The Sudbury Colonial Fair & Muster of Fyfes & Drums is coming up and will be held on Saturday, September 27th this year. It is a great family event and I urge you to attend. Also, here is the line of march for those interested.

Here is a picture of me at the Sudbury Fair.

 
I would place this photo around 1979. If you look closely in the dark shadows of my vest, just next to my elbow you will see an oval. That oval was actually a medal. Back in the 70’s, along with muster buttons, the muster committee made these lovely little commemorative medals. The artist of the medals and the buttons was a man named Les Longworth, a fifer from Sudbury who, ironically, celebrated his birthday on April 19th.

I was able to dig up my collection of these little works of art. Here are the medals that I still have, starting with 1975:




I believe this is 1981.

And, here are the buttons starting with 1976:




I don’t know where 1980 is. I’m sure I’m not the only one.




I believe ’85 was the year that there was a hurricane and the Fair was canceled. Fifers and drummers still made their way to Sudbury and camped for the weekend.

’86 is the year I started fifing and my first time playing at the muster.





Unfortunately, the quality of design dropped dramatically in 1991 and I ultimately stopped buying the buttons. However, I should add, that the 1991 button did have a cult following. There are those that applauded its minimalist approach.