Matthew Farfan

The 19th century saw the growth of agricultural societies all over the Eastern Townships. Rooted in the traditions of New England, these societies were founded to protect and encourage the different agricultural industries, and to provide farmers and breeders with a forum for exchanging ideas about the scientific farming practices, the latest breeding techniques, and mechanical improvements.

A by-product of the agricultural society was the annual exhibition or county fair. The fair gave farmers a chance to buy and sell and to improve their breeding stock. It also gave them and their families the chance to show off their produce and livestock. The fair was a social occasion, a time for people to meet and celebrate the harvest. As county fairs evolved over time, popular entertainment and competitions took on greater importance.

Sherbrooke Fair Grounds, c.1900. (Photo: Farfan Collection)

Today, the old county system is gone, but the county fair is alive and well in the Eastern Townships, as are the county agricultural societies that host them each year. County fairs, with all of their traditions, are still held annually around the region. Some of the oldest and best known are held at Cookshire (Compton County), Ayer's Cliff (Stanstead County), Brome Village (Brome County), Richmond (Richmond County), and Bedford (Bedford County), the latter being the oldest (1829) county fair in the province.