Huron Perth Agriculture And Water Festival Ending After 30 Years

by Bob Montgomery

The Huron Perth Agriculture and Water Festival that was held annually in Seaforth is ending after 30 years.

The festival began as the Slice of Huron in 1992 to teach local young people about agriculture in their communities. It expanded in 2006 to include components about water awareness and conservation. The festival was geared toward Grade 4 students and their teachers from across Huron and Perth counties and was always delivered as a free, interactive educational event.

In 2019, after another successful festival, the committee began fundraising for the 2020 season. Early in 2020, the festival was cancelled due to the uncertainty surrounding school field trips and a teachers’ strike. The COVID-19 pandemic postponed many plans for the Huron and Perth Agriculture and Water Festival over the years and the Steering Committee has made the difficult decision to disband.

The Huron Perth Agriculture and Water Festival Steering Committee would like to thank the many volunteers who donated their time to the festival over the decades. It would not have been possible without the many people who came together: the presenters who created and delivered educational content to the students, to those involved in organizing lunch, and to the local secondary schools who helped facilitate the day.

Year after year many generous sponsors contributed monetary donations to the festival. Large supporters of the event were Huron County Federation of Agriculture, Perth County Federation of Agriculture, Huron County Egg Farmers, Huron County Chicken Farmers, Huron County Dairy Producers, Huron County Beef Producers, Huron County Pork Producers, Perth County Pork Producers, Huron County Grain Farmers, Perth County Grain Farmers, and the Huron Clean Water Project. The committee would also like to thank the many community groups from across Huron and Perth counties who donated. These groups ranged from agricultural societies to Lions Clubs and Optimists to Women’s Institutes. Every donation contributed to the success of the festival.

Community was at the heart of the festival and, as such, the steering committee has made the decision to disperse the remaining funds to local organizations that align with the vision of the festival. The festival worked tirelessly to promote the value of agriculture, linking the daily lives of farmers in our communities to the food children enjoyed in their households. With increasing food insecurities, the festival has donated $200 to each of the 47 elementary schools in Huron and Perth counties through the Ontario Student Nutrition Program and is honoured to help students in this capacity. Similarly, $10,000 will be donated to the Huron Perth Agricultural Science Centre, to be developed in North Perth, for the purposes of educating children and youth on all facets of agriculture from safety to sustainable farming. The steering committee believes that the new science centre aligns closely with their values; educating local youth about the importance of agriculture in their communities using a hands-on, interactive educational model. The committee looks forward to supporting this incredible learning centre.

Huron Perth Agriculture And Water Festival Ending After 30 Years

Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance Board Of Directors Welcomes New Chair, Vice-Chair, Two New Directors And Eight Community Members To Board Committees

OPP Investigating Fatal Collision