If they were using candles, organizers would have their hands full trying to light 50 of them for the birthday cake they'll be serving at this weekend's Bearspaw Bench Exhibition being held in conjunction with the Cochrane Fair.

It was 50 years ago this fall that the Bearspaw and District Country Fair was first held at the Rudolph's Barn in the Bearspaw area. There have been some challenging years of late and it has been hosted on the Cochrane & District Ag Grounds during the Cochrane Fair now for three years.

President Jill Cairns says they are appreciative of the Cochrane and District Agricultural Society for incorporating the event into the vastly popular Cochrane Fair in order for it to continue.

"We decided to focus on the thing we're really good at, which is the bench show," explains Cairns.

On Sunday their huge tent opens at 10 a.m. for a public viewing of the entries and for people to enjoy a number of family activities.

Prior to this, though, a full catalogue of competitions are professionally judged. There are hobbies and crafts, photography, veggies and flowers, domestic arts, fine art and beer and wine and within each of those are numerous classifications to suit a variety of interests and skills. Entries will be accepted at the tent until 12 noon on Saturday.

The joy of winning ribbons remains rewarding after all these years, says Cairns.

"It's funny how satisfying it is to win a ribbon, particularly as an adult. You wouldn't think your ego would be involved because you're supposed to be a grownup, but in fact, it is fantastic."

Also popular is their annual zucchini race, egg toss and red-neck ride events.

In the egg toss, teams of two stand about a foot apart and toss a raw egg back and forth. It sounds simple enough, but when you do it beside other teams doing the same thing it can be distracting.

The competition continues until there is one team left with an unscrambled egg.

And then there are the ever-popular zucchini races. All the pieces you need to assemble your zucchini speedster are provided, but some opt to bring their own.

You may also get a tickle out of entering or viewing the entries in the Red Neck Ride, a work truck competition sponsored by Erol's Automotive. The rides are, well, classic. They are those old trucks we all love that don't get washed and their glowing paint job have long faded and been replaced by the bumps and bruises of getting the job done.

There'll also be an old-fashioned high striker, a novelty attraction for years at travelling carnivals, to playfully separate the weak from the strong.  Participants raise a mallet, then swing hard to bring it down upon a button. The strength of the swing is measured and with some luck, you'll ring the bell.

To commemorate five decades, they'll be three tables of archives for people to view, compiled by exhibition photographer Carol Bancroft, whose family has been a mainstay of the fair since the early days.

The fair's archives are also available for viewing on the society website: www.bearspawfair.com.

Times to Remember

Red Neck Ride registration closes - 11 a.m.

Egg Toss - 2 p.m.

Zucchini Races - 3 p.m.

Awards presentations - 4 p.m.

Plus many family activities in-between.

The Bearspaw District & Community Fair Association always welcomes more volunteers and board members, says Cairns. More information can be found on their website.