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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2018-01-04, Page 8PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2018. McMahon crowned, Cowbell opens in August Local royalty Erin McMahon of the Bluevale area was crowned Brussels Fall Fair Ambassador in early August. She would go on to serve in the prestigious position for the International Plowing Match, which was held in Walton in September. The fair was moved to the match site in an unprecedented move. (File photo) Continued from page 8 anniversary of the community with a weekend full of events, including an extended parade. A number of locals were honoured with Canada 150 medals by Huron - Bruce MP Ben Lobb for their years of hard work in the community. Those honoured included Brussels' Doug McArter and Joe Seili and Steven Sparling of Blyth. The Blyth Festival opened its season, the first in the renovated Memorial Hall, to much acclaim. Mr. New Year's Eve: A Night with Guy Lombardo opened the season, followed by The Berlin Blues. An agreement with the Festival of Wizardry was in place and the much -heralded event would be coming to Blyth, set to be held at the village's expansive campground. After two previous successful Win This Space competitions in Huron East, a third was planned specifically for Brussels. The winning entrepreneur would earn a storefront and marketing training, but those involved insisted that the real winner would be Brussels. A number of local firefighters qualified for the provincial FireFit competition, which would be held in Ottawa. The competition tested the skills associated with both fitness and being a skilled firefighter. Organizers of the Walton TransCan announced that the storied event would not be held in 2017. Due to a number of factors, the event, scheduled for late August every year, the event was shelved, but with plans to come back when the time was right. Blyth celebrated its 140th anniversary with a weekend full of activities, including a sidewalk sale and a special installment of Cenotaph Day at Memorial Hall in collaboration with the Legion. AUGUST Blyth Cowbell Brewing Company welcomed thousands to its new location as it officially opened to the public on Aug. 5. The company invited Blyth residents to be the first to see the building and sample the fruits of its labour before opening to the public at large on Aug. 7. Nearly 1,000 people would come through the building's door on the special Blyth day. Erin McMahon of the Bluevale area was crowned the Ambassador of the Brussels Fall Fair. She beat out three other competitors to take the crown in a very special year, when the fair would be held at the International Plowing Match in Walton; something that had never happened before. Emily Bieman was named the Junior Ambassador of the fair and Casey Bernard would be the fair's Little Ambassador. Paul Dodds of Winthrop and Lucas Townsend of Blyth both prevailed in their respective classes at Huron County Plowing Match, paving the way for them to represent the county on home soil at the IPM in September. Ryan Jacklin of Belgrave won a gold medal in the Men's Midget shot-put at the national Royal Canadian Legion track and field meet. He also won a silver and a bronze while in Manitoba for the championships. The Blyth Festival's season was rounded out with world premieres of both The Pigeon King and Ipperwash. Justin Trudeau was in Goderich and Stratford, visiting the Salvation Army in Goderich before attending a Stratford Shakespeare Festival function later that night. Trudeau greeted hundreds of adoring fans and supporters in Huron County, signing autographs and administering high fives. SEPTEMBER The annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association was marred with some cold and wet weather on its Thursday and Friday, but the warm, sunny Saturday that would come more than made up for it, as thousands came to Blyth for the event. Goderich claimed a win of the Kraft Heinz Project Play competition for its overhaul of Goderich Recreation Park. The win came with $250,000 for the project. The ribbon was cut on the International Plowing Match, with dignitaries both local and provincial there to lend a hand. Premier Kathleen Wynne and others were in Walton for the first day of the match, which saw a massive downpour of rain that would result in the cancellation of the second day of the match and the closure of the site. The closure threw the match into disarray, forcing the rescheduling of a number of events and the outright Continued on page 9 140 years Blyth marked its 140th anniversary with a special weekend of celebration and a special Cenotaph Day at Memorial Hall in late July. (File photo) • Colour Printing • Posters • Letterheads • Envelopes • Business Cards WE CAN • Business Forms • Brochures • Flyers • Carbonless Forms • Labels DO IT ALL! Blyth residents Blyth Cowbell Brewing weekend of August and which only those with a tens of thousands more only Company opened its flagship location in the village on the first welcomed approximately 1,000 people to the farm on the first day, to Blyth postal code were invited. The location would go on to welcome people throughout the remainder of the year. (File photo)