Fred Eaglesmith launched his 18th Annual Springwater Charity Picnic weekend at the CASO Railway Station Thursday evening (August 16th). This is the second year that Fred and his Travelling Steam Show have kicked off the picnic at the historic venue.   

As Eaglesmith’s band and the Fabulous Ginn Sisters warmed up the audience a wonderful breeze wafted through the open station windows, bringing pleasant air circulation and Fred to join in the first set of music.

The station is particularly suiting venue for Eaglesmith’s music as he has spent considerable time working on, singing about, and writing award-winning train-themed songs. He was honoured earlier this summer with induction into the North America Railway Hall of Fame at the CASO station.

Entertaining Elgin
By Dave Ferguson

The threat of a storm popping up can be a common occurrence, especially during a warm summer. But “Storm Warning”, presently announced on signs parading around the lakeside community of Port Stanley is also a reality that comes to life till September 8th on stage at the Port Stanley Festival Theatre.

 “Storm Warning”, written by Norm Foster and directed by Simon Joynes, delivers a blockbuster performance - a powerfully poignant, yet humorous, love story, marvellously acted on a great set. There's a lot to like here.

The Aylmer Agricultural Fair celebrated 166 years August 10th to 12th with entertainment, demo derbies, agricultural exhibits, arts and craft competitions, food vendors and midway rides. Though rain put a damper on some of the outdoor activity, crowds took advantage of sunny breaks to enjoy the midway and all the fair had to offer.  

Check out photographer Mark Girdauskas’s day at the Aylmer Fair in the slideshow below. As always, his photos capture the sights of events in Elgin County in a manner that will also bring to mind the sounds, smells…. and fun. 

At 166 years, the Aylmer Fair is the oldest in District 13. They also have several other annual events – Home & Garden Show (April 2013) and Haunted House (every week-end in October 2012). Find out more at www.aylmerfair.ca. 

The Kettle Valley Pioneers presented their 34th annual Elgin Historical Show August 10th to 12th. Dan Patterson Conservation Area was filled with antiques related to farming (tractors, machinery and implements) plus food vendors, displays and music.

Julie Berry, in conjunction with the Society of Friends (Quakers) from Sparta, has been organizing the Lantern-Floating Ceremony in Pinafore Park for more than twenty years. This past Monday (August 6th), she welcomed the people gathered to remember those who lost their lives due to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, August 6-9, 1945. She noted her dedication to the yearly ceremony, the importance of preventing another nuclear bombing from ever happening again, and also the joy to be found in the peaceful and beautiful display made by the lanterns on the water.

Families were invited to drop by Saturday (August 4) and discover St. Thomas’s oldest church. Constructed between 1822 and 1824, the Old St. Thomas Church was the centre of the pioneer community. During the Fun Day, activities inside and out enabled visitors to delve into pioneer activities as well as the history of the church and the surrounding graveyard.