Ambassador Program

Kinmount Fair Ambassador Program

Contact: ambassador@kinmountfair.net

About the Ambassador Program

The Fair Ambassador Program is a youth leadership development program. It is an opportunity for young adults to participate in a community event that allows them to gain hard and soft skills to help prepare them for their future. Those skills include, but are not limited to: leadership and presentation skills such as public speaking, networking, interviewing, and learning to interact as a professional, as well as making friendships that last a lifetime. Other benefits include a recommendation from the Board of Directors, which can be used when applying for employment or post-secondary education, a bursary, opportunities to learn more about agriculture and the local community, and many chances to meet new people, enjoy new experiences, and have fun!

If you are interested in becoming the next Kinmount Fair Ambassador, or know of someone who might make a great representative for the Fair, we encourage you or them to apply now. If you’ve applied in the past but have NOT been chosen, please keep applying!

Please direct all questions to ambassador@kinmountfair.net.

Competition Format

Participants must complete and submit the official entry form and a copy of their resume before the deadline.

Participants will be invited to gather the day before the competition (Thursday) for an opportunity to meet eachother and to volunteer their time assisting in the Exhibit Hall. Details will be provided to participants upon registration.

Prior to the on-stage portion of the program, the judges will interview each participant for approximately 10 minutes. The participants will each then introduce themselves on-stage with a 30 second "elevator pitch" before giving a 2 minute prepared speech on one of the following topics:

• Agriculture,
• Agricultural societies,
• The importance of agricultural societies,
• Some aspect of the Kinmount Fair,
• Pride of place (e.g. how special the Kinmount Fair is), or
• The rural way of life

Finally, each participant will be independently asked an impromptu question by the judges. Responses should be between 30-60 seconds.

Participants will be judged according to the criteria outlined in rule #9.

Rules

1. The winner of the Kinmount Fair Ambassador Competition must attend the fair for the remainder of the weekend following the competition.
2. Program participants must be at least 17 years of age on the day of the competition and must be at least 18 years of age by the first day of the Canadian National Exhibition in the year following the competition.
3. Participants must be a resident of Kinmount and/or reside within the catchment area of Fenelon Fall Secondary School or Haliburton Highlands Secondary School (not sure if your address meets this guideline? Visit mybustoschool.ca and search for FFSS or HHSS under School Information > Trillium Lakelands District School Board). An exception may be made at the discretion of the Ambassador Program Committee if the participant can demonstrate a significant connection to the fair or to the Kinmount area.
4. An individual is ineligible to participate in the competition if they have ever previously reigned as the Kinmount Fair Ambassador or as the ambassador of another fair/agricultural society. This rule does not apply to any “junior”, “mini”, or other ambassador programs; only to those that would have qualified for the CNE Ambassador of the Fairs Program.
5. The winner of the competition may not at any time during the period of their reign, simultaneously be acclaimed as the ambassador of another fair/agricultural society, with the exception of the CNE Ambassador of the Fairs.
6. Participants will be disqualified immediately if their qualifications are found to be in contravention of any of the program regulations herein set out. They may also be disqualified and be required to withdraw immediately if they fail to observe any of the instructions and regulations which may be set out by the Executive of the Kinmount Agricultural Society and the Ambassador Program Committee.
7. If the winner, during their reign as Kinmount Fair Ambassador, becomes ineligible or chooses to resign, they will forfeit any remaining prize money yet to be paid out to them.
8. The winner of the competition must allow for a head and shoulders portrait photograph to be taken.
9. Participants will be interviewed and judged by a panel of judges as arranged by the Kinmount Agricultural Society for 10 minutes (more time may be allowed for this, depending on the number of participants). The judges will decide the finalist on the following basis:
   1. 30 marks for knowledge of the Kinmount Fair and Agriculture
   2. 10 marks for personality, personal presentation
   3. 20 marks for public speaking
   4. 40 marks for the interview and overall impression
10. The Dress code for interview and on-stage portion of the program shall be Business Professional to the comfort level of the participant. Should the participants like more information and assistance with wardrobe suggestions, this can be obtained from the Ambassador committee.
11. Crowns or formal gowns will no longer be worn at any time during the Kinmount Fair Ambassador program.
12. When representing the Kinmount Agricultural Society, participants and the Fair Ambassador agree to use good and proper judgement regarding social media photographs, posts and text information, so as not to cause any negative publicity to the Kinmount Agricultural Society or themselves.
13. The competition will be limited to eight (8) participants.
14. The ambassador, along with 1st and 2nd runners-up, must complete their assigned duties at the fair in order to receive the full amount of the prize money. Furthermore, the ambassador must complete the remainder of their assigned duties to receive the full bursary at the end of their term. If the ambassador or a runner-up is not able to fulfill all obligations, the Ambassador Program Committee may adjust the value of the prize(s) accordingly.

Prize Information

The following prizes will be awarded:

Winner	$200
1st Runner Up	$150
2nd Runner Up	$100
Remaining Participants	$50

All participants will receive a weekend pass to the remainder of the fair and are encouraged to attend even if they did not place in the top 3.

The ambassador, along with the 1st and 2nd runners-up, will receive one meal voucher per day to support them in attending the fair and completing duties as outlined below.

The ambassador will receive a $500 bursary following the conclusion of their one-year term, and will also receive additional funding to support their attendance at the Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies (OAAS) convention, the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), and possibly other events as determined by the Board of Directors or the Ambassador Program Committee.

Duties of the Ambassador

The Kinmount Fair Ambassador is expected to complete the following duties:

• Attend, assist with, and/or present awards at events at the fair including
  • Ag Education Centre, Exhibit Hall, Heritage Complex (Throughout weekend)
  • Truck and Tractor Pull (Fri evening)
  • Horse Shows (Sat and Sun morning)
  • Cattle and Sheep Shows (Sat morning) and Dairy Goat Show (Sun morning)
  • Parade and Opening Ceremonies (Sat morning - afternoon)
  • Light and Heavy Horse Draw (Sat evening)
  • Children's Races (Sun morning)
  • Mutt Show (Sun morning)
  • Demolition Derby (Sun afternoon)
  • Other shows or events as determined by the committee - a more detailed itinerary will be completed with the ambassador following the competition.
• Represent the Kinmount Fair at the Bobcaygeon Fall Fair Parade (last week of September)
• Attend Kinmount village events throughout the year
• Participate in the Ambassador Program at the OAAS convention in Richmond Hill (week following Family Day in February)
• Participate in the CNE Ambassador of the Fairs Program in Toronto (first weekend of the CNE in August)
• Attend the Kinmount Fair the following year to assist with the ambassador program and formally pass on the title of Kinmount Fair Ambassador

Duties of the 1st and 2nd Runners-Up

The 1st and 2nd Runners-Up will attend events at the fair with the ambassador as outlined above. The runners-up may be asked to attend other events at the fair to assist or to hand out awards. A more detailed itinerary will be completed with the runners-up and the ambassador following the competition.

If the ambassador becomes unable to continue to serve their term, the 1st runner-up may be called upon to fill the role.

Application Details

Click here to download the application form and submit along with a resume to ambassador@kinmountfair.net by 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, September 1st, 2026. The form may also be copied in Google Drive and filled out online before submitting.

Mini Ambassador Program

The Kinmount Mini Ambassador Program is open to children in Grades 1–6 (approximately ages 6–11 as of January 1).

The program allows young participants to build confidence, develop public speaking skills, and become involved in the Kinmount Fair.

Each contestant submits a short personal biography (which may be written by a parent or guardian) and presents a brief paragraph, written by the contestant, explaining why they would like to be a Kinmount Mini Ambassador. The biography is read by the announcer, while the contestant reads their own paragraph on competition day.

All participants receive prizes and are crowned Kinmount Fair Mini Ambassadors. Each participant also receives one weekend pass* to the Kinmount Fair for an accompanying adult and has the option to ride on the Kinmount Fair float in the Bobcaygeon Fair Parade.

The program is limited to 10 participants, with spaces filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Registration deadline: 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, September 2nd, or once all 10 spaces have been filled. For more information or to register, please contact ambassador@kinmountfair.net. A parent/guardian may register their child.

* Note: No refunds will be issued for any Friday admission purchases for the accompanying adult. Admission is free for children 12 and under.