Attending events like the 171st Tillsonburg Tri-County Agricultural Fair this past weekend reinforced what the Smith family had already discovered – they made the right decision.
Aug 17, 2026 • Last updated 10 hours ago •
Ellie and Krystal Smith entered their friend’s cat ‘Missy’ in the Tillsonburg Fair Pet Show contest this past weekend. Young Ellie also won the fair’s “mini queen” title for the second time in three years. Photo by Jacob Robinson
The Smith family knows they made a great choice.
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After moving to Canada from England, Krystal, Ellie, and their family settled in Tillsonburg. Attending events like the 171st Tillsonburg Tri-County Agricultural Fair this past weekend confirmed what they already knew – it was indeed the right choice.
“It’s been amazing,” Krystal shared. “I grew up in Canada, but Tillsonburg as a town has been so fantastic. (Ellie) was five when we moved here, and it was such a big change with starting a new school and everything; the community has embraced us warmly. It’s such a wonderful town; everyone is really nice.”
“For her, the fair is a lovely way to be part of the community.”
On Friday evening, judges crowned Ellie as the event’s “mini-queen” for her second time in three years.
“They come and ask you a bunch of questions; I was first each time,” Ellie explained with a smile. “I pretty much answered all their questions, and at the end they said, ‘show us your wave so we know you have a good wave on the floats,’ and I just kept waving.”
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“It feels really cool when they call your name out and crown you,” she added.
The Dark Knight showed up at the Tillsonburg Fair on Saturday, Aug. 15. Joining Batman for a photo is Logan Herron.
The young girl returned on Sunday with her stuffed Scottie dog Rocket along with “Missy,” their friend’s 19-year-old cat that they entered into the fair’s pet show.
“She enjoys being here; she just doesn’t like loud sounds or music,” Ellie pointed out.
Being in front of an audience hasn’t bothered young Ellie at all, making the fair an eagerly awaited event for the Smith family now.
“It’s truly amazing to see her up there (on stage) being so confident,” Krystal said. “She doesn’t lack confidence one bit – she has strong opinions and speaks well; watching her do her thing is simply fantastic.”
The Smiths weren’t alone during these three days of fun at the fair either. The annual baby show took place on Saturday morning.
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“Having a show like this is wonderful; it’s just too hot outside today so now we’re inside with air conditioning,” said show coordinator Ilene Chesterman.
Each baby participant gets a prize plus $5 towards their first savings account with Royal Bank. If families deposit $50 when opening an account, Royal Bank matches those funds!
“I think it benefits them well – parents too,” Chesterman added.
Having volunteered for this fair since 1971 , Chesterman loved seeing Memorial Park filled with families enjoying rides , treats , games , and entertainment.
“It feels really nice ,” she said. “We might need to make some different choices going forward , but we’ll talk about what we can do.”
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