Saving small-town fairs: Radisson, Sask. embraces a fading tradition

Every year the people of Radisson set up their lawn chairs to watch the annual fair parade.

Parents help their children collect candy thrown cheerfully into the crowd by community leaders. Farmers wave as they chug past on lovingly-maintained antique tractors.

But year after year, the parade grows smaller.

In the 97 years since the first procession made its way down the town's Main Street, the number of local businesses around to take part has diminished.

Residents like Don Harris, who was at this year's parade Saturday, say the community event is faring better than in many other small communities.

"I would think we're rare," said Don Harris.

"Parades are dwindling out, that's for sure. Part of it I suppose is that a lot of the towns don't have many small businesses any more."

The Radisson Fair was held over the weekend, transforming the town's normally quiet main drag into a hive of activity.

After the parade, there was a slo-pitch tournament at the local ball diamond and the winners of crafts and cooking competitions were displayed inside the town's curling rink.  

Around 500 people live in Radisson, about 60 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon.

Don and his wife Roberta moved there in 1971. They say the fabric of the community has changed dramatically since that time.

Many local businesses closed their doors. Farms grew bigger in size and fewer in number.

They say that with fewer places to work locally, a growing portion of the town's population commute to Saskatoon or North Battleford.

Harris said that is not a bad thing overall, but people who spend time commuting have less time to volunteer and participate in community groups.

Irene Hamp agreed the change in demographic is reflected in the size of the fair and parade.  

"We find less people volunteering to work which is a real downside because it is always that major few that do all the work, to display everything and feed everybody hamburgers," she said, adding that it is "holding its own" compared with some others in Saskatchewan.

Her son, Martin, grew up watching the parade from the sidelines.

"Every year I looked forward to it more than anything," he said.

He remembers groups of 30 or 40 children decorating their bikes to ride between the fire trucks in the parade.

Martin now lives in Saskatoon but returns every year to enjoy the fair with his family.  

He said this year's parade was one of the smallest he has seen.

"It's kind of like, I guess, a sign of the times," said Martin.  

"The community has kind of stayed the same size but you don't really know anyone in town anymore.

"It's kind of a Catch-22. The community is still staying healthy but you don't know anyone anymore so you've kind of lost that whole community aspect."

Residents said this year's parade may have appeared smaller due to a communicable horse disease that led to the cancellation of equestrian events.

Adaptation will help keep fairs alive

Glen Duck, the executive director of the Saskatchewan Association of Agricultural Societies and Exhibitions, said Radisson is not alone in the challenges it faces.

"It's getting tougher and tougher to attract new volunteers," said Duck.

"Some agricultural societies have been very good at it and trying to make a transition into attracting new, younger volunteers. Some haven't been quite as successful."

But Duck said many of the original fairs, which first started in Saskatchewan around 1885, are still running.  

He said agricultural fairs began as an opportunity to gather together and share new ideas. The number of agricultural societies grew from 33 in 1905 to 74 in 1910.

The association currently has 62 member societies but Duck does not know exactly how many of those are still running fairs, adding that some now run different community events or rodeos.

With changes in the community dynamic occurring in many small towns, he said the key to longevity will be to adapt.  

"In 1884-85 there was a bunch of newcomers coming into the communities, and it's kind of gone full circle and back to that," said 

"So I see it as a real opportunity, that we've got a lot of newcomers moving in and there's got to be a way we can get them all involved in what we're doing as far as fairs are concerned. And maybe our fairs look a little bit different."   

Chris Donaldson, the fair secretary, said she is determined to keep the Radisson Fair going.

Some of them died out 20, 30 years ago. They just didn't have the volunteers and they didn't have the people in the community that participated in it.- Chris Donaldson, fair secretary

"We're on our 97th year, trying to keep it going strong, and trying to encourage a lot of people to participate and bring exhibits and stuff, because I don't want it to die," said Donaldson.

"I'm really, really looking forward to getting to 100 years."

As a reptile breeder, she brings a display of snakes and lizards including her large pet Tugu that follows her on a leash.

Competition categories for the exhibition display range from photography to baking to the best boxed lunch.  

Harry Lerch was judged the winner of the best sheaf on display.

The Radisson-area farmer said there is a lot of work involved with making a real-life version of the Saskatchewan icon.

He said he enters every year because he wants to keep the fair alive.

"It takes about two and a half hours to make a sheaf. You keep piling on there and piling up there," said Lerch.

"The leaves have all got to be stripped of the stems and then the heads have got to be nice and firm together so that it makes it look nicer there."

Lerch said a winning sheaf will be tied tight to make it sturdy, and his entry had the added touch of being displayed standing up.

Donaldson said that in addition to bringing people together, the fair also helps preserve agricultural knowledge, skills and crafts.

"There's not a lot of small communities that have agricultural fairs anymore," she said.

"Some of them died out 20, 30 years ago. They just didn't have the volunteers and they didn't have the people in the community that participated in it."

Donaldson hopes Radisson can buck the trend and enlist new volunteers to keep the fair strong.

She's prepared to take part of that responsibility herself, and hopes more will join her.  

End of fair would be huge loss

Roberta Harris said ending the fair would be a huge loss for the community because it is a gathering place for residents new and old, and for the children.

"The kids love it, they just can't wait to get down to see the floats and the people that are participating," she said.

"We're very lucky to have the businesses that are still active participating in the parade and the community members and the neighbouring towns."

Martin Hamp, who plans to take his own children to the parade, has faith that the community won't let the fair and the parade die.

"It seems like the sidelines keep getting a little bit bigger but the parade keeps getting smaller so, you know, as long as they keep bringing the candy the kids will come," he said.

"I think this will keep going strong even if the parade keeps diminishing in size."

Glen Duck believes community fairs are more important now than ever. 

"People see the importance of the fair in the community and I think there's a good future for it," said Duck.