Buy a Bench Campaign continues on to Save the Grandstands
September 6th & 7th, 2024
Victoria Park - Owen Sound
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Help us to Refurbish
the Grandstands!
After 70 years of Fall Fairs and Events the Grandstands at Victoria Park require continued restoration.
The Owen Sound Agricultural Society has proudly brought the annual Fall Fair to the citizens of Owen Sound and area for over 170 years. The majority of those years were spent by fair-goers watching the many track events, while seated on the Grandstands. There are countless people who share fond memories watching horse races, heavy horse pulls, and later events like the tractor pulls, truck pulls and demolition derby at the Fairgrounds. The first wooden Grandstand structure was built in 1894, and in 1948 the Grandstand as well as 3 barns/buildings perished in a fire. The Agricultural Society quickly rebuilt the mostly metal and concrete structure that we see today at Victoria Park in the early 1950’s.
After 70 years of events, fall fairs and the deterioration over time, the Grandstand building is in need of repairs. The building itself is still owned by the Owen Sound Agricultural Society, we have a lease with the city of Owen Sound to continue to have our buildings and events at Victoria Park.
As you know the Owen Sound Fall Fair is hosted by the Agricultural Society every fall. We believe that this is a community tradition and an event that brings our country roots into the City of Owen Sound. It gives the local community, rural and townspeople alike, a chance to come together to celebrate agriculture with their family and friends. We are so excited to once again present the fair this Fall.
Previously to the pandemic we had thousands of people come each day to Victoria Park over our three day event. In the evening the large track events like the Truck and Tractor Pulls as well as the Demolition Derby had the Grandstands at capacity with spectators wanting to look in on the action. Unfortunately, after the Monster Truck event that was held on our Fair Grounds in October of 2019, the Board of Directors became aware that our Grandstand needed some repairs in order to be safer for the public. Every year our volunteers work tirelessly all year long to produce the weekend fall fair that we all know and love. We are a not for profit organization that continues to operate thanks to our fundraising efforts, grants and support from our community partners. These friends of the fair, whether they be individuals or businesses, are an integral part of our future.
We are looking for assistance from the public to help us continue to refurbish these landmark grandstands. By making improvements to the structure and its functionality, we hope to also attract events to come to Owen Sound. Additionally we would like to continue to have bigger events at our annual Fall Fair. If you would like to continue to make memories with your family and friends by attending events at the grandstand we ask you to consider “Buying a Bench”.
In order to raise the funds necessary for this project we are “selling” the benches of the Grandstand. You would not receive a bench in its physical form, but rather you would have your name, family name, business or in memorial engraved onto a plaque that will be attached to the seats of the Grandstands. $250 will get you an 8’ section, you can also buy additional “benches” by the 8’ section. (ie. 2 sections for $500 or 4 sections for $1000). If you would like to contribute in a larger capacity or an in kind manner we ask that you reach out to us to discuss further. We have a compensation package for those who sponsor greater than $5000.
Any amount of a donation is gratefully received, compensation starts at $250 with an 8' section of bench.
You can “Buy a Bench” here on our website with a credit card. We also accept cheques in person or by mail, as well as E-transfers to owensoundfallfair@outlook.com. Please note we are unable to write charitable tax receipts as we are not a registered charity.
We ask that you consider putting your name on a piece of history to continue on the tradition and heritage that this building holds.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact Committee Member; Hiliary Breadner at 519.374.9215 or email hiliarybgd@gmail.com.
Thank you to our Donors!
