Northern agriculture fairs feature award-winning Canadian country artists

The countdown is on as two northern agriculture societies prepare for their annual fairs.

In eight days, Providence Bay Fair will kick off its 141st event.

“There's just really something for everyone and there always has been,” said Carolyn Glasby, the fair’s director.

“A lot of people remember it from their childhood and growing up, and now they bring their kids or their grandkids to the fair.”

During the Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies' convention earlier this year, the group realized there would be a significant gap in entertainment in the north following the announcement in January that Manitoulin Countryfest would be no more.

“People had come to see Manitoulin Island as a destination for, getting outdoors and nature – but also for the culture and entertainment and we didn't want to lose that… We knew that Massey Fair was going to be doing something similar and really bringing in some really exciting acts on the North Shore,” said Glasby.

“We were really hoping that if we got some awesome headliners, we could help bring that crowd into the fair.”

The fair will feature Canadian Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year Jade Eagleson and Nate Haller on a newly built stage featuring a beer garden – which is another first for the event as it has never been licenced before.

A drone view of preparations for the 141st Providence Bay Fair on Manitoulin Island that will feature a newly constructed stage. (Supplied/Providence Bay Fair)

“We only have the beer garden open for the Saturday night concert. It isn't a full weekend event,” said Glasby.

“Since it's a new thing to us, we kind of wanted to start out a bit smaller and we'll see where it might take us in future years.”

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In the meantime the 117th Massey Fair will feature Gord Bamford and Sudbury’s own Andrew Hyatt.

“We're really looking forward to having them with us,” said fair manager Lindie Weston.

“We also have live country music happening all weekend long. We have lots of, motorsports happening. We have our demolition derby, we have, ATV, mud bog and truck pull then we have our midway.”

Weston told CTV News that she expects around 20,000 people to make their way through the fairgrounds during the event weekend.

“I think, with, other events in the area, kind of closing down and not progressing, we've kind of taken the opposite effect and we've really grown from that,” she said.

“I think it's really important to have, good family fun where people can get out and they can enjoy and they can bond over the experience of the fair (while) also keeping it agriculturally minded because we're an agricultural society.”

An undated photo of showing previous preparations for the annual Massey Fair established in 1907. (Supplied/Massey Fair)

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Both events have a long list of activities planned.

The Providence Bay Fair is set to run Aug. 16 - 18 then Massey Fair will go from Aug. 23 -25.