CARP – it was a sign of massive community support as the Carp Fair Drive-In Bingo’s final night of summer filled every available space a vehicle could be parked, and more than 1,000 people took part in an evening of fun.

It was a very special fundraiser in support of a family dealing with tragic circumstances. All the proceeds for the July 31 Drive-In Bingo were being donated to the Engelberts family. The Engelberts lost their young patriarch in June following a tragic accident. A foundation was set up to support Connor’s young daughters Anne and Audrey and their future education.

“It’s just been great to see so many people come out,” Carp Fair 2019 Homecraft President Martha Palmer told West Carleton Online taking a short break from the barbecue. “Not only Bingo players but volunteers too. Lots of past presidents came out to help, lots of extra volunteers. Everybody brought a couple of friends and it’s fun. We started at 3:30 p.m. today, an hour earlier, because we knew it was going to be big.”

Pies are always popular at Bingo, and volunteers made 100 (a big bump from the usual amount) to be sold. The barbecue had 960 burgers and 720 hot dogs for sale, and most were gone before the Bingo reached its first break.

Agriculture President Doug Norton was the Bingo caller and folks could listen to his booming voice live or over their car radio.

Carp Drive-In Bingo has officially reached legendary status. The event started in 1953 and has now been going strong for 66 years. Organizers are pretty sure last Wednesday’s event was the largest in history. Not only was the horse ring filled with cars and people, as usual, so was the massive parking lot where the Carp Farmers’ Market is held, the nearby ball diamonds and any other space rabid Bingo fans could squeeze a vehicle in to.

“The innovator was my father Weldon Johnston,” Charlene Johnston told West Carleton Online today (Aug. 5). “He was a Carp Fair director at the time and president in 1954. His thinking was lawn socials were a happening thing and indoor bingos were gaining poularity, why not combine the two?”

In 2011 an Ottawa Citizen article caused some trouble for the Drive-In Bingo as a reader complained kids playing bingo was in violation of the gaming commission.

“Many thought this would be the end of the bingos if they couldn’t be a family event,” Johnston said. “Even negative press can be a benefit. The issue was covered by local papers, TV and radio stations. Ironically, the afect of this ‘free ink’ has allowed the bingos to grow exponentially.”

Add this to the Eastern Ontario Quarter Horse Association horse show running concurrently on the fairgrounds (more on that event tomorrow), and you would be forgiven for thinking the Carp Fair had started early this year.

Of course, the Engelberts family was on hand and the guests of honour (West Carleton Online did meet Connor’s parents but declined to interview them on the record in respect for their privacy) at the Bingo.

“The Engelberts are great supporters of this community and I am glad we could support them back,” Palmer said.

At press time, Carp Fair staff had not yet finalized how much money was raised for the Engelberts.

“The board of directors wanted to extend a huge thank you to all the volunteers, past presidents, community members and everyone that comes out to play bingo with us,” the board released in a statement the day after the event. “We are speechless with the amount of support you all continue to show. This year’s turn out every week was unbelievable. We closed out our drive-in bingo season last night and we can’t wait until we are back to do it all again next year.”