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Centennial fall fair held at farm

With only a few months left in 2013, Red Deerians continue to celebrate the city’s centennial.
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Seats were always full on the barrel train ride at the Old Fashioned Fall Fair on Saturday afternoon at Sunnybrook Farm.

With only a few months left in 2013, Red Deerians continue to celebrate the city’s centennial.

Red Deer Centennial’s Old Fashioned Fall Fair at Sunnybrook Farm on Saturday attracted lots of people eager to enjoy a leisurely afternoon with loads of activities for kids.

This wasn’t the first centennial event for Kim Edzerza, of Red Deer, and her two young daughters.

But it was their first time to Sunnybrook Farm. They intend to return.

“I didn’t even know exactly where it was. We were missing out,” said Edzerza whose daughters were trying their luck at the penny carnival games.

This was the first centennial event Alicia Brzak and fiancé Patrick Bryar, both of Red Deer, have been able to attend.

“We don’t have kids, but we came anyway,” Brzak said with a laugh.

They were digging into some homemade pie and ice cream while listening to the Wild Rose Harmonizers singing some songs from the past.

“It’s neat. Hearing these guys is fantastic. They’re amazing,” Bryar said.

Iain Younger and Barbara Swinton, both of Red Deer, were glad children were enjoying themselves playing all the games — sans computers or electronics.

Younger said fair was a lovely throw-back to the ways families used to celebrate.

“I think it’s a wonderful idea for families, especially kids. Most kids probably haven’t seen anyone make ice cream,” Swinton said.

The Old-Fashioned Fall Fair was one of many official Red Deer Centennial events. Several partner events run by community groups have also been held.

“It’s been a fabulous year. We’re energized by the public’s response to everything that we’ve done. We’re impressed by crowds that have come out. We’re really pleased with the comments and the level of participation by the public,” said Shelia Bannerman, Red Deer 2013 Centennial committee chair.

She said outdoor events have been held around the city so it encouraged people from different parts of the city and walks of life to attend — even if some people didn’t know it was a Centennial event.

“It gives us a chance to talk a lot about Red Deer and why we’re celebrating and what’s great.”

She hopes the profile of partner events has been raised.

“It’s really fun to be able to showcase all these different people over the course of the year . . . their own individual organizations, their pet projects, their talents.”

Events continue through the fall, like the Red Deer Cemetery tour on Oct. 31. Participants are encouraged to come dressed as ghosts.

Red Deer College drama students will perform historical skits performed on Nov. 1. Students from G.H. Dawe School and St. Patrick’s Community School will plant a small grove of Red Deer’s centennial tree — Tatarian Maple — on Sept. 25.

People also have time to buy a light barrel used during Centennial festivities to use as a rain barrel in their yard. Barrels are $70 each. Visit reddeer2013.ca for more information on the barrels and upcoming events.

“We’re really looking forward to our final event Fire and Ice at City Hall Park on Dec. 13 because that’s shaping up to be a really fun, interactive event.

“It will be significant I think in terms of saying thank you for making this such a great centennial year and then just giving a bit of momentum to moving forward to whatever our future holds,” Bannerman said.

szielinski@www.reddeeradvocate.com