- pie auction sets new record, earning $117,500 for
John McGivney Children Centre -
by Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative
Every Labour Day weekend, thousands of individuals head down to the Harrow Fair to enjoy the wide-variety of family-orientated activities that connect people to agriculture.
This year’s four-day weekend was no different, as the Harrow Fair Board offered a full roster of activities, concerts, and events that were sure to pique the interest of anyone attending.
This year’s Harrow Fair theme was “Grape Expectations,” which offered plenty of opportunities for entrants to have their fruits, vegetables, flowers, photography, livestock, poultry, and even seeds, quilts, needle arts, flowers, and baked goods judged.
Around 6500 entries were submitted into the many fair competitions, which Harrow Fair Board member, Emma Denotter, was pleased to see. That was up around 500 entries from 2023, but still lower than experienced prior to the pandemic.
This year’s grand champion pie was a strawberry raspberry pie that Connie Salter made, and it raised a whopping $15,500 during Thursday night’s annual pie auction. That was $500 more than last year’s top bid.
For the second year in a row, Harrow’s Hometown Family Pharmacy made that top bid.
Candy Fielder made the winning bid last year in memory of Hometown Family Pharmacy’s owner, Lonnie Kady’s, who passed away suddenly in March of 2023. She was his business partner for over two-decades and girlfriend of 13-years,
Kady was often a top bidder in the Harrow Fair’s Pie Auction, and was known to be the kind of person who went out of his way to help if he knew someone was in need.
In total, the pie auction raised a record-breaking $117,500 for the John McGivney Children’s Centre, selling a total of 70 pies. That smashed last year’s total of $82,000, which was the previous record.
In total, the pie auction has raised $483,072 for the John McGivney Children’s Centre.
“The pie auction began 29-years-ago, raising $350 in its inaugural year. The tradition was started by the Stannard family as a way to honour their late son Todd, who was born with spina bifida and passed away at the age of seven in 1975. At the time, Todd and his family benefited from programs run by the Red Cross, the precursor to the John McGivney Children’s Centre.
“Inspired by the fair’s prize-winning pies and seeking a way to give back, the family launched the pie auction,” the John McGivney Children’s Centre explained.
In a statement, the John McGivney Children’s Centre was grateful for the donation and noted the funds will provide highly specialized pediatric rehabilitation and support services to children and youth with physical, neurological, and developmental needs.
Throughout its four-day stint, the Harrow Fair offered achievement days for 4-H members, a horse show, midway, youth entertainment, a parade, a church service, Border City Barkers Agility Dog Show, lawnmower races, and tractor pull.
As a 4H alumna, Denotter is always happy to see the 4-H achievement days go well. This year’s roster of auctions included a new class, one for rabbits. Denotter noted she used the funds she earned in the auction when she was a member to help pay for her post-secondary education, as many others do.
Saturday’s parade, she added, went well, and overall attendance at the fair was good.
Many enjoyed the live entertainment, which featured the local Timmy Mac Band on Thursday, Nate Haller on Friday, and Tim and the Glory Boys on Saturday.
A big draw to the fair is having the chance to pet many of the animals onsite, and even ask the 4-H members a little about the time and effort it takes to raise them.
Denotter noted all of the volunteers who dedicate their time to helping in some way over the festival weekend are key to the Harrow Fair’s success and longevity.
To learn more, including how to become a volunteer or member of the board, log onto www.harrowfair.com/
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