The horses at the entrance to the Navan Fairgrounds are a familiar site to anyone who attends the fair on a regular basis. Tinkess Photo

NAVAN – Over the years, the Navan Fair has faced its share of hurdles due to Mother Nature. Heavy rains have in the past washed-out some events, and hot weather is always a consideration in early August This year it was blessed with (very) warm temperatures and hazy skies, but fortunately, rain didn’t cause too much of a problem, and in fact, was probably welcome when it fell. Other than that, it became a matter of drinking a lot of water, finding shady spots whenever you could, enjoying every little breeze that happened to blow through, and having a really good time.

The theme of the fair this year was “Where Country and City Meet” which is a pretty accurate depiction of what Navan is today, and right from the moment the gates opened at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 6, you could experience that, starting with the heavy horse show. Later in the day the Ayrshire, Holstein, and Jersey cattle show took place under the pavilion.

Of course, if you were looking for typical midway activity, you wouldn’t be disappointed as there was an accessibility time slot from 2:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. before it opened to everyone at 4:00 p.m. and there were rides for all age groups.

And if you’re a demolition derby fan, well, there certainly was something for you!

It is often said, but at the Navan Fair there is a good chance of everyone finding something interesting. Do you like a parade? There was a good one on Saturday morning that kicked off a full day of activities. And because breakfast is the most important meal of the day, you wouldn’t want to miss the Navan Fair breakfast held at St. Mary’s Hall on Smith Road before picking out a good spot to watch the parade.

The crowd that had gathered along both sides of the parade route showed their appreciation as the various dance groups, marching bands, local sponsors, horses, and tractors rolled by. The parade has a definite rural flavour, and the crowds loved it.

As the parade wrapped up, most of the people turned to head to the main entrance and into the fair itself for a day that included performances by that offered a mix of agriculture and entertainment that is the signature of the Navan Fair.

Every day at the Navan Fair could be a very full day, with a lot to choose from, not the least of which was the Agricultural Education Barn where kids and adults both could learn a bit about the lifestyle and the people who help get fresh, healthy food to your table.

It really wouldn’t be a county fair without all sorts of craft and homecraft competitions and judging by the enormous number of entries in the exhibition hall, competitive interest was at a very high level.

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention musical entertainment, which wove itself through the four-day fair. From Eastbound of Bytown, to Signal Hill, to The Road Hammers, the music could simply be a background to your visit, or you could park yourself and have a toe-tapping good time.

Sun., Aug. 9 was the final day of the fair, and it included an Ecumenical Church Service at the Navan-Vars United Church on Smith Road. Like the first three days of the fair, there was a long list of performances to take in, such as the Tractor Pull, Western horse show, and music throughout the day. You could also see the Ultimutts Animal Actors show, witness the ultimate in cute at the baby show, or enjoy one more opportunity to witness the Capital Cowgirls drill team. Sadly, 4:00 p.m. and the close of the fair, always comes too soon.

Creating an event of this size and scope doesn’t happen without a lot of hard work by  a large group of dedicated volunteers. In Navan, with its combination of rural and urban life, it produces something that is just a bit different than you might find elsewhere, but that adds to the appeal. You can’t survive for 79 years without an engaged audience, and the Navan Fair certainly seems to have that. Here’s looking forward to year 80 and what surprises it might bring.