This year's Skeena Valley Fall Fair is only one day instead of the traditional two days so organizers are packing more events into that one day.
In particular, there’s going to be a dance from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on fair day Sept. 6 backed up by a beer garden and lively music, said Nancy Ross, one of the organizers of this year’s fair.
“Even with a beer garden, this will be a family event, so bring your dancing shoes,” said Ross of the early evening activity planned for the Thornhill Community Grounds.
There will also be more food options than in previous years, meaning that fairgoers have a chance to enjoy a supper on the grounds leading up to the dance, she said.
The dance will take place in the middle of the fairgrounds and under a huge tent being rented for the occasion.
“And that means rain or sun, people will be covered,” said Ross.
The beer garden is being run by a local baseball team called The Navigators under the sponsorship of the Kalum Community School Society, which will use money raised for its local school food program called the Hungry Kids Project.
Lined up to play at the 6-9 p.m. dance are the Mad Hatters, a group of young people, Ranger Dan and Mustang Heart.
“They can play everything and will play what the crowd wants,” said Chris Swanson, a fall fair volunteer who organized the music this year.
Aside from the dance, Swanson noted there will be music all day, beginning at 10 a.m.
Another change this year is the location of community exhibits and fall fair entries.
Fall fair entries in various food preparation and craft categories will be on display in the gym of the former Thornhill Junior Secondary School while community exhibits will shift from the gym to the Thornhill Community Centre.
Back again this year is a pancake breakfast which begins at 9 a.m. on the day of the fair and is included in the price of admission. It lasts until 10:30 a.m.
There is a door prize for those coming to the fair and, said Ross, a door prize to be drawn from the pool of volunteers who assist with the fair.
“We really depend upon our volunteers. We have four [admission] gates and there’s setup,” she said of the volunteer contingent that’s needed.
Running parallel to, but independent of the fair, is the annual Totem Saddle Club Horse Show on the community grounds. It begins Friday, Sept. 5 and runs until Sunday, Sept. 7.