BEACHBURG- Recorded numbers attend the 155th Beachburg Fair.

Fair president Adrian Vereyken used the word "excellent" to describe this year's event.

"Friday night was one of the biggest turnout in years," said Mr. Veryken.

Over the course of the three day fair over 6,000 passed through the gates, which were manned by volunteers.

On Friday night over 2,400 people attended the opening night festivities and another 2,400 enjoyed the fair on Saturday and over 1,000 attended the event on Sunday.

The president credited the new ATV Poker Run, cowboy breakfast, the new beer garden and the Ghost Town Cryers for bringing in the record number crowds.

"The Ghost Town Cryers did a really good job and people really liked them," noted Mr. Veryken.

This year the fair committee had beer garden built on the fairgrounds. Rather than rent a tent, chairs and tables, the committee provided the lumber and had students from Fellows High School and Bishop Smith Catholic High School build the picnic tables.

Mr. Veryken said the beer garden was a hit with fairgoers.

The fair committee is aiming to use the building all year round, renting it out in the warmer months for events and using it to store items over the winter.

With the Level 2 drought organizers weren't sure of how many farmers would be participating this year, but entries were up.

"The cattle show was way up. There was 150 head for the beef show," explained Mr. Veryken.

Organizers speculated that the numbers might be up because farmers weren't out in the fields tending to their hay.

Also, new to the fair this year was Scott McClelland's Dr. Crookshanks Travelling Medicine Show. Having spent the bulk of his career at large exhibitions across the country. Mr. McClelland explained he is focusing on "being a crook and shanking people" at smaller fairs.

"This is where the heart is," explained Mr. McClelland. "This is a place where the family can take time to really enjoy together and I am just glad to be a part of it."

He described his show as an "old time medicine show where he is the purveyor of wonderment and a seller of snake oil."

The fair's vendor section also grew this year to include over 20 businesses and a fashion show, plus the Exhibit Hall was well attended.

"We were a wee bit down with entries this year," said Angela Keller, home/craft president, adding, "but all in all it was good."

The fair showcased over 100 exhibits including photography, quilting, creative writing, scrapbook pages, teddy bears, culinary arts, roots and vegetables and flowers. Children to seniors entered "their fabulous creations" where winners were awarded a monetary prize.

Having attended the fair last year, the Newall family travelled from Uxbridge to enjoy one of Canada's oldest fairs again.

"We came last year and had a good time," said Alleta Newall.

Cyndi Mills is a Daily Observer multimedia journalist

cyndi.mills@sunmedia.ca