My partner and I had an interesting conversation at the Hometown Fair with midway owners Bobby and Wendy Hauser.
They own the West Coast Amusements midway that plays this fair and many others in the West.
Bobby grew up in the carnival business and we recalled the good old days when fairs were a more vital part of the community, when almost everybody came and had a good time.
Fair boards provided an array of attractions from evening shows to rodeos to daytime entertainers and local food booths.
I recalled when the Moose Jaw fair was located on the site where the mall is; it had about 10 different food shacks. Each was operated by one of the local churches or sports groups in Moose Jaw.
The home-cooked food was an incentive to come to the fair every day. You can’t eat your way through 10 booths in one day.
When the Exhibition Company moved to the current site, only two local booths were available. The two-window concrete block structure was run over the years by the Navy/Sea Cadets, Little League and the Latter Day Saints. Now both sides are shuttered.
Bobby said a few local booths remained on the fair circuit at North Battleford and Yorkton until this year.
They have been shuttered as food and health regulations require around $30,000 improvements to cooking facilities.
Another heritage aspect of the fair is lost.
Bobby’s family has been playing the Moose Jaw fair since about 1985. Back then, five or more midways competed for fair spots. Today only three are left.
Carnivals require inspections by the department of labour to ensure the rides are safe and meet standards.
The carnivals used to have one inspection when they entered their first fair in the province. Now they are inspected at each fair they play.
Hauser doesn’t have much problem with inspections but he’s concerned about regulations on repairs.
The midway used to fix their own machinery and rides. No more.
Now the midway has to hire someone to do the repairs and keep records of what broke, when, who did the repairs and how long it took.
Imagine the outrage if farmers were told they can’t fix their machinery!
Over the years, fairs have become places for teenagers and young families to hang out.
Numerous factors played a role in the reduced attraction of fairs
One of the more important is the reduction in rural population.
The average farm used to be about 600 acres. Today the average is over 7,000 acres. One farm has replaced 11 farmsteads.
Where the 4-H cattle show at the fair once had 13 clubs; now there are four.
Rural folks flocked to the fair to visit with neighbours and see the livestock shows. The Moose Jaw fair used to have four cattle breed shows, two horse shows, sheep show and the 4-H show.
Now it has a small 4-H cattle show and a small light horse show.
The spread of free entertainment on television and smart phones hasn’t helped.
Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
