More than two decades ago, when Thor Froslev originally told fellow members of the Brackendale Farmers鈥� Institute (BFI) that the fledgling group should consider organizing an annual fall fair for the community, he didn鈥檛 get the kind of reaction he was expecting.
鈥淚 got voted down the first time I said we should have a fall fair,鈥� the 82-year-old owner of the Brackendale Art Gallery recounted with a laugh.聽
Froslev was also responsible for the renewal of the BFI itself a quarter century ago.
鈥淚 was looking for a way to bring my neighbours in Brackendale together at the time,鈥� he explained. 鈥淎nd a 鈥榬atepayers鈥� association鈥� sounded too much like the city. So when Don Ross told me that there had at one time been a farmers鈥� institute in the area鈥� I just jumped on it.鈥�
After some research, Froslev discovered the original member list for the Squamish Farmers鈥� Institute 鈥� as it was then called 鈥� and documents from 1915, and he set about resurrecting the agriculture-based group in 1990 as the Brackendale Farmers鈥� Institute.
鈥淚 made up a new member list and went to four of my neighbours and basically got them to sign up,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd since the old documents from the original farmers鈥� institute said the membership fee in 1915 was 50 cents, I just charged each of them 50 cents.鈥�
Once the BFI was created, the group started looking for ways to fulfill its mission statement of 鈥渢he promotion and preservation of the social and cultural life of the historic village of Brackendale.鈥� And since Brackendale had a strong agricultural history, Froslev thought an annual fall fair featuring local produce and products would be the perfect event for just that purpose.
Eventually, the other members of the BFI had to agree.
鈥淚 was patient, and I waited until the right time, tried again at another farmers鈥� institute meeting, and the next time it got voted in,鈥� Froslev said.
The first Brackendale Fall Fair took place 21 years ago on a property that belonged to the family of former Squamish Mayor Pat Brennan.
鈥淗e wasn鈥檛 around anymore, but his kids generously let us use the property for the fair,鈥� Froslev said. 鈥淏ut when Brennan鈥檚 property went up for sale, we had to find another spot for the fall fair.鈥�
That鈥檚 when the BFI started looking into a 50-acre plot of land that had been, according to local folklore, set aside as parkland by the former incarnation of the farmers鈥� institute. The forested area just south of Brackendale Elementary School, and now known as the Brackendale Farmers鈥� Institute Park, had been shuffled between designations of residential, forestry, park and crown land at the whim of various governments over the years, according to Froslev. In 1992, the institute began earnestly lobbying at all levels of government for permanent park status for the land.
鈥淚 remember saying at the time, 鈥業 feel like Mr. Stanley when he started Stanley Park,鈥欌�� Froslev said.聽
The lobbying effort for the land continues to this day, but in the meantime, it remains the location of the annual Brackendale Fall Fair, which Froslev only began organizing years after its creation鈥� and begrudgingly at that.
鈥淎t first I didn鈥檛 want to do it but then I thought, 鈥榃hat the hell, it鈥檚 an opportunity to learn how to run something like a fair,鈥欌�� he said. 鈥淎nd here I am at 82 and I鈥檓 still doing it.鈥�
Froslev said he鈥檚 seen lots of changes to the fair, including replacing horses with a tractor the BFI bought for the hay rides, and the inclusion of what would become one of its most popular activities: the zucchini races.
鈥淎fter someone went to a county fair and saw zucchini races there, they said we should have it at our fall fair,鈥� Froslev said of the event, where kids build cars by adding wheels to zucchini and race them down a steep track. 鈥淚 thought 鈥榃hat kind of gong show is this?鈥� But we added it anyway and it鈥檚 become one of the most popular things for the kids.鈥�
In fact, this year鈥檚 fall fair will feature even more zucchini fun than ever, according to Glenne Campbell, vice-president of the BFI and organizer of the fair鈥檚 vendor area.
鈥淭his year we are also adding best dressed zucchini and biggest zucchini, along with fastest zucchini,鈥� she said.聽
Campbell has been volunteering at the fair for more than a decade, starting off directing traffic her first year, eventually moving on to gate decorating, sign painting, grounds coordination and public relations.聽
鈥淭he growth of the fair has been phenomenal over the years,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he numbers going through the gate are going up every year. And that鈥檚 because the demographics have changed in Squamish and Brackendale. And it鈥檚 wonderful to see all this change and all the new young families and children coming out to be part of their community.鈥�
Along with the hay rides, zucchini races, the petting zoo, mini golf and other family activities offered by the annual event, the fall fair also features more than 80 local vendors and community organizations arrayed in its marketplace beneath the grove鈥檚 shady boughs. There you鈥檒l find everything from handcrafted jewelry and clothing to homemade desserts, snow cones, oven-fired pizza, kettle corn and other delectable delights.聽
鈥淎nd about 25 of those booths are community organizations,鈥� Campbell said. 鈥淪o it really gives a chance to showcase what鈥檚 in the community and what people can do.鈥�
Brackendale resident Cam Salay, a Juno Award-winning musician, said the annual fall fair also offers local players who are just starting out the chance to perform in front of a live audience.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just great for younger musicians,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey are able to get in front of an audience and get some experience. But we鈥檝e also had some old pros on the stage, too, like Valdy and Norman Foote.鈥�
Salay also began going to the annual event more than a decade ago, first just as an attendee but later he took over sound duties for the live music. This year, Salay hosts the live performances on the fair鈥檚 stage, which will feature nine bands playing throughout the day.
For Salay, the fair is a way to keep the 鈥渙ld school鈥� traditions of Brackendale alive.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a day you can come out and feel like you鈥檙e part of the community,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is an all-volunteer run event, and it features local small business, local produce and locally made products. It鈥檚 just a great family event, and it makes everyone feel really welcome here.鈥�
And when Froslev told his fellow fair organizers this year that after 21 years, this would be the last one he would help organize 鈥� wanting to finally retire and spend more time fly fishing 鈥� he didn鈥檛 exactly get the kind of reaction he was expecting.
鈥淚 doubt it,鈥� laughed Salay. 鈥淚 think he鈥檚 said that before.鈥�
But you鈥檒l see Froslev there for sure this year, sitting beside his homemade teepee, smiling broadly while the community comes together once again.
The 21st annual Brackendale Fall Fair takes place this Saturday (Sept. 12) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Brackendale Farmers鈥� Institute Park.聽
For more info, go to brackendalefallfair.ca.
