The elimination of the Olds Fair & Rodeo has brought forward the creation of a new event. Please check back for a new 2010 event announcement!

For those who enjoy a beautiful exhibition of flowers and vegetables, baking, quilts and handicrafts, Olds is the place for you.

Some people call them "bench fairs"; some call them "ladies exhibits" or "hobby shows"; in recent years, we called them the Horticulture and Creative Arts Exhibits. Whatever they are called, the exhibits of flowers, vegetables and fruits, field crops, canning and baking, fancy work and handicrafts, artwork and photography, continue to attract the attention of all, and invite urban and rural people to come and mingle, and indeed, compete together. Many fairs, including Olds, actually began with healthy displays of grains and vegetables; livestock came later.

Some of the exhibits you will see include quilts, tatting, basketry, petit point, embroidery, knitting and crocheting. Some more recent craft classes are those for wheat weaving, mirror etching, and machine-made bread.

Years ago classes were offered for the best axe handle, farm gate, moccasins, saddles, soap, and there was even a printers typesetting contest. Industrial exhibits were also popular at one time, and classes were offered for coal, lumber, building stone, furs, and gold. Classes from "the good old days" still on the books include those for the best fruit display, jelly and jams, shortbread, and something new from something old. The reintroduction of the field crops exhibits in 1998 was a tremendous success and a wonderful example of the present returning to the past.

This area offers competition for people of all ages and talents. For many people whose artistic and mechanical talent lies dormant, the craft displays serve to awaken new interests and lead to new and worthwhile pastimes. For others, the competition between friends and neighbours is almost a necessity, a desire to show the best that can be produced.

Pop on over to the exhibit area and take a quick break in The Oasis, a casual indoor patio where you can visit with old friends. Small children can slip into the Kiddie Korral and watch Disney movies compliments of Rip's Audio Video.

Call 403-556-3770, or send an e-mail to office@oldsagsociety.com for further information on our new Traditional Displays.