CVAA: Annual hommage to agricultural past a success

The 33rd edition of the Chateauguay Valley Antique Association’s (CVAA) annual antique show and antique tractor pull saw crowds once again spill over the picturesque grounds of the late Leslie Rennie Farm in Hinchinbrooke. While not a record-setting year, the organizers were kept busy throughout the weekend, especially during a few hours without electricity. One would think a surprise power outage during an otherwise hot and sunny afternoon would be a breeze for an antique association… and in some ways it was. The tractors still pulled, the auctioneer called a little louder and the single-cylinder engines put-putted along. Of course, with an event of this size, you can’t quite escape the modern world and Saturday’s three-hour black-out caused some minor chaos, especially with the food trucks and ice cream freezers. Luckily, says CVAA President Rene Labelle, most were able to find generators to keep their trucks cooking and the lack of electricity only served to add atmosphere for most of the exhibits and displays. “It didn’t stop us,” he says, noting it was actually a very good show with antique cars “lined from one end to the other,” and “skidoos almost to the forest.” In all, over 3,600 people took in the antique show and tractor pull this year, the majority on Saturday as dreary Sunday morning weather kept many away. This year’s theme was Fibre Arts, and it was evident throughout the site, with displays and demonstrations. Visitors were able to weave their way through the majestic site stopping at small eclectic kiosks in the flea market area before reaching the main site where the tractor pull, displays, car and skidoo show and antique auction all combined to offer an exceptional afternoon basked in local cultural history and our shared agricultural past. [caption id="attachment_52658" align="alignnone" width="521"] (Emily Southwood)[/caption] When asked what brings people back year after year to the show, Labelle suggests the former Rennie Farm has a lot to do with its popularity. “It’s a sight,” he says, while describing how you are in the trees with the water beside you. “It’s like walking through a natural habitat but with more to see and do.” It also helps that the site comes alive with the sights, sounds and smells of the past to offer a valuable history lesson at each step. And, as the show continues to grow each year, he is quick to salute the team of volunteers who make it happen and all those who bring out their collections each year for all to see. The CVAA show and tractor pull will be back next year as per tradition on the fourth weekend in August. In the meantime, the annual Plow Day will take place on September 15 at Murray McClintock’s farm in Ormstown.