The Ambassador Program
Coordinators:
Monika Marsh (905-767-1623) and Cheryle Bidmead-Malone (705-835-3287).
Hello Youth and Seniors in the Coldwater area! The Coldwater Fall Fair Ambassador Program is happening again, with a few tweaks this year! Participating in the program is a lot of fun, and provides opportunities for the young and the young at heart to be Ambassadors at the Fair, as follows:
- Mini Ambassador – Ages 6 to 9
- Junior Ambassador – Ages 10 to 15
- Ambassador – Ages 16 to 26
- Golden Ambassador – Ages 60+
The Coldwater Fall Fair Ambassador Program is a fun and rewarding leadership opportunity for rural youth in and around the Coldwater area. Being an Ambassador gets you involved in the Fair and your community in a very visible way and helps to develop confidence and life skills along the way. And for the Golden Ambassador, it’s an opportunity to meet new people, try new things, and share fun and interesting memories of past fairs. All the Ambassadors will be involved in a variety of activities during the Fair, such as the parade, opening ceremonies, handing out ribbons, welcoming fairgoers and guests, and just having fun! Throughout the year, the Ambassadors will participate in other events happening in Coldwater, as their schedules permit.
The Ambassadors don’t have to be experts in agriculture, live on a farm, or have grown up in Coldwater. It’s all about having fun, exploring your own potential and learning new things. The Ambassador role puts you front and centre at events throughout the weekend of the Fair. You will get a whole new perspective on what’s involved in making the Fair the amazing event that it always is!
This year’s competition for all levels will be held on Sunday, August 16, 2026. We are holding the competition in August so that the Ambassadors can be involved in promoting the Fair through social media in September. The contestants for the Junior Ambassador, Ambassador and Golden Ambassador competitions will gather upstairs at the Coldwater Arena at 11 am to meet with the judges; friends and family and the contestants for the Mini Ambassador competition will be welcomed at noon. There will be some light refreshments. The guidelines for each level’s competition are as follows:
Mini Ambassador – Each contestant will introduce themselves by telling the judges their name, age, school and grade. They should bring their favourite stuffed toy so they can tell the judges about it and why they love it. In addition, each contestant will be required to make a poster that shows their favourite things, including at least one thing they love at the Fair, and be prepared to explain it. The parents of the contestants will be given 10 simple questions in advance that they may practice with their child, and on the day of the competition, the contestant will be asked 4 of these questions. There will be prizes for all participants.
Junior Ambassador – Each contestant will have a private interview with the judges. All contestants will introduce themselves to the audience by presenting their bio which includes their name, school, grade, hobbies, interests, and any fun facts about them. After that they will deliver a 2 to 3 minute prepared talk on any topic they choose that relates in some way to agriculture. A final fun, surprise task will be required of each contestant. There will be prizes for all participants.
Ambassador – Each contestant will have a private interview with the judges. All contestants will introduce themselves to the audience by presenting their bio, which includes their name, school/grade or occupation, hobbies, interests, and any fun facts about them. After that they will deliver a 3 to 5 minute prepared talk on any topic they choose that relates in some way to agriculture. A final fun, surprise task will be required of each contestant.
There will be prizes for all participants, as well as a financial bursary for the Ambassador which will be payable in four instalments based on completion of certain expected activities throughout the year. These include attending the District Meeting at the end of October and the OAAS convention in February, and representing the Fair at a variety of events in Coldwater throughout the year. The successful contestant will have the opportunity to participate in the Ambassador of the Fairs Program at the Canadian National Exhibition during the following August, and compete for a variety of honours and financial prizes during that competition, provided that he or she is at least 18 years of age at that time.
Golden Ambassador – In 2024, Coldwater was the very first Fair in Ontario to introduce a Golden Ambassador! Since that time, many other fairs throughout Ontario have followed our lead, and everyone loves it! Our seniors built our community and they have so much knowledge and so many memories to share with us. Be part of this fun and exciting experience!
Each contestant will have a private interview with the judges. All contestants will then introduce themselves to the audience by presenting their bio, which includes their name, hobbies, interests, and any fun facts about them. After that they will talk for 3 to 5 minutes about their favourite memories of the Coldwater Fall Fair. And the best news is – ALL CONTESTANTS WILL BE WINNERS! We can never have enough Golden Ambassadors at the Fair! There will be prizes for all participants.
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Please submit your application no later than Monday, August 10, 2026. The application form and FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) are available on the Coldwater Fall Fair website (www.coldwaterfallfair.com) or at the Severn Township Public Library (Coldwater); please submit your application at the Severn Township Public Library (Coldwater) or directly to one of the contacts listed below.
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If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact:
Monika Marsh (905-767-1623; monika.c.marsh@gmail.com) or Cheryle Bidmead-Malone (705-835-3287; cheryle.bidlone@hotmail.com).