Are you proficient at preserves, brilliant at baking, daft at crafts, well-versed at veggies or adept at flower arrangement? If so, we might have a great opportunity for you to show off your skills.
We’re excited to announce that on Sat Sept 28th and Sun Sept 29th, the Grist Mill and Gardens at Keremeos will be hosting our ninth annual Heritage Fall Fair! There will be almost fifty exhibit categories to see or compete in as well as heritage games of skill, concessions, entertainment and more. The whole site will be filled with family-oriented activity for the day.
Admission to the Fall Fair is $20 for adults, $15 for students and seniors. (You can also pre-purchase your admission at a discount here starting in August 2024.)
2023’s Activities Included:
| SATURDAY | SUNDAY |
| Site Activities | |
| Summer Kitchen Music Stage (11AM-3PM) Our Summer Kitchen provides a great rustic outdoor venue and we look forward to hosting a variety of regional talent through the day. | |
| Carnival & Field Games (All Day) Enjoy some of the many games of skill and other pass-times that children and adults would’ve enjoyed in the 1880’s, from peg-in-the-bottle and “graces” to races and relays. | |
| Scavenger Hunt (All Day) Use clues to find locations around the site; fastest to complete it wins a prize! | |
| Silent Auction (All Day, Closes at 3:00PM on Sunday) Support the volunteer-led “Grist Mill Foundation” by bidding on items generously donated by area businesses and artisans. All Proceeds go to support their work improving and sharing this special site. | |
| Gotta Goat Farm (10AM-2PM) Visit with the cutest goats in the South Okanagan. There may be both Nigerian Dwarf and Miniature Silky Fainting goats coming to play. | Silly of the Valley (11AM-3PM) Join popular entertainers Silly of the Valley for their roving entertainment as well as stage show. |
| Axe Monkeys (All Day) Try your hand at the fine art of axe throwing with the folks of Axe Monkeys Kelowna. This activity is sponsored by TL Timber. | Apple Pie Baking Contest (1PM Drop-off, 3PM Judging) This very popular contest returns, with the community contributing their best! Our celebrity judges will then choose this year’s best pie. Details here. |
| Exhibit Category Display (All Day, 11AM Judging Results) Are you proficient at preserves, brilliant at baking, daft at crafts, well-versed at veggies or adept at flower arrangement? If so, we might have a great opportunity for you to show off your skills. Details here. | Exhibit Category Display (All Day) See the best our community has to offer, including top-notch arts and crafts, stupendous veggies, and much more. |
| Zucchini Races (2:00PM) Children of all ages design and decorate giant zucchinis—complete with wheels—and race their creations down the Great Zucchini Race ramp. Details here. | Apple Race (2:30PM) One of our favourite kids’ activities is our annual apple race down Keremeos Creek. Fastest apple down the rapids, wins! |
| The Return of the “Zucca Reunion” (All Day) This year’s bumper crop of the incredible “Zucca Melon” at the Grist Mill has inspired us to bring back an old tradition: the Zucca Reunion. If you’ve grown any, or have stories or photos to share, please get in touch! | Heritage Apple Display (All Day) Again this year, we’ll be featuring a spectacular display of heritage and non-market apples to see, taste and maybe even buy (in 2022, we had almost 100 historic varieties represented!) |
| Vendor Alley (All Day) Join artisan vendors and community groups from around the Similkameen and Okanagan as their sell their hand-crafted food, arts and crafts. Want a table? Get in touch! | |
| Rovin Grae Wenderful Crochet Chelsea and Brenda Forest Learning Tools The Magnesium Girl Robin Nymeyer Sisterhood of Fun Ideas Merry Low Sandra’s Sourdough Kiss My Glass SESS Knit & Crochet Clubs Keremeos Whittling Group Grist Mill Foundation Clayful Valley Co. Crafty Carol Penny Escott Simple Scents Keremeos Public Library | Rovin Grae Wenderful Crochet Chelsea and Brenda Forest Learning Tools The Magnesium Girl Robin Nymeyer Sisterhood of Fun Ideas Merry Low Sandra’s Sourdough Kiss My Glass SESS Knit & Crochet Clubs Keremeos Whittling Group Grist Mill Foundation Chyann Blackmore Jacinthe Alarie Crowsnestwoodcraft The Herbal Alchemist Heart & Solace Sheila Collier & Sandy Charette Keremeos Recreation Center Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship Society The BC Community Bat Program |
We’ll also be offering a BBQ lunch both days with a variety of tasty options. Advance tickets will be available in August, for a reduced price.
…and more!
If you’re interested in learning more about the exhibit categories you can compete in, the 2024 list and rules are available below: