Navan Fair

Culinary Science 2026

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Director

Director: Cheryl McNeely | Secretary: Jo-Anne Girard

Hi, my name is Cheryl McNeely and I am the Culinary Science Director for the Navan Fair. I grew up on a busy dairy farm here in Navan.  I was privileged to grow up with the expert guidance of my mother Jessie Wall, my grandmothers Mildred Wall, Jean Boland, my great aunt Verna Cotton my 4-H leaders and so many community women.  I met my husband Tim and his mother Connie McNeely who also taught me so much. Their kitchens were always full of hungry grandchildren, friends and neighbours and I’ve done my best to keep that going for my own children and grandchildren. I volunteer with the Navan Fair because it is my hometown and I love this community. The Navan Fair Culinary Science Division is an opportunity for humble home bakers to show the community what they’ve got and share that passion for baking.

The fair is a small glimpse inside the kitchens of very talented individuals who wear many other titles the other 362 days of the year and now have a moment of well-deserved time to showcase their skills and abilities. Please come and enjoy our display and our exhibitors hard work.

Rules & Regulations

  1. Exhibits must be the work of the exhibitor.
  2. Exhibitors can enter one item only in each number.
  3. All exhibitors 13 years and older must be members of The Cumberland Township Agricultural Society (you must give your membership number when entering).
  4. Exhibitors are to use their Favorite recipe unless otherwise specified.
  5. All entries are to be covered with clear wrap or placed in a clear plastic bag such as Ziploc.
  6. List of entries will be accepted through ON-LINE ENTRIES IN ASSISTEXPO only Questions, please contact the division secretary Jo-Anne Girard at 613-835-2544
  7. All entries must be in no later than Wednesday, July 29, 2026.
  8. Please indicate your age, if under 18, and if you are a Kiddie, Junior, Teen, Senior or new exhibitor when submitting a list of entries. Entries will only be accepted for the appropriate age group for entrant.
  9. Exhibits must be brought to the blue Exhibit Building on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.
  10. Judging will take place on Thursday, August 6, 2026. The Exhibit building will be closed until approximately 5 pm or until judging has been completed.
  11. In case of no competition, the judge will only give a prize if the work is worthy.
  12. Exhibits must not be removed until 4:30 pm to 6 pm, Sunday, August 9, 2026. All entries remaining after 6:30 pm on Sunday will be disposed of.
  13. Prize money may be picked up at the fair office any time after 4 pm on Friday, August 7, 2026.
  14. All prizes other than money are to be picked up Sunday, August 9, 2026, with entries.

PRIZE MONEY (unless otherwise specified)

Standard for Adults1st – $8.002nd – $7.003rd – $6.004th – $5.00   
Children 9 and over:1st – $5.002nd – $4.503rd – 4.004th – $3.50   
Children 8 and under1st – $5.002nd – $4.503rd – $4.004th – $3.505th – $3.006th – $2.507th & 8th -$2.00
Adult and Teens Specials1st – $10.002nd – $9.003rd – $8.00    
Children 12 and under Specials1st – $8.002nd – $7.003rd – $6.00    

HIGHEST OVERALL POINTS PRIZES

Highest Points (excluding specials): Gift/Gift Certificate Prize

New Exhibitor with Highest Points (excluding specials): Gift/Gift Certificate Prize

Kiddie Cooks (under 8 years) Exhibitor Highest Points (excluding specials): Gift/Gift Certificate Prize

Junior Cooks (8 to 12 years) Exhibitor Highest Points (excluding specials): Gift/Gift Certificate Prize

Teen Cooks (13 to 17 years) Exhibitor Highest Points (excluding specials): Gift/Gift Certificate Prize

SPECIAL AWARDS

Baking Queen/King

To be eligible for the title, exhibitor must show at least one item for each category: Yeast Breads, Muffins, Quick Breads and Biscuits, Cookies and Squares, Cakes, Pies, Tarts and Candy, Jams and Jellies and Pickles and Relishes. Winner will be the exhibitor having the most first places. In the case of a tie, 2nd place will be used and if necessary, 3rd and 4th place. Specials are not included in tabulating 1st places.

Baking Princess/Prince

To be eligible for the title, the exhibitor must show at least one item for each category: Yeast Breads, Biscuits and Muffins, Quick Breads, Cookies and Squares, Cakes, Pies, Tarts and Candy, Jams, Jellies and Pickles and Relishes. The winner will be the exhibitor having the second highest number of first places. In the case of a tie, 2nd place will be used and if necessary, 3rd and 4th place. Specials are not included in tabulating 1st places.

CONGRATULATIONS TO:   

2025 Baking King:                   Vincent  Deschamps

2025 Baking Princess: Dominique Deschamps

1A YEAST BREADS – NO BREAD MACHINE

  1. White Bread baked in a rectangle pan                    1st Prize – $10 Edith Deavy Memorial
  2. White Rolls, in basket or bowl (4)
  3. Soft Pretzel (2)  1st Prize – $10 Edith Deavy Memorial
  4. Honey Beer Bread (must use recipe from Recipe Section)

1B YEAST BREADS – BREAD MACHINE

  1. Pumpernickel Bread
  2. Cheddar and Onion Bread
  3. Whole Wheat Bread
  4. White Bread

BISCUIT AND MUFFINS

Note: No liners on muffins

  1. Cheese Tea Biscuits
  2. Lemon Cranberry Muffins (4)
  3. Maple Walnut Muffins (4) (must use recipe from Recipe Section)
  4. Banana Muffins (4)
  5. Blueberry Muffins (4)

QUICK BREADS

  1. Monkey Bread (must use recipe from Recipe Section)
  2. Banana Bread, no nuts
  3. Honey Currant Scones (4) (must use recipe from Recipe Section)
  4. Cinnamon Swirl Loaf with icing drizzle
  5. Lemon Loaf, no nuts, glazed.

COOKIES AND SQUARES

  1. Oatmeal Cookies, dropped, with raisins (4)
  2. Peanut Butter Cookies (4)
  3. No Bake Chocolate Cookies (4) (must use recipe from Recipe Section)
  4. Chocolate Chip Cookies (4)
  5. Molasses Cookies (4)                       1st Prize – $10 Ruth Scharfe-Parsons Memorial
  6. Pink Lady Squares (4) (must use recipe from Recipe Section)
  7. Cookie Mix layered in a 1 L mason jar with recipe attached
  8. Tiger Bars (4) (must use recipe from the Recipe Section)

TARTS AND CANDY

  1. Coconut Macaroons (4)
  2. Butter Tarts with raisins (4)
  3. Chocolate Fudge with nuts (4)
  4. Trail mix in a 500 ml mason jar for a road trip
  5. Two-Tone Fudge (4) (must use recipe from Recipe Section)

CAKES

No cake mixes. All cakes must be removed from pan and iced on top and sides. Only one piece will be left on display. Cakes not collected by 6:00 pm Thursday August 6th, 2026, will be considered donations to our volunteer lunches.

  1. Chocolate Cake, 2 layers with icing
  2. Carrot Cake, cream cheese icing, 9”x13”
  3. Tomato Soup Cake one layer iced 9×13
  4. Decorated Cake celebrating the City of Ottawa 200th anniversary one layer, 9”x13”

PIES

No canned fillings, unless indicated. Only one slice will be left on display. Pies not collected by 6 pm Thursday, August 6, 2026, will be considered donations to our volunteer lunches.

Cooking Tip: To ensure even baking, aluminum pie plates should be tempered before use. Place pie plates in 400F oven for 20 minutes. Cool before using.

  1. Blueberry Pie, approx. 9”, double crust. : 1st Prize – $10 Ruth Scharfe-Parsons Memorial
  2. Rhubarb Pie, approx. 9”, double crust
  3. Raspberry Pie, approx. 9”, double crust: 1st Prize – $10 Ruth Scharfe-Parsons Memorial
  4. Apple Pie, approx. 9”, double crust: 1st Prize – $10 York Brace Memorial

JAMS

No paraffin. All jars must be labeled, and tags fastened to jars, not lids. All jars must be sealed except for freezer jams. All jars must be 500 ml mason jars.

  1. Strawberry Freezer Jam
  2. Strawberry Cooked Jam
  3. Applesauce
  4. Any Flavor of Jelly not already listed
  5. Raspberry Jam

PICKLES AND RELISHES

No paraffin. All jars must be a mason jar 500 ml, be labelled, and tags fastened to jars, not lids.

  1. Beet Pickles: Class sponsored in memory of Connie McNeely
  2. Any type of Relish                                            Class sponsored in memory of Mildred Wall
  3. Pickled Dilled Carrot
  4. Pickled Eggs in a 500 mL jar
  5. Salsa in a 500 mL jar
  6. BBQ Sauce in a 500 mL jar.

KIDDIE COOKS – UNDER 8 YEARS OF AGE

  1. Decorated Donut. Donut may be purchased. Decorate with edible items.
  2. Monster Toast. Decorate a slice of white bread with paint made from mixing milk and food coloring. Then toast it.
  3. Rice Krispie Tractor. Glue and accessories may be used. Size limited, please display on a 6” disposable plate.
  4. Edible necklaces made from anything edible.
  5. Make a snow globe using a 500 mL mason jar.
  6. Decorate a 2L basket containing 3-5 non-perishable food items. All food will be donated to the Food Bank.

JUNIOR COOKS – 8 to 12 YEARS OF AGE INCLUSIVE

  1. Butterscotch Cookies (4) must use recipe from the Recipe Section.
  2. Cookies made with M&Ms or Smarties (4)
  3. Blueberry TikTok cookies (4) (must use recipe from the Recipe Section)
  4. Decorate a 2L basket containing 3-5 non-perishable food items. All food will be donated to the Food Bank

TEEN COOKS – 13 to 17 YEARS OF AGE INCLUSIVE

  1. Rocky Road Squares (4) (must use recipe from Recipe Section)
  2. Butterscotch Marshmallow Squares
  3. Banana Loaf, without nuts
  4. Chocolate Chip Cookies (4)
  5. Decorate a 2L basket containing 3-5 non-perishable food items. All food will be donated to the Food Bank.

JUNIOR and KIDDIE COOKS SPECIALS -12 YEARS AND YOUNGER

  1. Rice Krispie farm animal. Non-edible decorations may be used. Display on 6” disposable plate.
  2. Decorated Cupcakes (3)
  3. Emoji Cake. Round cake decorated as a single Emoji; fondant may be used.

TEEN COOKS SPECIALS -13 TO 17 YEARS OF AGE INCLUSIVE

  1. Unicorn Banana Loaf, glazed. Using three bright colours of food colouring makes three distinct layers.
  2. Decorated Cupcakes (3)
  3. Peanut Butter Mice (4) (must use recipe from Recipe Section)

OPEN SPECIALS – OPEN TO ANY PERSON OVER THE AGE OF 16 – MUST BE WORK OF EXHIBITOR

  1. President’s Special Coconut Cream Pie (Navan Fair President Emily Keenan’s Favourite)
  2. Antique Kitchen Implement (must attach a brief description)
  3. Tequila Sunrise Cake (must use recipe from Recipe Section)
  4. Afternoon Tea Display. Christmas theme: Include a teacup with a tea bag in it, a decorative plate with three choices of suitable treat items, on a tray no larger than 20”x 12”
  5. Collector Spoons 3 pieces please attach to a paper plate
  6. Diner Party Centrepiece using Fair Theme Where Country and City Meet
ONTARIO ASSOCIATION OF AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY (OAAS) BAKING COMPETITION
  1. Plain Chocolate Chip Cookie Competition (no nuts)

Open to youth (as of December 31st of current year). Cookies no larger than 2.5” and no smaller than 2”.

Display 6 cookies on a clean, sturdy plate (no paper plates) inside of a clear plastic bag with exhibitor’s name and address using the entry tag provided. Pastry must be homemade.

1st Prize: $6.00 / 2nd Prize: $4.00

ONTARIO ASSOCIATION OF AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY (OAAS) BAKING COMPETITION
  1. Butter Tart Competition – Competition open to all Exhibitors. The tarts must be full size tarts (No mini or bite-size tarts). Tarts must not contain fruit or nuts (no raisins or pecans).

a. Display 6 tarts on a clean, sturdy plate (no paper plates) inside a clear plastic bag with the exhibitor’s name and address using the entry tag provided. Pastry must be homemade.

1st Prize $6.00 / 2nd Prize $4.00

SPECIAL THANK-YOU

The Culinary Science Division would like to thank all this year’s sponsors, volunteers, and exhibitors. We would not be able to showcase all our talented exhibitors without our volunteers and sponsors. If you would like to volunteer or sponsor in this Division, please contact the Director or Secretary. We always enjoy your feedback.

RECIPE SECTION – PDF Document

ASSIST EXPO ONLINE REGISTRATIONS

Follow this link assistexpo.ca/navanfair to register for
an Assist Expo account to register your entries online!