When I was first moving to Rossland the thing I got most excited about was the fall fair.
Growing up in Fort St. John, the fall fair was a big event. It was basically the thing to do that weekend and it seemed like everyone headed out to the fair grounds to take in the exhibits and eat fair food.
And then at some point I figured out I could even participate by entering the exhibits and I was even more stoked.
I remember entering flowers from the garden and collecting some ribbons, but also entering a photograph in the kids’ photo exhibit and winning first place.
Then I grew up and moved to bigger cities where “fall fairs,” such as they were, weren’t what I had grown up with.
And then I moved to Rossland and honest as anything, I really did intend to enter that first year I was here in 2015, and then again in 2016. But last year all I managed to do was get organized enough to enter a few photos in the Pass Creek Fall Fair, which takes place a bit later in September than the Rossland fair.
But this year I am on it.
My coworkers have already been guinea pigs for my baked goods (they approved my chocolate-chip banana muffins) and I made jam by myself for the first time, covering my kitchen in blueberry jam and boiling water in the process (it was also my first time canning alone).
I’ve been spiffing up my favourite houseplant (nicknamed Devil) for the “Any house plant — flowering or non-flowering” category and desperately trying to get at least one of the herbs I planted in May to look less like dying.
And of course I’ve picked out a few photos and bought some black card-stock to mount them on.
All this is to say: I challenge you Rossland.
I challenge you to bring your best — be that beet, afghan or sugar cookie — and help make this year’s fall fair the best display of old-fashioned community know how this side of the Columbia River.