Staff photo /Chris McBride Austintown Community Church Lead Pastor Mark Nelson and volunteer Mike Pemberton take some down time during lunch to get some food from the Colonial Inn at the Canfield Fair on Wednesday, which was the first day of the 176th fair.

CANFIELD — In a cafeteria-style restaurant tucked behind the racetrack at the Canfield Fairgrounds sits the Colonial Inn Dining Hall.

It is run by different generations of men and women of Austintown Community Church, some of whom have watched their parents or grandparents do the same over the restaurant’s now 100 years of serving at the fair — a history dating back to 1921. The 176th annual fair kicked off Wednesday and continues through Monday.

Back then, the restaurant served out of a tent. The venue since has grown to a building modeled like a cafeteria down to its serving line — where if you look while sliding your tray down the line you can catch a glimpse of the Inn’s history with pictures dating back to the 1930s, including one of the original tent.

The restaurant, run by volunteers. is a testament to decades of dedication to serving not-so-typical fair foods and instead opting for the more comfort-styled meal of meatloaf and mashed potatoes.

Representing the third generation of her family to work the restaurant, Jenifer Pemberton, 46, knows the history of the Inn all too well. She’s either served or ate there since she was a child following in the path of her grandmother, who once ran the kitchen.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to serve fairgoers, to give them the opportunity to know Jesus and do what we can for the community,” she said.

Pemberton is now part of the committee that puts the restaurant together. They work together to get the groceries and supplies needed to keep them afloat throughout fair week.

Everyone there knows the commitment needed to run the Colonial Inn. Pemberton said starting at 7 a.m., their staff of volunteers gets to work handling prep in the morning, cooking / working the serving lines, and attending to customers throughout the day.

Throughout the six days of the fair, they filter through 120 volunteers with rotating shifts.

The Colonial Inn has been a staple in community members’ lives. Velma Glista, 68, of Canfield, said she has been coming for their breakfast since the 1990s when her daughters would present in the 4-H Colosseum.

Glista said she’s seen some of the children who have volunteered throughout the years turn into adults since she’s visited. If you’re coming to visit for food, the Swiss steak comes with tons of recommendations and is considered a favorite dish by many walking through their doors.

All proceeds raised during the five days of the fair go toward upkeep of the church, investing in the church’s youth and mission trips locally, out of state and out of the country.

cmcbride@tribtoday.com