HAY RIVER - A group of women are planning to revive the Hay River Fall Fair, which has not been held for two years.

"We decided there's going to be a fall fair," said Shirley King, one of the six-member collection of friends.

A group of women - including, left to right: Sandra Lester, Linda Gallagher, Shirley King, Linda Carter and Sharon McBryan -- are reviving the Hay River Fall Fair. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

They say the fall fair is going ahead, even if they have to do all the work themselves and draft friends and family members to help.

"Whether it's a small one or a large one, it's going to go," said Linda Carter.

The fall fair will be held Sept. 8 and 9 at its familiar location in the curling club as the Great Northwest Trade Show is held nearby in the arena.

The other organizers are Sandra Lester, Sharon McBryan, Linda Gallagher and Sheila Cook.

They will hold a meeting on March 20 - beginning at 7 p.m. at the NWT Centennial Library - to get other members of the public involved.

King said it is hoped a committee will be set up and a chairperson appointed.

King noted she and her friends were involved in the fall fair as volunteers since it began years ago.

"We want to bring it back to what it used to be," Lester said, noting years ago there used to be a wide variety of events, even a soapbox derby.

The group is looking for people's ideas for the fair.

"We're open to suggestions at this coming meeting," King said.

At its core, a fall fair features displays of produce, crafts and canned goods.

Lester said the event is very important to bring the community together and show the variety of produce that can be grown in Hay River.

The organizers, all 50-somethings who have been friends for 30 years, call themselves "The Scooter Gang." That's because they ride scooters, including in the Canada Day parade. Prior to 2005, the fall fair was run by the Territorial Farmers' Association (TFA), until federal funding was cut for such fairs.

Last year, NWT Centennial Library held a small-scale Fall Fiesta, which featured produce, a scarecrow display and music. Unlike a fall fair, it was not a competition.

The fall fair began in 1977 under the former Hay River Horticultural Society, which ran it until the late 1990s. It was defunct for several years, before it was revived by the TFA.