Harvey Community Days is an annual community festival held in the Canadian village of Harvey Station, New Brunswick since 1945. The initial purpose was to raise funds for the local community hospital. More recently, other community needs have benefited.
Founding
In 1945, a group of citizens headed by Harry A. Corey, A.E. McLean and Harry T. Swan recognized the need for a community hospital. Mr. & Mrs. David Taylor, and Mrs. Walthall, Mrs. Taylor's sister, donated their summer home in the village for this purpose. This was the beginning of Harvey Community Hospital. The community group also realized the need for ongoing financial support of the hospital, and an annual event to raise money was considered. Someone suggested a Horse Pull. In October 1945, the event, ‘Harvey Hospital Day' was held, and in spite of inclement weather, was a success. This was the origin of Harvey Community Days. The following year it was moved ahead to the third Wednesday in August. Since 1945, Harvey Community Days has only been cancelled once, due to an edict prohibiting public gatherings during the polio epidemic.
Development
Entering into the 1950s, Harvey Hospital Day committees devised various ways to earn money including lobster feeds, bingo games, boxing matches, and airplane rides, as well as the famous ‘Horse Pull'. Progress and development continued in the late 1950s and 1960s. In 1958 the Harvey Fairground Grandstand was built; in 1966 toilet facilities were added. The timing of the event was changed in 1979, as it remains to this day, with the Saturday of the event being the second Saturday of August. The event's name was also changed that year to ‘Harvey Community Days.' Originally the festivities were held on the ‘Fair Grounds' near the Taylor Hall, and this continued until 1988, when the Grandstand burned. In 1989 the move was made up the hill to the Recreation Centre to allow more of the events to be held inside. This continues to be the modern ‘Fair Grounds.'
Change of beneficiaries
Until 1967 all proceeds from Hospital Day, or the Harvey Fair, as it had become known, were used to finance and operate the hospital. However, when the province assumed responsibility for the hospital this annual event was no longer necessary. A public meeting was held and because of the past success it was decided to continue the Harvey Fair, with the proceeds to go toward community needs, community organizations, upgrading of cemeteries, etc. In 1974, the community received an ambulance from the government. Since it was the responsibility of the community to operate and maintain the vehicle, it received priority in distributing the proceeds from Benefit Day. Harvey was able to offer its residents ambulance service to any hospital in New Brunswick for a small fee of $5. In 1979, the organizational body changed from the Board of Directors of Harvey Hospital to a board of directors drawn from community organizations and the community at large. The name was again changed to Harvey Community Days Inc.
Recent years
In 1985, a new ambulance was needed and with a government grant of $13,000 and approximately $22,000 from Benefit Day funds a new one was purchased. Again in 1995 Benefit Day funds and a government grant provided another ambulance. In the 2000s, focus turned away from the need to support the ambulance, as Ambulance New Brunswick was formed, taking away the need of individual communities to financially support their local ambulances. The elimination of fees for ambulance transportation by the provincial government also removed the need for Harvey Community Days to provide rebates to community members.
