About The Society Syndicate
Ashleigh Dempster & Amanda Blakley are cultural curators and co-founders of The Society Global, a “culture club for the creative class” in Toronto, New York and more. Each week come back as they share some cultural crumbs from the front lines.
The Society Presents: The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
the society syndicate: a winter fair, the society syndicate: the royal agricultural wintcanada
(Nov.17.11)
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Emily Ferraro reporting, Torontonian Culturite and intern for The Society. For the second year in a row, The Society invited guests to The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.
Guests stepped into unexplored territory, heeled boots stomping over the hay-strewn floor and noses acclimatizing to the unquestionable potent scent of farmland. With goats, sheep, and cows on all sides, we suddenly felt miles away from downtown Toronto. Following an educational 101 on goat farming from one of the province’s premier farmers, a few brave guests volunteered to try their hand at milking themselves.
Our next stop on the Royal tour was to the Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Company’s pavilion. This award winning company, based out of Prince Edward County, supplied a delicious sampling of cheeses. Guests learned the ins and outs of cheese making while sipping on the perfect wine pairings provided by Niagara Peninsula. The wine and cheese combo of succulent tastes blended perfectly to satisfy even the most selective palette.
Our final stop for the evening took us to the horses, where members were given a behind-the-scenes tour of the stables. Normally accessible only to equestrians and jockeys, including legendary Canadian Equestrian Olympian Ian Miller, who made a brief appearance, the stables are a historic landmark in our fair city.
The evening wrapped at the chic and ultra-exclusive Tanbark Club. Nestled in the heart of the Fair, between the haystacks and livestock, this elegantly decorated lounge is truly a hidden gem. As the champagne flowed and the nibbles were passed, guests continued to mingle into the night. Once again, The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair managed to take The Society out of its comfort zone in a delightfully surprising way.