Creative Arts Exhibitors giving back to our community
Thank you to some of our amazing #WesternFair2022 - Creative Arts Exhibitors for their entries into our recent Sharing is Caring Competition at this year’s fair. Their submissions were graciously donated as part of the competition’s goal of giving back to those in our community who need a little uplifting.
Thank you to some of our amazing #WesternFair2022 - Creative Arts Exhibitors for their entries into our recent Sharing is Caring Competition at this year’s fair. 🎡 💗🧸
Their submissions were graciously donated as part of the competition’s goal of giving back to those in our community who need a little uplifting. A cuddly stuffed animal, warm mitts or a cozy quilt are acts of kindness that go a long way in bringing a smile to the face of children in need. The generosity of our fair exhibitors is not forgotten by Ronald McDonald House, Merrymount, 519Pursuit, and LifeSpin who received these donations this morning and will pass them on to some of their clients.
There are many more children and youth who would love a homemade keepsake to help them get through their day, their treatment, or their time away from home. You can help, by participating in the Sharing is Caring competition. Watch for the launch of the 2023 Creative Arts Prize Book, enter the competition and get started on your handmade gift for a child or teen in our community.
Love Letter to our Community
Love Letter to our Community.
The Western Fair would like to sincerely thank ALL the people who supported our efforts to return a revitalized and reimagined tradition to our community.
Western Fair is a love story of sorts, a celebration of people and community that has stood the test of time, thanks to all of YOU.
We so appreciate the loyal and long-serving customer, as well as the newcomer who gave the Western Fair a whirl this year – we saw you, we loved your smiles and encouraging feedback. Thank you!
To ALL our employees, volunteers, partners and sponsors, community groups, vendors and exhibitors, urban and rural organizations, students and families, as well as the wider community, we thank you for the enormous support shown for our comeback.
We hoped we could bring back a fair that would rekindle the magic with our community, and you made our wishes come true.
We missed you, and we look forward to seeing you ALL again next September.
Thank You.
The Western Fair would like to sincerely thank ALL the people who supported our efforts to return a revitalized and reimagined tradition to our community.
Western Fair is a love story of sorts, a celebration of people and community that has stood the test of time, thanks to all of YOU.
We so appreciate the loyal and long-serving customer, as well as the newcomer who gave the Western Fair a whirl this year – we saw you, we loved your smiles and encouraging feedback. Thank you!
To ALL our employees, volunteers, partners and sponsors, community groups, vendors and exhibitors, urban and rural organizations, students and families, as well as the wider community, we thank you for the enormous support shown for our comeback.
We hoped we could bring back a fair that would rekindle the magic with our community, and you made our wishes come true.
We missed you, and we look forward to seeing you ALL again next September.
Thank You.
Only in OEV Music Garden
Western Fair’s Best Place to Relax, and Listen to an Amazing Line-up of FREE LIVE MUSIC, while sipping Local Libations.
London, Ontario, August 24, 2022: As you make your way through one of Western Fair’s four new gateways to the annual community celebration, listen for the beat, and follow your ears to the Only in OEV Music Garden located inside the Main Midway, featuring your favourite regional bands and artists, served-up with fabulous local beers and beverages, all enjoyed with a side of toe-tapping, hand clapping, good times.
Western Fair’s Best Place to Relax, and Listen to an Amazing Line-up of FREE LIVE MUSIC, while sipping Local Libations.
London, Ontario, August 24, 2022: As you make your way through one of Western Fair’s four new gateways to the annual community celebration, listen for the beat, and follow your ears to the Only in OEV Music Garden located inside the Main Midway, featuring your favorite regional bands and artists, served-up with fabulous local beers and beverages, all enjoyed with a side of toe-tapping, hand clapping, good times.
Presented by Old East Village Business Improvement Association, the Only in OEV Music Garden provides fairgoers 10-days of tunes, to create your own personal music festival. Whatever music genre you are looking for you are likely to find it by exploring the artists and bands featured, all enjoyed with OEV Libation District beers and beverages – see list of participating distilleries and breweries below.
Featured Performers Include:
Aaron & Aimee Allen [Country]
Area – 4 [90’s Alternative Rock Tribute]
Bobnoxious [Rock]
Brad Gibb All Star Band [Rock, Country]
Conor Gains [Country]
County Road [Traditional Country]
Elevation [The International U2 Tribute]
Errol Blackwood & Injah [Reggae]
Farewell Stanleys [Pop, Rock]
Full Petty Fever [Tribute to Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers]
Genevieve Fisher [Country]
Heart Attack Kids [Rock, Punk]
Hotel California [The Original Tribute to the Eagles]
Leanne Mayer Band [Rock and Blues]
Lost in Japan [Indie Rock]
Neon Nostalgic [80s, 90s Live Band Video Dance Party]
Sarina Haggarty [Pop, Indie, Country]
Shaun Sanders and Graham Goss [Classic Rock]
Sonja and the Magic Moments [Upbeat Jazz and Blues]
Soul Sausage [Soul, Upbeat Blues, Motown]
The Jason Mercer Duo [Pop, Rock]
The Mudmen [Celtic Rock]
The Sheridan Band [Celtic and East Coast]
ZED [Tribute to Led Zeppelin]
*Check our Music Garden Schedule and Artist ShowTime’s here:
Featured OEV Libation District Brews and Beverages
Discover some excellent local drinks when you relax and listen to your favourite bands at the Only in OEV Music Garden. Experience some of what the OEV the Libation District has to offer at this year’s Western Fair.
• Union Ten Distilling Co.
• Powerhouse Brewing Co.
• Fire Roasted Coffee Co.
• Anderson Craft Ales
• Dundas and Sons Brewing Co.
• London Brewing Co-op
• On The Move Organics
• Paradigm Spirits
Find out more about what the OEV Libation District has to offer. https://www.oldeastvillage.com/onlyinoev-libationdistrict
For more information:
Greg Blanchard, Director of Sales, and Retail, WFD
gblanchard@westernfairdistrict.com
(519) 438-7203 EX 239
5 Reasons to visit the NEW Animal Barn... at this year’s Western Fair!
Organizers have been busy all summer, preparing for the Western Fair’s return, along with its new barn and agricultural display area, all part of the event’s new layout.
Rides, food, entertaining attractions, and concerts are a big part of a fantastic and memorable day at the Western Fair, but if you have not visited our agriculture area, and our educational farm animal displays…you must this year! Below are 5 Reasons to Visit the Animal Barn during your trip to the Western Fair
Organizers have been busy all summer, preparing for the Western Fair’s return, along with its new barn and agricultural display area, all part of the event’s new layout.
Rides, food, entertaining attractions, and concerts are a big part of a fantastic and memorable day at the Western Fair, but if you have not visited our agriculture area, and our educational farm animal displays…you must this year! Below are 5 Reasons to Visit the Animal Barn during your trip to the Western Fair:
#1: New Animals:
While we have many fan-favourite farm animals returning this year, the Agriculture Team is excited to welcome Water Buffalo calves to our livestock display this year! Hailing from Kamkreek Dairies, in Stratford, Ontario, Water Buffalo provide a higher fat/protein milk than conventional cow's milk and can grow up to 1600 lbs! Visit them at the Western fair this year.
#2: Returning Animal Friends:
Whether it is Stella the goat, and her kids, the West Edge Acres Clydesdales, Llama’s, Alpaca’s, Sheep, Mare & Foal, Donkeys, Dairy & Beef Cattle, or Pigs, there will be lots of livestock on display. Learn about where your food comes from, and if you have a question about any of our farm animals or farming in general, please ask one of our Animal Experts in the Barn, they love to talk to visitors about the important work they do. All animals at the fair are displayed in their appropriate penning, and cared for in accordance to their breed standards by our on-site animal experts and in consultation with local vets and livestock providers.
#3: New Farm Activities!
While you are in the Animal Barn area, be sure to check out our new & returning activities, including:
The Farming Game: a hands-on activity that allows you to go through a year as an Ontario grain farmer, learning how to make decisions on what to plant, manage, maintain and harvest your crops, whether to buy insurance or not, (hint – it is strongly recommended!), and more! Will you make it through the crop season as a first-year farmer?
Make sure your kids take a turn on our Free Pedal Tractor Course, donated by Case IH
Test your skill at throwing a straw bale.
Enjoy the Huron Tractor Straw Maze.
Dairy Farmers of Ontario – Bouncy Cow
#4: Past Favourites:
Many fairgoers will remember the Clydesdale Half Hitch and Farrier Demonstrations from West Edge Acres, and Western Fair is happy to announce they will be back again this year. In addition, be sure to check out:
Milking Demonstrations with Dairy Dave – see the new milking parlour this year!
Veggie displays from Growing Chefs! Ontario: Learn about growing vegetables with Growing Chefs! Ontario, with their self-guided QR code Garden Tour.
Commodity displays from Egg Farmers of Ontario, Beef Farmers of Ontario, District 1 Ontario Sheep Farmers, Dairy Farmers of Ontario, and Grain Farmers of Ontario.
The Inflatable Corn Maze
Equipment Displays from Huron Tractor and Stratford Farm Equipment
The opportunity to snap a selfie with one of our Bale Art Displays.
School Tours: For teachers and educators that are looking for a more immersive experience, please pre-register for WFD’s Annual School Tour program, presented this year by Libro Credit Union. A lucky class will win a prize sponsored by Kiwanis Of Forest City London. Registration can be found here: Register Here
#5 New BARN Location: Did you hear we are in a new location this year?
Be sure to visit your Farmyard Friends in their new home inside the Western Fair Animal Barn, located nearby to the Giant Ferris Wheel (closest gate is Egerton Street Entrance).
Please note, as a precaution for the safety of livestock housed at our Fair, WFA will not have displays of any poultry, or rabbits this year, due to on-going concerns with the Avian Influenza disease that impacts Poultry, and the RHDB-2 (Rabbit Disease). WFA looks forward to welcoming both livestock displays back in future when it is safe for them to participate.
As you prepare for your visit to the Animal Barn, be sure to get your tickets for the Fair, and visit our website to read up on hand washing recommendations when visiting an Animal Area.
For More Information:
Greg Blanchard, Director of Sales, and Retail, WFD
gblanchard@westernfairdistrict.com
(519) 438-7203 EX 239
CONCERTS BACK AT THE 2022 WESTERN FAIR
To celebrate the return of the Western Fair this September a pair of exciting concerts has been announced. Both will be held in a new Fair venue - the London Major Appliances Olympic bowl of the Western Fair District Sports Centre.
LONDON, July 25, 2022 – To celebrate the return of the Western Fair this September a pair of exciting concerts has been announced. Both will be held in a new Fair venue - the London Major Appliances Olympic bowl of the Western Fair District Sports Centre.
It’s a powerful Canadian lineup with Valley headlining on Wednesday, September 14th, featuring New Friends and Lilyisthatyou. Iconic Finger Eleven will headline Thursday, September 15th, joined by I Mother Earth and local rockers Full Throttle.
Tickets go on sale this Saturday, July 30th at 10 a.m. See both full releases below.
-30-
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
VALLEY
with NEW FRIENDS
and Lilyisthatyou
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022
The Western Fair - LONDON, ON
London Major Appliances Rink
Doors: 6:30PM Show: 7:30PM
Concert Ticket Includes Admission to the Western Fair on Day of Show
Order online at https://www.westernfair.ca/
TICKETS ON SALE SATURDAY, July 30, 2022 at 10AM
Tickets (incl HST): $39.99
(plus ticketing fees and charges) All Ages / General Admission Floor, Reserved Seating
With over 210 million global streams, JUNO Award-nominated, Valley put together alternative pop with the care, adventurousness, and personal touch of a handmade burned CD. Cycling through moods like your favourite throwback Pinterest board, the Toronto quartet—Rob Laska, Michael “Mickey” Brandolino, Alex Dimauro, and Karah James—amplify sticky hooks through eloquent songcraft that’s cognizant of what came before, yet ready for the future. In 2016, Valley formed by accident when a local studio double booked them. During high school, Mike and Karah played in one band, while Rob and Alex played in another. They introduced themselves with self-written, self-produced releases, including the EP This Room Is White [2016] and full-length debut MAYBE [2019].
They joined Lennon Stella and The Band CAMINO on sold out tours across North America and even picked up a 2020 JUNO Award nomination in the category of “Breakthrough Group of the Year.” Following 2020’s sucks to see you doing better EP, the single “Like 1999” exploded. Its genesis traces back to a TikTok post of an unfinished version. After Valley completed the tune in under 48 hours, it went on to inspire hundreds of thousands of creates and eclipse 20 million streams while breaking boarders, appearing on viral charts in the U.S., Philippines, Korea, Japan and more.
After amassing over 100 million streams and earning acclaim from the likes of Atwood Magazine and American Songwriter, the group transmit this signature style through their latest EP Last Birthday for Universal Music Canada and new label partner Capitol Records.
About New Friends
With genre bending anthems translated through impactful and relatable emotions, New Friends are reinventing the standard for what popular music can be. As a product of their childhoods, they are nostalgic for the bands they loved growing up and continue to emulate those influences with a modern twist.
When Stefan Boulineau, Ayden Miller, Cole Wilson and Conrad Galecki crossed paths as music students in late 2018, the group clicked instantly and began working on demos in dorm rooms in London, Ontario. It didn’t take long until their hook-filled debut single, Purple Candy was out in the world. Reaching over 3.5 million streams on Spotify and climbing. They were recently announced winners of the "It's Your Shot" contest in Canada worth $100,000 in Artist Development.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FINGER ELEVEN
with I Mother Earth
also featuring Full Throttle
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2022
The Western Fair - LONDON, ON
London Major Appliances Rink
TICKETS ON SALE SATURDAY, July 30, 2022 at 10AM
Doors: 6:30PM Show: 7:30PM
Concert Ticket Includes Admission to the Western Fair on Day of Show
Order online at https://www.westernfair.ca/
Tickets (incl HST): $59.50
(plus ticketing fees and charges) All Ages / General Admission Floor, Reserved Seating
When Ontario, Canada rockers Finger Eleven decided to start writing the follow-up to their 2010 album Life Turns Electric, the band members all agreed they wanted to do something different, they just weren't exactly sure what they wanted to do. Since their formation in high school in 1990 (as Rainbow Butt Monkeys), the musicians, Scott Anderson (vocals), James Black (guitar), Rick Jackett (guitar) and Sean Anderson (bass) had released six full-length albums – including the Juno-Award winning Them Vs. You Vs. Me — and experimented with a variety of styles such as hard rock, classic rock, heavy blues and textural pop. So, over a two-and-a-half year period, they decided to try a bit of everything over a multitude of writing sessions.
Their 2003 self-titled album achieved Gold status in the United States and Platinum in Canada, largely from the success of the single "One Thing", which marked the band's first placing on the US Hot 100 Chart at number 16. The 2007 release of Them vs. You vs. Me launched the single "Paralyzer", which went on to top the Canadian Hot 100 and both US rock charts, as well as reaching No. 6 on the US Hot 100 and No. 12 on the Australian Singles Chart. They won the Juno Award for Rock Album of the Year in 2008. The same album was later certified gold in the US and multi-platinum in Canada. They released their sixth studio album, Life Turns Electric, on October 5, 2010; it was nominated as Best Rock Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2011. Five Crooked Lines, their 7th studio album, was released in 2015.
Between 1995 and 2016, Finger Eleven was among the top 75 best-selling Canadian artists in Canada and among the top 25 best-selling Canadian bands in Canada.
About I Mother Earth
When I Mother Earth first ended their 8 Year Hiatus in March of 2012 they did so by putting a countdown clock on their website that expired just in time for the band to perform 2 sold out shows at Toronto’s Sound Academy. In 2016 They turned the clock back…. 20 years back to be exact, and reunited with the bands original vocalist Edwin to celebrate the 20th anniversary of critically acclaimed multi Platinum album Scenery and Fish. This reunion caused the band to tour nationally for the first time since ending their hiatus. The tour dates whether on their own or with touring partners Our Lady Peace were a tremendous success and apparently a lot of fun as the band has decided to formally reunite with Edwin for the foreseeable future and even head into the studio to create new material.
Celebrating 20 of Scenery and Fish was a trip for IME. That album spawned 4 Top 10 Hits in Canada with “Raspberry”, “Another Sunday”, “Used to be Alright”, and “One More Astronaut”, but it’s the new music on the horizon and the opportunity to dive into their first record “Dig” that has both the Fans and the Band excited to explore. The debut record featured 4 top singles as well. “Levitate”, “Rain Will Fall”, “So Gently We Go” and Not Quite Sonic all hold a distinct place in the Hearts of I Mother earth fans.
About Full Throttle
Full Throttle is a 3 piece teenage power pop punk band from London Ontario, writing and performing punk rock anthems for those hungry for good ol’ fashioned rock n roll, with tunes that will never leave your ear holes.
Recipients of this years FCLMA youth award, Full Throttle has extensive live performance experience and has released two singles on all streaming platforms. They are currently working on a 5 song EP for release this fall. Don’t be fooled, this is not your average teenage boy band!
This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada.
Ce projet a été rendu possible en partie grâce au gouvernement du Canada.