Why an Interview,,,

Over the years we have been able to meet and talk with some very interesting people. They have shared with us their knowledge and have provided us with a great deal of insight as to how and why festivals and events work and why they are so important to our communities and to the Province of Ontario. With this in mind, we decided that we wanted you to meet and hear from some of the wonderful people who work so hard to provide us all with such wonderful Ontario Festivals and Events! We are pleased and proud to present "THE INSIDE SCOOP"!

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Keeping things "FRESH" at the Ancaster Fairgrounds


The Fair – “The Fair is a great community to volunteer in.”“The Ancaster Fair is all about “Fabulous Family Fun!”

THE INSIDE SCOOP presents Kathy Smith, Manager

Ancaster Agricultural Society and Ancaster Fairgrounds


THE INSIDE SCOOP presents Kathy Smith, Manager
Ancaster Agricultural Society and Ancaster Fairgrounds
Can you tell us about the Ancaster Fairgrounds and the facilities available?
Facilities Available ~ “The Ancaster Fairgrounds is 100 acres in size and has 10 buildings that are used for a wide variety of events throughout the year.  Marritt Hall is the largest of these and the most used.  A year round facility that can host  a number of  functions at the same time or one large function on the main floor with smaller break out rooms on the second floor.  Our concession building is also a year round facility that regularly hosts such events as dog shows, roller derby events, stag & does, even memorial services.  Our indoor show arena has a 100’ x 220’ show area that regularly has horse shows, cattle shows and even sheep shows using the building.  We have three outdoor horse rings of various size that also play host to many different discipline shows.  The remainder of the buildings are not insulated and are used mainly for our fair but occasionally will see other events take place as well.  We have lots of grass and parking areas that are also used for many events during the year”.
How does the Ancaster Agricultural Societykeep things fresh” for the patrons, participants and vendors?
Keeping things fresh ~ “There are always new events and activities being added to the program for the Ancaster Fair.  While the main activities of the fair revolve around the competitions, livestock shows are hard to really change what they are doing, unless you are introducing a new breed, the homecraft and school fair competition classes get changed on a yearly basis.  For 2014 we will be adding a Donkey and Mule show to the list of livestock events.  We have also introduced a fair wide theme of Oh Canada! So there should be some great additions to this year’s Fair events”.
Stay tuned for more with Kathy Smith, Manager of the Ancaster Agricultural Society and Ancaster Fairgrounds and don’t forget to check out their website at http://www.ancasteragriculturalsociety.ca/. … Next SCOOP: Volunteer Recruitment, Volunteer Appreciation, Techniques for managing Volunteers.
Our interview continues …

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Success ~ Planning ~ Demographics ~ Interview with Kathy Smith, Ancaster Fair

THE INSIDE SCOOP presents Kathy Smith, Manager
Ancaster Agricultural Society and Ancaster Fairgrounds
 
The Fair – “The Fair is a great community to volunteer in.”“The Ancaster Fair is all about “Fabulous Family Fun!”
 
 
Our interview continues …
What do you attribute the success of Ancaster Agricultural Society?
Success ~ “The success of the Ancaster Agricultural Society can really be attributed to the dedication of the volunteers.  When the society decided to relocate it was a committee of volunteers that took this task on, through their leadership we have a beautiful new grounds that generations of families will get to enjoy.  It is also the volunteers that make the fair happen.  With over 35 committees and approx. 400 volunteers it takes a lot of time to plan and organize the fair so that there is something for all interests to see and participate in when visiting the fair”.
What is your demographic makeup of attendees?
Demographic Makeup ~ “The Ancaster Fair is all about “Fabulous Family Fun!”  We have families with young children, teenagers or even adult children coming back for a family reunion at the fair.  We have very young who attend to participate in the Baby show and older people who attend to compete in the many competitions.  While it may be a cliché to say that we have something for everyone we do try to attract people from diverse backgrounds and at every age level”. 
How far in advance do you “plan”?
Planning ~ “Planning for the Ancaster Fair begins the weekend of the previous fair.  Committee chairs take note of what works well and what needs to be done better for the next year.   About a week after the fair we have a meeting to “debrief” on the successes of the fair.  Organizing really gets in gear in the New Year when committees get their budget requests in and have committee meetings to make definite plans for that year’s fair.  Of course changes can occur right up to opening of the fair as no plan is completely guaranteed to work”.
Stay tuned for more with Kathy Smith, Manager of the Ancaster Agricultural Society and Ancaster Fairgrounds and don’t forget to check out their website at http://www.ancasteragriculturalsociety.ca/. … Next SCOOP: Ancaster Fairground Facilities, Keeping things Fresh!
 
 
 
 

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Positive Wins Every Time! ~ Preserve, Conserve, Enjoy! ~ Ontario Visited Tours Toronto Zoo



This series of Blog articles comes from our recent “Behind the Scenes Tour of the Toronto Zoo” with Katie Gray, Public Relations Supervisor. Ontario Visited toured with Festival Nomad Correspondent’s Carol Law (Volunteeerscan.ca ~ Volunteer systems Consultant) and Ron Clifford (www.ronclifford.com ~ Professional Photographer). With extra our extra correspondent and photographer, we were able to focus on the generous amount of information being provided by the Toronto Zoo staff for this wonderful opportunity. We would like to share our insight, knowledge and experiences with you. Hope you enjoy the series!
Positive Wins Every Time!
There are challenges in keeping life's positive aspects in the “limelight”. Our recent day at the Toronto Zoo, Media Day, was a great example of “super hype”. Sometimes the Media likes to report the negatives, which may be true, but are not in the best interest of supporting such an invaluable resource as the Zoo. Gary and I truly believe in presenting the best of the festivals, events, attractions, fairs, communities and heritage properties we visit. Each operates as a result of countless staff and volunteer hours, each putting their heart and soul into the many adventures and dedicated causes. We are proud to report the positive … positivity creates our FUTURE!

I will end our "tour" article with one thought in mind... "What you don’t see while walking about the Toronto Zoo is just as important, if not more so, than what you do see". The future is for all of us... Preserve, Conserve, Enjoy!

We encourage you to check out the Toronto Zoo website where you can view ongoing amazing “in-the-moment” videos and so much more at www.torontozoo.com. Enjoy!