The Markham Fair Second Annual Butter Carving Competition Sponsored by Gay Lea was held Thursday evening at 7:00 pm, in the Agricultural tent near the Livestock Arena.
Both my eldest daughter and I entered this year. She entered the very first year it was held, which was 2024, and had had a great time. So this year I came prepared with a handful of tools of my own that I favour when working in clay at home.
To our surprise we both placed within our respective divisions. My daughter achieved a second place finish in the children’s category, behind last year’s winner, and the oldest in the bunch.
I achieved a first place finish in the adult category, and also took home the best in show rosette, the first I have ever won, and I will proudly display it in my office studio space for all to see should they like to. We were both pleased as punch with our results. My piece was a fair diorama consisting of two hay bales with a jack-o’-lantern pitched on top, with leaves and a stem on top. Several skulls littered around the pumpkin, a set of vines with flowers/leaves, a Markham Fair billboard sign, a 181 years tombstone, and a field mouse poking out from behind the pumpkin & tombstone. I had some grasses, and faux flowers scattered about too. Butter is a tough medium to work in, so I have to give credit to all of the other sculptors whom entered, and brought their A games to the tables.
Part of my winnings was a gift bag that contained a hat, gloves, socks, two hockey pucks, two pens, a deck of playing cards, a tape measure, gift certificates for dairy products (fancy cheeses from closer inspection) and a lovely plaid fleece heavy pile throw blanket all in a carrier bag.
The children’s category was for twenty minutes (20 mins), the teen category had thirty minutes (30 mins), and the adults allowed forty five minutes (45 mins) to create something that was themed as either: Farm, Fair or animal. My daughter produced a lovely pumpkin in her allotted time.
All three first place finishers, and I think also the second, and third place finishers will have their butter carvings on display in the agri tent for the remainder of the fair, so until Sunday October 5th, 2025 if you’d care to head over and see them in person.
To all those whom asked me to enter the Royal Winter Fair butter carving contest I say… You know I just might have to think about it! Ha-ha.
Greatwall Studios Graphic Design 
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