ALMONTE – The Almonte Fair is pulling the plug on the 162nd edition previously scheduled for July due to the ramifications of the coronavirus.

The long-running Almonte Fair is one of the earliest starting fairs in the Ottawa Valley with it’s July 17, 18 and 19 run. Organizers felt, with no firm information on when the provincial shut-down will end, they just don’t have the time and means to organize a tentative fair.

Almonte joins Shawville and Beachburg as communities that have cancelled their 2020 fairs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It is with deep regret we announce that there will be no Almonte fair in 2020,” North Lanark Agricultural Society President Glen Brydges released in a statement Friday (April 24). “Due to very challenging times we have decided to postpone our 162nd edition of the fair until 16th, 17th, and 18th of July 2021. The board of directors did not make this move lightly; it was made after much consideration, discussion and anxiety. On behalf of the Executive, I would like to thank all of our directors, committee chairpersons, Board members, volunteers, donors, sponsors, exhibitors, judges, vendors, and midway personnel for their understanding and commitment.  Without all of you we could not produce the type of agricultural and homecraft exhibition we can all be proud of.”

The reason, of course, is the pandemic.

“The safety, health and wellbeing of all of you, as well as the public as a whole, must be our main concern,” Brydges said. “We thank everyone for their support over the past 161 years and look forward to business as usual in 2021. We really hope you will all return to take part in this very important endeavour for our community. Let’s look forward to something bigger and even better next year.”