The Karens are companions who were once co-presidents.
Karen Irvine and Karen Jack became friends through their volunteer work with the St. Vital Agricultural Society, which is holding its flagship event — the St. Vital Agricultural Fair — this weekend.
The retirees, who have volunteered with the society for 15 and 25 years, respectively, even served as co-presidents for a time. Both grew up on mixed farms — Irvine in Dauphin and Jack near Teulon — and both sought out the society and its annual fair when they moved to St. Vital decades ago.
Ruth Bonneville / Free Press
Karen Jack, left, and Karen Irvine are longtime volunteers with The St. Vital Agricultural Society.
“It seems often city people don’t know what an agricultural fair is, whereas I had an advantage coming from a rural background,” says Jack, 68. “It was just a fun way for people to get together. It was something to do in the summer.”
And it still is today.
While St. Vital is no longer the rural community it was when the society formed in 1909, the fair remains an annual event — save for 2020 and 2021 when it was cancelled due to the pandemic.
The fair no longer includes a livestock competition, but visitors are still invited to enter their vegetables, flowers, baking, crafts and artwork for a chance to win a ribbon.
The event also includes a farmers market.
“What’s really nice is how us older ones can get our children and grandchildren involved,” says Irvine, 71. “That’s what makes the fair successful, is to make it an intergenerational thing — ‘cause who else is going to show these young people that this happens other than us old ones?”
Irvine has fond memories of the year her granddaughter won a spot in the fair’s court of honour for a fairy garden she created.
She also has fond memories of the first time she was recognized for an apple pie she baked.
“To receive an award in the court of honour is pretty special, so to think my pie had won an award is pretty great,” Irvine says.
Does she use a secret recipe?
“No,” she says. “It’s just a Karen recipe.”
When she looks back on fairs of yesteryear, Irvine remembers the 100th event in 2009. In the months prior, society members had wondered if it might be time to wind things down due to decreasing interest in the event.
But the centennial celebration drew big crowds and the society gained new members, giving the fair new life and ensuring it would continue.
“It was sort of a pivotal point for the society,” Irvine says, adding that ultimately, the work that goes into organizing the fair is worth it.
“It doesn’t require a lot of time — it’s just being willing to give a few hours or so a month just to make something worthwhile in the community come to life.”
The 113th fair takes place Aug. 9-10 at the St. Vital Centennial Arena (580 St. Anne’s Rd.).
In celebration of Winnipeg’s 150th anniversary, this year’s theme is “Our shared stories, our shared future.”
The event includes a pulled pork barbecue supper on Friday, and a pancake breakfast and hot dog lunch on Saturday.
Visit svas.ca for details.
“By me volunteering with the ag society, I can pass it along to the next generation,” Irvine says.
“When you think about why the fair is still here today, it’s because of all the volunteers before us who contributed their time and efforts to it — because they realized how important the agricultural society was and is,” Jack adds.
If you know a special volunteer, please contact aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca.
Aaron Epp
Reporter
Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. He was previously the associate editor at Canadian Mennonite. Read more about Aaron.
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