Organizers of the Bridge Lake Fair hope to hold its 62nd annual festival this year, but will need the public’s help.
Diana Forster, secretary of the Bridge Lake Fair committee, said they need about six to 12 people to help organize specific tasks for the fair, slated for Aug. 20-21. The fair was cancelled for the past two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We can always use people. Anyone who would like to help we’d like them to contact us,” Forster said. “It’s a great community event that is really popular with the public but it’s a lot of preparation and work. You get the satisfaction of being part of a great community event.”
Volunteers are needed specifically to help organize the Poultry and Rabbit show and old-fashioned kids’ games as well as work with the fair committee to find and bring in demonstrations ranging from gardening to weaving, spinning and knitting to bring in small livestock holders. The 100 Mile Cruzers car show and other entries have already signed on for the event.
Volunteers are also needed to set up two concessions - one for the Interlakes Community Centre where the fair is being held and the other for the horse show at the Interlakes rodeo grounds. Someone with laptop and data skills to record the winners after the fair is also needed, Forster said.
Volunteers are needed now in order to line up the specific events, demonstrations and participants so they can be included in the event booklet, which must be printed by the end of March.
“These people we’re looking for would need to be involved from now through to the fair. It might take them three minutes or three months,” Forster said.
Fair committee president Marion Mickelson urged people to get involved. “It’s nice to go and see the exhibits that local people put in,” she said. “There’s not a lot of many small fairs left. Perhaps we’re the only small fair in this area. If you’ve never done it before it’s quite a learning experience of what needs to be done to put on a fair.”
The first fair was held in the South Cariboo in 1940 and has been held off and on over the years since then. There was no fair from 1962 to 1971. The 42nd Bridge Lake Fair was in 1993 but then lapsed again until Aug 13, 2000, when Interlakes Cattlebelles revived it for the Millennium.
Those interested should call Forster at 250-593-2155 or Mickelson at 250-644-2418.
kelly.sinoski@100milefreepress.net
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