Farm Fest bring the country to downtown Amherstburg

Ron Wismer takes one of the Clydesdale horses off a trailer at Farm Fest last Saturday night.

Milk a cow, pet a friendly llama or watch linedancers move to the beat.

This past weekend Amherstburg Open Air Weekends brought the county to town with a special event called Farm Fest.

Shirley Wright set up a cow milking simulator and there were a lot of young people whose curiosity got the best of them and they had to try it.

“It’s a nice safe way to show kids where milk comes from,” said Wright.

Wright added that not a lot of children actually know where their food comes from.

“We own the most southern dairy farm in Ontario we milk between 45 and 50 cows a day,” she noted of her farm just outside of Amherstburg.

One of the big attractions for families on Saturday were the animals brought in by Little Hobby Hills Farm. Their staff was very  attentive and patient when it came to holding up  young goats, baby chicks and even a rabbit.

Brad Shepherd of Harrow  brought his young daughter Bristal and while she was a little timid, she was certainly delighted to interact with the animals.

“We came to see the animals. They (children) like petting them and the sounds they make. We have chickens at home,” said Shepherd.

Farm Fest went all weekend long  beginning Friday night and included entertainment by Brooke McKenna and the Ford City Ramblers. On the stage Saturday afternoon was Back 2 Back and Sunday’s highlight was a Peach and Cherry Pie Contest.

There were numerous vendors including the Canadian Transportation Museum and an activity booth hosted by the Grain Farmers of Ontario as well as pedal tractors on Murray St.

The corner of Richmond and Dalhouise was alive with clog dancers and local line dancers and one local resident was interested in giving it a try.

“I grew up in Amherstburg and I heard about the cloggers. It’s always been my passion and I’m  going to sign up and try it. It looks like a lot of fun,” said Christine Dubee.

Saturday also saw the only public appearance, other than shows, of Wismer Clydesdales.

The last two weekends of the 2025 Open Air season are also themed weekends. This weekend (Aug. 22-24) is “Latin Fest” with it featuring  live performances, cultural dancing, vendors, and non-stop entertainment all weekend long. The Tallbeat Stilt Drumming Troupe will march through the event, as well as headlining band Sabor Latino on the Clock Tower Stage downtown.

The “Rest & Relax Weekend” is planned for Aug. 29-31, the last weekend of Open Air this year, with it being billed as a “wellness focused weekend” that invites visitors “to enjoy self-care workshops, calming vendors, yoga sessions, and more. This weekend is in partnership with Tourism Windsor-Essex Pelee Island.”

More information on the next two weekends are found at www.visitamherstburg.ca/latinfest or www.visitamherstburg.ca/restandrelax. 

Farm Fest bring the country to downtown Amherstburg

By Fred Groves