Gleichen celebrates 33 years of fall fair

By Miriam Ostermann, Associate Editor

Seven years ago, Andy Stewart braved a blizzard to get his hands on a 1935 Ford pick-up truck, which he’s shown at nearly 30 exhibitions since.
Together with numerous other prized possessions, it was one of the vehicles entered in this year’s Gleichen Steel on Wheels Show and Shine that has run in conjunction with the Gleichen Fall Fair for the past five years, and last weekend helped celebrate the fall fair’s momentous 33 years in operation.
Over the past three decades, the Gleichen Fall Fair has grown to include a parade, the Gleichen Lions Club breakfast, the Show and Shine, various vendors and numerous activities for kids.
This year the Gleichen and District Agricultural Society also honoured Canada’s 150 years since confederation. However, organizers also faced their share of obstacles, from harvest to competing with other events – such as the Chestermere Lake Show and Shine – to low attendance.
Nonetheless, the Gleichen Fall Fair on Aug. 26, and the Gleichen Rodeo which took place earlier this month, act as a requirement for eligibility for a building operational grant from the Alberta Association of Agricultural Societies that allows for the Gleichen Arena and Curling Club to stay functional.
“It’s grown in some ways, as we now include a ‘Steel and Wheels’ Show and Shine, but diminished in other ways,” said Brenda Tower, chairperson for the Gleichen and District Fair Committee. “We’ve noticed over the years a decline in the exhibit entries in the bench show. The general public foot traffic through the trade fair and bench show has decreased also. That being said the fair, show and shine, and rodeo is something that we in the Gleichen-Cluny community feel is necessary to sustain our rural grass roots. We are always looking for new volunteers to help us keep these organizations alive.”
The Gleichen Figure Skating Club took first place in the parade with their van covered in Canadian flags and balloons. Eight-year-old Lateycia Rabbit Carrier joined her fellow figure skaters by waving and throwing candy to onlookers. It was Rabbit Carrier’s first time participating in the parade and her mother Kendra’s first time at the event. While she lives just across the tracks on the Siksika Nation reserve, she was unaware of the event previously and hopes more members of her community get involved in similar festivities in the future. Rabbit Carrier is already planning on coming back next year.
“I really like it,” she said. “It’s sad because my community is just across the tracks and nobody really gets together for stuff like this.”
Drawing participants and visitors from all over Alberta, the Gleichen Steel on Wheels Show and Shine once again showed off some vintage automobiles and raised money for the Alberta Children’s Hospital through their 50/50 tickets and silent auction. Last year the organization raised $218 for the cause. For Gleichen locals Tracey and Jim Green, the event organizers, the venue is important to their cause and year after year continues to receive wonderful feedback.
“We decided that charity from day one when we started, it’s the up-and-coming future, the kids are our future with these cars,” said Tracey Green.
“When we first started it was different; people weren’t quite sure. The town is an older town, and kind of forgotten and lost, and this brings people out.”
Putting a few more miles on his classic Ford that was made for low-gear racing, achieving speeds of 55 miles per hour, Stewart came from Cluny to participate. The hobbyist, who took mechanics in high school and is also the owner of a vintage tow truck and a Mustang, values these events to connect with other like-minded people with similar interests and to reminisce.
“I wouldn’t even own a new car, I can’t stand them,” he said. “In the ’60s, everything was clear and you could see better, of course now I have the cataract. It was a rebellious time. It was just a different time and you can’t ever go back.”