The goal of bringing back the Summerland Fall Fair is admirable and it would benefit the entire community.
Making this goal a reality will take a lot of hard work and commitment from many people.
From 1909 to 2014, the fair had been an important celebration, featuring local fruits and vegetables, canning, baking, handcrafts, arts and more.
It was also a venue for performers and vendors.
Most of the board stepped down after the 2014 fair and because of this and other obstacles, the 2015 fair was cancelled.
A fair of this nature requires a lot of volunteer work throughout the year, not just during the fair weekend in September.
Because the fair was cancelled last year, bringing it back will take more work than simply continuing a fair which had run without interruptions.
And because the goal is to have the fair as an annual event, it will require a level of commitment from those who serve on the board.
Organizing and maintaining an annual fair is more involved than organizing a one-time special event.
For these reasons, finding a good board of directors will be the first challenge if the fair is to come back this year.
Right now, with only three members on the board, the fair is not able to function. There are not enough members for a quorum.
Once a team is in place, some of the work will involve applying for provincial gaming grant funding, arranging for convenors in each category and scheduling the weekend’s events.
Throughout the fair’s history, it has been a well-loved community event. It is also an opportunity to draw out-of-town visitors to the community.
Whether this fair can continue will depend on whether the people of Summerland are willing to get involved.
Without an adequate level of public support, it will be impossible to hold the Fall Fair.