Over the past 25 years, Haying In The 30s has given almost $7 million directly to cancer patients in Alberta. With beautiful weather and a great turnout for last weekend’s event, it’s all but certain 2024 donations will top that $7 million milestone.
That ain’t hay, as the saying goes.
In fact Haying In The 30s is about much more than cutting and stacking feed and forage. The site comes alive every August long weekend as an old-time village, demonstrating agriculture techniques of the time alongside everything that was needed in small Alberta towns: a train station, an RCMP detachment, a community church, dentist’s office, general store, blacksmith, and more.
There is plenty of food and entertainment to go with all that history.
Visitors can come for a day or camp for the weekend. There is no charge for anything on site, but donations are accepted.
The funds raised are disbursed directly to people who have a cancer diagnosis, for them to use for whatever they need. In 1999, Haying In The 30s gave out $3,600; last year it was $315,500. The biggest year to date was 2014, with $458,000 in payments to cancer patients.
Everything for the weekend, including the food, is donated, and thousands of hours of volunteered time go into creating the visitor experience.
