Long before the 1930s, fall fairs were held in the communities of Surrey. The communities hosting Fairs at the time consisted of South Surrey, Hazelmere, Cloverdale, Clayton and Surrey. Farmers and community members would bring the best of their harvest to compete for a variety of prizes. The best cattle, eggs, vegetables, flowers, quilting, and other items were among the different competitions. Prizes were usually cash or donated goods and services from small businesses.
Farmers’ institutes often helped in funding the fairs and the fair association would organize them. These fairs were often catered by the town’s Women’s Institution. Despite the fact that the fair’s primary focus was agricultural, it frequently included beauty pageants, sporting activities, dancing competitions, and anything else the town wished to highlight that year. This feature of the fair would bring communities together to recognize and celebrate their achievements for the year. Various displays with goods for sale were also held at fairs, and many vendors offered discounts to entice people to visit. Discounts like these would have been especially appealing during the 1930s when money was short for British Columbian families. Fairs also functioned as a source of entertainment and a point of pride for these people and communities, as the number of recreational activities available in these areas was limited. Fairs and their activities were frequently featured on the front page of newspapers, with articles on the fairs association, the fair’s activities that year, what to expect, the cost of admission, and anything else the fair represented.
Although the fairs clearly encouraged white families and farmers to attend, the presence of minority groups such as Japanese and indigenous communities was nearly unheard of. During the 1930s, in prize lists in the Surrey Leader for fairs, the last names of prize winners were almost always European. Although more proof of exclusion than prize lists is difficult to uncover, it was widely known at the time that fairs represented the success of European settlement and agriculture. (Click “In the Newpapers” to learn more.)