Homecoming 2022: September 17, 2022
Celebrating the 45th Annual Fun Fair at Countryside Camp!
What comes to your mind when you hear “homecoming”?
For me it’s all about the coming of autumn: raking fallen leaves, fresh apple pie, cider, and wood smoke from the campfire. Those orange and red maple leaf colours in Algonquin, the foggy mist off the lake in the early morning, and the sound of the geese getting ready to head south.
For sports fans it might be the World Series, the Grey Cup, the NHL, or any number of NCAA or NFL football games each weekend.
But for those who are diehard “Camp Shalom” supporters, it’s the Annual Fun Fair hosted at camp the third Saturday every year—this year in person on September 17.
The Fall Fair, as it was called until the year 2000, was changed to Fun Fair as not to compete with the marketing of the Cambridge and Paris Fall Fairs. It was started here in 1977 by Mrs. Joan Drost, the wife of the first director of Camp Shalom, Rev. John Drost. The first fair was a great success—it rained, it poured, and Joan slipped down the hill to the cabins on her backside, making for even more fun as the day’s weather never dampened the joyful spirit of those early Camp Shalom pioneers. They saw hundreds of friends from across southern Ontario show up and offer their encouragement and support for a ministry still in its early stages of development, and $10,000 was raised to continue this ministry.
This year we continue Joan’s vision, and are excited to be returning in person here at the camp to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the fair.
Join us in celebrating Homecoming 2022 at Countryside Camp. Bring your entire family and enjoy the traditional Dutch and Canadian foods, as well as the rides, games, garage sale, auctions, and tearoom treats. Most of all, make this year’s fair a destination and an opportunity to reunite with friends you have not seen in years.
If you hear a guy speaking from the gazebo and calling out folks he hasn’t seen since 2019, it will be me. Come up and say hello!
For more information, go to campfunfair.ca.
