Madoc Fair Brings The Community Together For This Year's Annual Celebration
- alyxewing019
- Sep 15
- 4 min read
The scent of fair food, the sound of children’s laughter and the rumble of engines filled the air this past weekend as the Madoc Fair celebrated its 120th year.
From Sept. 12–14, residents and visitors streamed through the gates for a mix of tradition and entertainment; from agricultural showcases and truck pulls to midway rides, live performances, and community contests.
The fairgrounds opened Friday at 4 p.m. with the vendor hall and midway rides, before crowds gathered for the official opening ceremony at 6 p.m. Speeches were delivered by Madoc Mayor Tom Deline, local Conservative MP Shelby Kramp, and Heather Owens, president of the Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies.
“This is my last local fair for this year and I am glad it is in my hometown of Madoc, and seeing the community gather for the 120th celebration for the local fair board,” Kramp told the crowd.
Cheers erupted when organizers announced that visitors had traveled not only from across Ontario, including Toronto, but even from as far away as North Carolina.
Following the national anthem, the action picked up quickly as drivers met on the track to kick off the truck and trailer pulls at 6:30 p.m., and is an annual friendly competition that brings the community together, with friends getting to have bragging rights until the next year.
The truck and trailer pulls is a motorsport competition where powerfully modified vehicles drag a heavy weight-shifting sled, also known as the Iron Judge during the competition, down a 300 meter dirt track. The Iron Judge starts off with a low weight and shifts the weight closer to the driver while it’s being pulled.
Drivers aimed to get a full pull, or the full 300 meters or surpassing, while displaying old and new trucks and farming tractors. Some of the crowd favourites were pull tractors; tractors that were made for the purpose of pulling heavy-weighted equipment.
Saturday brought a full day of events, starting with the exhibit hall at 8 a.m. and a saddle horse show at 9 a.m. The midway rides opened at 11 a.m., alongside livestock competitions including the poultry, chicken and duck show and the sheep and rabbit show inside the barn hall.
Crowds gathered for axe throwing demonstrations by County Axes, which ran throughout the day, while children lined up for balloon animals from County Balloons between noon and 4 p.m.
Entertainment included Darling Darling’s Fiddle Country Hoop Show by the North Fire Circus Company, featuring performer Jessica Clayton. Clayton wowed the crowd with her hula hoop tricks, even inviting Madoc resident Nathan Larouche to join her on stage.
Vendors also played a large part in the weekend, including local author and illustrator Jennifer Iacono. Iacono, who grew up as a military base kid and now lives in Hastings County, was selling her children’s book The Monsters No Grown Ups See. Written 27 years ago but only published this year with her own illustrations, the book highlights her passion for storytelling. She also showcased handmade earrings and keychains, many crafted from recycled toys.
“The keychains, I recycle toys for a lot of them to keep stuff out of the landfills,” Iacono said.
By evening, it was time for the kids’ Power Wheels derby, where children drove toy cars around the ring, popping balloons in a lighthearted competition.
At 6:30 p.m., the main event, the demolition derby, roared to life, featuring 44 vehicles, including cars and trucks. The miniature feature for the derby was won by Mike McGrain, drawing cheers from the packed grandstands.
Sunday carried the fair into its final day, beginning again at 8 a.m. with vendors and a saddle horse show at 9 a.m. At 10 a.m., axe throwing returned alongside a petting zoo, while the Clare Downey Memorial Ring hosted draft, commercial, light, and miniature horse shows. The cattle show also began at 10 a.m. in the cattle ring.
The midway opened once more at 11 a.m., with rides running until the fair closed at 2 p.m.
Families enjoyed attractions such as the Ballistic, Wizzer, and the Little Blue Train roller coaster, alongside classics like the merry-go-round, swings, funhouse super slide and inflatable games. Younger children gravitated toward the bouncy castle and toddler rides, while the midway games; duck pond, fish pond, darts, and the hi-striker bell game drew players of all ages hoping to win stuffed animals.
By Sunday afternoon, as the last rides wound down and the fairgrounds began to empty, organizers reflected on a weekend that blended community tradition with modern attractions, drawing visitors from near and far.
For many, the 120th Madoc Fair was more than just an event; it was a chance to celebrate the small-town spirit that has kept the fair thriving for more than a century.
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