Toronto Royal Winter Fair 1931 Poster-1930s vintage ad.

Toronto is currently hosting the Royal Agriculture Winter Fair (The Royal Winter Fair) and it’s in its 97th year (Oct 2024 Update-102 years!!) in the city! How incredible and cool piece of Toronto’s History that is still going strong.

I personally have never gone to the Fair even though it’s in my neighbourhood. Why? Well I never felt the need. I grew up around farms and farmers and every Thanksgiving I attend the Bridgen Fair (going strong since 1850), which has it’s own horses, cows and largest Squash contest. So I feel like “been there, done that”. BUT I have heard that it is a wonderful event from anyone who goes, and I recommend you attend if your in the city.

For today’s “Vintage Photo Tuesday” I’m going to showcase images from the fair from the 1920s to the 1960s because as everyone knows, those are my favourite photo eras. Let’s head to the fair!

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Vintage Photos of the Royal Agriculture Winter Fair

Vintage Royal Winter Fair Toronto Pennant

A Royal History

Since 1922, the country has come to the city as farmers, growers, producers and homesteaders have come from all over Canada to exhibit their very best agricultural products and livestock. After the First World War, a collective of notable farmers and horsemen got together to plan an exhibition of Canada’s finest agricultural wares. Led by shorthorn cattleman, W.A. Dryden the group believed strongly in Canada’s ability to compete at a world-class level. Lacking no ambition, the group solicited and received full support from all three levels of government and was granted the Royal moniker by King George V of England.

Building of the Royal Coliseum – a landmark structure that still helps to greet people on their way into Toronto to this day – would commence in early 1921 in advance of the first Fair that November. Unfortunately, construction delays would prevent the facilities from being ready in time and the 1921 Fair would be postponed until the following year. Despite the early stumble, that 1922 Fair was a resounding success, beating all projections. It firmly established The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair as one of the world’s best (Source).

Royal Winter Fair Toronto 1923 Button - Vintage Button.

Source: eBay

Two women from Port Hope with Italian marrow squash at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Toronto, 1955.

Further Reading from Toronto’s other big “fair”: See Vintage Photos from the Canadian National E xhibition

Source: Archives of Ontario

Governor General Alexander and Lady Alexander and with a duck-November 1, 1946.

1940s Vintage Photo: Governor General Alexander and Lady Alexander and with duck at Royal Winter Fair-November 1, 1946.

Source Toronto Archives

1929, 3 2-toned kittens, Doris Ceary, Rosemont. This whole look is very ummm..Cat.

Further Reading: Vintage Photo Tuesday: Pets & Their Owners

1920s Fashion-Photo of a woman holding 3 cats in 1920s style at royal winter fair toronto

Source: Toronto Archives

Governor General Alexander with a cow at the Royal Winter Fair in 1946.

1940s Vintage Photo: Governor General Alexander with cow at Royal Winter Fair-1946.

Source: Toronto Archives

Corn display with model, 1950s. This contest has always fascinated me. How do you know which corn is the best corn? Size of the kernels on the cob?

1950s photo of a young woman holding a corn on the cob at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto.

Source: Daily Hive

Presentation of silver plate to Jim Day, 1000 winner in horse jumping competition-1960s. Look at that 1960s Style! Wow!

1960s Vintage Photo: Presentation of silver plate to Jim Day, 1000 winner in horse jumping competition, Royal Winter Fair 1960s

Source: Toronto Archives

1934 Royal Winter Fair Program.

Source: eBay

1929 Royal Winter Fair, Champion Potatoes, Dooley, S.E. Guffin, RR 1, Acton. Those are some nice looking potatoes if I do say so myself.

1920s Photo of Royal Winter Fair, Champion Potatoes, Dooley, S.E. Guffin, RR 1, Acton

Source: Toronto Archives

J. Lance Rumble of Lawrum Farms, Durham, Ontario, at Royal Winter Fair in buggy with Mrs. Rumble-1950s.

Source: Toronto Archives

1958 Flower display.

Source: Archives of Ontario

The next 3 photos are the most fashionable people I have ever seen at a fair..ever.

Lieutenant-Governor W.D. Ross and Ontario Premier G. Howard Ferguson at the horseshoe pitching contest-1929.

1920s Vintage PHoto: Lieutenant-Governor W.D. Ross and Ontario Premier G. Howard Ferguson at the horseshoe pitching contest, Royal Winter Fair, CNE-1930s.

Source: Toronto Archives

Well dressed attendees in 1929- Susan Ross, Mrs. Reginald Pellatt, [H.W.D.] Chick Foster, Mrs. Donald Ross, Mrs. John McKee.

Stunning 1920s Jackets in this photo at the fair.

1920s Fashion at the Royal Agricultural Fair Toronto. Stunning 1920s Jackets.

Source: Toronto Archives

1929 Photo of Cat-Blue Viking of Kershion, Mrs. H. C. Baker, Buffalo. So cute!!

Source: Toronto Archives

Dog Lovers! How cute are these two? Royal Winter Fair, dogs, Champion Mighty Atom, Miss Florence Massacar, Toronto-1929.

1920s Vintage Photo: Royal Winter Fair, dogs, Champion Mighty Atom, Miss Florence Massacar, Toronto

Source: Toronto Archives

1949 photo featuring a Cowgirl riding side saddle.

1940s Photo of a young woman as cowgirl 1949 for the Royal Winter Fair

Source: Daily Hive

Question Time: Do you have fairs like this in your hometown? Do you like to attend them? If yes, what is your favourite part (mine is all the crafts people do)? Comment below!

Further Reading:

Vintage Toronto Blog Posts Archive

Liz

In 2019 I was Djing at a vintage Rock n Roll night and during 1 of my 2 sets I played a special group of songs around a particular Rock N Roll Show that happened on April 30th, 1956 at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. This tour is going to be the subject of my blog post today.

It was a 45 date tour and labelled the “Biggest Rock N Roll Show of ‘1956” featuring:

Bill Haley & Comets (Headliner)
Platters
Bo Diddley
Drifters
LaVern Baker
Clyde McPhatter
Big Joe Turner
Red Prysock
Shirley & Lee
Roy Hamilton
Five Keys
The Turbans
Frankie Lymon & Teenagers

1956 Rock and roll show program of performers- 1950s music.

Source: WorthPoint

What was different from other shows like this? It was the ONLY one that featured all African American acts with the exception of the headliner Bill Haley.

1950s Music 1956 Rock n Roll Party Poster for Bill Haley and his Comets -May 6th.

However…..the blog, ‘A Rock n’ Roll Historian‘ shares: “As racial tensions are peaking throughout the country, the potential for trouble exists at every tour stop. Several shows are cancelled because of racial troubles including bomb threats, protests, pickets, and violence.”

AND add in parents and religious leaders across the country who were up and arms over this new “craze”sending their kids into hysteria.

“1 have met a lot of young people, and older people too. who have learned the three Rs—Rock. Roll and Regret . . . Have you ever felt that way after a session of rock ‘n roll? When you tried to get to sleep, you couldn’t because deep down in your heart you felt that the whole business of pleasure-seeking and self-indulgence was a mockery and a sham . . . Sorry, young reader. I can’t promise you that there is any easy way out of this situation.”
– Jane Scott, a Toronto Telegram religious columnist-

But among all of this, the tour is a resounding SUCCESS! and winds up with two dates being added, making it a 47-date tour.

1950s Vintage Photo of Bill Haley and the Comets performing on stage in 1956.

Source-Shorpy: Performance by Bill Haley and the Comets and LaVern Baker at the Sports Arena in Hershey, Pennsylvania.” From photos by Ed Feingersh for the Look magazine article “The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Controversy

The tours rolls into Cincinnati, OH. “By the third quarter of the show, they were in the aisles, all over the floor and unaware of anything but the music.” -Cincinnati Post 5/10/1956

1956 Newspaper clip of a group of people who attended a 1950s Rock n Roll show in Cincinnati featuring Bill Haley

Source: Bill Haley Official

THE TOUR COMES TO TORONTO AT MAPLE LEAF GARDENS

A record setting crowd of 13,000 for a single show. The press and TV are pressing Haley about whether rock and roll is dangerous (Source).

1950s vintage photo of Bill Haley and the Comets, 1956 Maple Leaf Gardens

Bill Haley and the Comets perform at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto

Clyde McPhatter, on stage.

(Note: this image at the Toronto Archives says it’s from 1960 at the Rock n Roll Show but I don’t think this is right unless the show came back. Anyone know?)

Canada’s Maclean’s Magazine (Barbara Moon to be exact), attended the concert in Toronto and went on to write a review of what she saw in the below article entitled “What you don’t need to know about Rock n Roll“.

1950s Vintage Magazine Article: Canada's Maclean's Magazine (Barbara Moon to be exact), attended the concert in Toronto and went on to write a review of what she saw in the below article entitled "What you don't need to know about Rock n Roll".

Source: Maclean’s Magazine

It is an EXTREMELY interesting read (this woman is very very against the music) and I recommend taking the time to do so. Here are some “snippets” of what was printed:

NOT LONG AGO a Toronto eighteen-year old was fined fifty dollars for riding his motorcycle with his hands in the air. “A car radio was playing a real gone rock ‘n roll song,” he defended himself, ‘i just had to keep time to that sound.”

“That sound” is the latest teen-age craze. And in the two years since it became epidemic rock ‘n roll has been responsible for more than mere careless driving. It has, for example:

–Packed the biggest available arenas in the biggest cities of the continent for some ol the biggest gross revenues in entertainment history.

–Pitchforked a raucous-voiced hillbilly named Elvis Presley into overnight stardom.

-Stimulated snake dances, cop-baiting and outbursts of vandalism and mayhem in many centres. (Teen-agers in Brooklyn tore up a subway car after a rock ‘n roll jamboree; in Minneapolis they pelted police with empty beer tins.)

–Caused Variety to call it “the most explosive show biz phenomenon of the decade.” I he trade journal of the entertainment world added ponderously, “It may be getting too hot to handle.”

–Induced amnesia in many adults: their alarm is such that they forget all inconvenient earlier parallels for the fad.

-Saturated the continent with songs whose hit parade ratings vary according to their decibel ratings. One deafening litany, called Blue Suede Shoes, invites the hearer to knock the singer down, step in his face, slander his name, burn his house, steal his car and drink his liquor as long as he, the hearer, stays off his, the singer’s, blue suede shoes. Ten thousand copies of Shoes were sold in one month in Ontario alone.

For such reasons as these I was assigned recently to investigate the phenomenon for Maclean’s. “What is it and why is it?” the editors wanted to know……..

Source-Vancouver Sun. Fans watch Bill Haley and the Comets in concert at Vancouver’s Kerrisdale Arena on June 27, 1956.

“There were twelve acts, twenty extra policemen on duty and 12.764 young people in attendance. They seemed to be a cross-section, everything from blackleather windbreakers to Harris tweeds and from tight jeans to tulle frocks. Proceedings began at 8.30 and took two and a half hours with a truce at halftime to remove the wounded. The smattering of adults included a skinny grey-mustached man sitting beside me with a young girl.”
-Barbara Moon-

Young people dancing — despite police efforts to stop them — at Bill Haley and the Comets’ concert at Vancouver’s Kerrisdale Arena on June 27, 1956.

Source-Vancouver Sun. Young people dancing — despite police efforts to stop them — at Bill Haley and the Comets’ concert at Vancouver’s Kerrisdale Arena on June 27, 1956.

Curious on what would of been played at the concert that caused all this hysteria? Here are some of the songs that you would of heard.

Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers-Why Do Fools Fall in Love

The Platters – You’ve got the magic touch

LaVern Baker – Jim Dandy

The Five Keys – She’s The Most I LOVE THIS SONG!

SO GOOD!!!!!!

Friends, I hope you enjoyed a look back at this outstanding and historic musical tour of 1956. If any of my readers happened to of attended this concert, whether in Toronto or somewhere else please share in the comments below! And even if you were not, who would you have been excited to have seen at the show?

FURTHER READING:

Liz

Category: Toronto