendance and over 4,000 bench entries.

The Millarville Racing & Agricultural Society, with origins older than the Province of Alberta, is a non-profit entity which sponsors the famous Millarville Farmers' Market, Alberta's oldest and second largest outdoor market with expanded hours of 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. through to October 8, the Millarville Christmas Market, one of the largest crafts and artisan shows in Alberta and three major historic events, the just concluded 106th Annual Millarville Races on Canada Day, July 1, the 15th Annual Millarville Rodeo August 5-7 and the 104th Annual Priddis & Millarville Fair. The MRAS has more than 100,000 pass through its gates in any single year, with more than 300 members and over 500 volunteers providing thousands of hours of time in ensuring the community-focused facilities continue for future generations. For information about the MRAS and its facilities and programs, please contact MRAS President John Dakers at 403-931-3411 or go to www.millarvilleracetrack.com