Bench show cancelled for this year

By Rob Vogt, Local Press Writer
The pandemic has claimed one more victim, with the cancellation of this year’s Claresholm and District Bench Show.
On Monday, July 26, Syd Gray, president of the Claresholm and District Fair Board who organizes the bench show, announced the event will not go ahead this year.
The bench show, held at the Claresholm Community Centre, is an opportunity every year for people to
enter their best baking, art, crafts, photography, and much more in various categories to be judged and have prizes awarded.
Although health restrictions to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus have been eased to allow for larger public gatherings, the uncertainty created by months of ever-changing rules and regulations left the fair board little time to plan a bench show in the manner they are accustomed to.
Gray said the cancellation is not due to a lack of funding or due to a lack of volunteers.
The fair board and bench show will be represented in the Fair Days parade on Aug. 14 with a float saying “see you at the bench show next year”.
Gray also wanted to apologize for any inconvenience the cancellation of this year’s bench show may have caused.