Fall Fair 2023

Thank You ALL for a Great Fair!

Well, WE did it.  With only 4 weeks to plan, the community came together to create a wonderful Fall Fair. We are so grateful to everyone who enthusiastically stepped up to make it all happen — the more than 100 people who volunteered to do all the bits that were needed, and to all of you for showing up to play, dance, laugh, and eat. 

Special thanks go out to Aigul, for the yummy soup, of course, but more so for the tireless good energy she pours into our community.  And to Jamie for that endless supply of ratatouille and Ezra and Kay for the yummy chili.  Camino and Gabe baked those beautiful loaves to accompany the food.  Much of the food for the soup and ratatouille was donated from people’s gardens — and we know how special that is.  Deep gratitudel to Santih, JennyV, Sue and Peter, Marie-Ange, Jodi, Sheila R, Marti, Betsy, Kathy S, David E, Katy S, Kathy R, Caroline, Pia, Anna D, Aigul, Hilary, Izzy, Sylvia, James S, Gordon A, Lianne, Gisele, Katrina  and Kristos for sharing your bounty.  In addition, we thank the person who left a box of tomatoes in Aigul’s mailbox on Friday!

It’s invisible to many of us, but Cindy always contributes all proceeds from her bar to the Fair.  She makes it seem effortless, but so much work goes into that end product.  Thanks also to Chrysta and Lisa J. for helping with the sales!

Many thanks to Julia, Richard, Jan, Simmah, and Sharon for cooking and selling over 200 ears of corn. 

Hats off to our front entrance greeters: Jack, Heather, Gretje, Betsy,  Judy & Bob K, Amy, Jenna & Adam, Trudi & Richard, Theo and Nadine S.

And how bout those donated desserts prepped by Jaya, and served served mostly by Lennie Rd men,...Mike P, Moey, Alex, Bill L, Samuel, Ken H, Rob P, Bob S, Gabe & Jacob!  A huge thank you to the 20+ people who made crisps and other yummy deserts, Jodi. Marti, Judy K, Judy P, Deb P, Kathy S, Kathy R, Kathie G, Emily, Betsy, Lianne, Audrey, Barb B, Crysta, Lori G, Mary M, Sharon, Peter J, Susan E and Luise; and to Simmah for organizing tea.

Thanks to Rachel for organizing the games and to her Mom for writing about the zucchini relay!  Rachel was helped by many, including Anneliese, Sho, Marianna and Marisol, and Silke. 

Katrina did an amazing job decorating the hall (in the pelting rain) and getting us in the Autumn mood with the odds and sods from Dana’s garden. And, thanks to  Ken L. who spent much of the fair taking photos for us.

There was a significant flow of liquid being sampled at the wine and beer tasting, thanks to Dar.  We’re looking forward to reading the comments everyone left on the different libations.

Equally popular was the apple pressing run by David.  Such an amazing way to celebrate our bounty. 

And to Moey and the team of “tarp-ers”,  Kyle D., Brennen J., Thierry, Ron C., Bob S and Wendy B., for so graciously being willing to set up the tarps at the last minute (what weather!)

Sho also did a wonderful job MC’ing, and the sheep calling was perfect.  Oh and how about the chance to show off our strong legs and biceps thanks to Donna.

Dana A. was busy between the jam, pie, and salsa contest and the chicken pageant — all of which were huge successes (did you catch how many people were glued to the pie contest in the hopes of getting to be one of the judges?).

Did you see those gorgeous Compostable Creatures?  Thanks so much Anna and Jaya for making that happen.

And, of course, no Lasqueti event would be complete without the beauitful face-painting by Sophia. 

A big thank you to all the people who participated in the displays:  Fermentations; Fibre Arts; Homestead / Garden; Archaeology; Tree Cookies; Unusual Kitchen & Other Weird Tools; Fire Smart; Climate Action; LINC; and Yacht Club.  Such amazing bounty for our eyes, heads, and stomachs.  And Link, that zucchini!  Can we make it a regular fixture at all fairs?

We also thank Santih for his banana plant donation for a Silent Auction towards raising funds for the hall sound system, and a thank you for the donations for it. It is not too late to donate towards this sound system!!!

Many thanks to the vendors— who do so much prep to feed us well for just a few, intense hours: Junie and Reza, Rachel C., Laura C.,Vida and Katy, and Farrell.  We also thank Nico and Benja, who got stymied coming over, but were there in spirit!.

A special thanks to Denise for her square dance calling and Ken and Kaia for their great fiddlin’ and piano playing.  Amazing that it all came together only a week or so before the event!.  We can’t say we’re great square-dancers, but we CAN say that we had lots of fun!
And Joseph, thank you for setting up the sound before running to the ferry and to Brigitte for stepping in at the last minute.

Even the clean up was easy and fun thanks to the on-going work of so many during the event itself, the organizing skill of Amanda, the yummy treats supplied by Camino, and the helping hands of Amanda, David E, Louis, Moey, Carly P, Mike P, John C, Simmah, Jodi, Darlene, Stephen, Shari, and Laurence.  Waste management was handled by Wendy B, with Mark Y assisting by collecting the compost.

Oh, and of course, thanks to Jenny for being there to support and facilitate in her Jenny-way and to all those who spontaneously stepped in to lend a hand!.

With so much gratitude,

Andrew, Marie-Ange, Wendy B, and Dana L.