Valley’s biggest event even bigger
Cowichan’s 143rd edition of its biggest annual event is being hailed as another roaring success, thanks to events tried and true, plus innovative and new.
“It was an excellent fair,” Cowichan Exhibition president Fred Oud said. “Great crowds, great weather, lots of vendors and food, and lots of positive feedback.”
The standout highlight was easily the Zucchini Race, a Cow Ex first.
“You would not believe the creativity,” said Oud. “There was just one rule: the axel had to go through the body of the zucchini, and after that you could do whatever you wanted.”
Boasting bike wheels, or artistic carving, and created by participants ages two to 92, there were about 50 zucchini racers in total.
“I bet you by next year we’ll have a hundred, because it was extremely well received,” said Oud.
Best name went to Trudy’s Trotter, crowd favourites were Megan Mania and Zucchini Classic, best crash honours went to Monkey Mania, the worst start was Hulkzini’s, and the worst cheater was SunFM, teasingly accused of trying to stack the people’s favourite votes in their favour.
And, of course, traditional livestock shows, vintage machinery, tractor pulls and all the other popular standbys drew huge crowds.
“Another important highlight was the work of the Shadow Hawks, who did a tremendous job parking from 9 a.m. until late into the evening,” said Oud of the volunteers. “They did an absolutely tremendous job directing and facilitating all that traffic — 3,000 to 4,000 cars.”
Attendance was up this year, too, with 20,000 people walking through the gates.
“This is by far the biggest event that happens in the Cowichan Valley,” said Oud of the fair that began in 1866.
“And we’ve got some terrific ideas for next year to make it even better.”
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