Increased security on tap for Summer Fair

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This article was published 03/06/2023 (1037 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba is ramping up security at the Manitoba Summer Fair this year to give fairgoers peace of mind at the annual event.

The fair, which begins on Wednesday, will return this year with extra security measures, including increased presence of security guards and security measures such as bag checks.

“This should be a fun time. People shouldn’t be going around having to look over their shoulder,” said Mark Humphries, general manager of the Provincial Ex. “This should be a fantastically entertaining day for all the family, and that’s what we’re trying to get.”

Humphries said that the non-profit organization and agricultural society decided to increase security measures at this year’s Summer Fair to keep in line with an industry-wide trend.

Theme parks, county fairs and provincial fairs across North America are increasing their security efforts, Humphries said.

“We don’t want anything that can harm a family member when they come for a good day out,” he said.

The Provincial Ex will be setting up perimeter fencing as well as increasing the number of guards that will be present during the events. The fair will also be implementing bag checks this year as well, which is a common practice at big theme parks like Disneyland and Universal Studios, Humphries added.

The security will be handled by a Shilo-based company, Maxx Security.

Fairgoers should come prepared for possible long lineups to enter the grounds, and Humphries advised people to ensure they have adequate supplies of sunscreen and water.

Brandon Police Service public information officer Sgt. Kirby Sararas told the Sun that uniformed officers will be at next week’s event in addition to the Provincial Ex’s hired security.

Sararas said that this year the BPS is assigning members to work at the fair for increased police presence, whereas last year, BPS presence depended on what members were available.

“Everybody in the city deserves to have police protection, but we do recognize that there’ll be an influx of population coming to that concentrated area, so we will increase our presence there,” she said.

Last year at the summer fair, BPS responded to two separate weapons-related incidents over the span of a few hours on Saturday.

For the first incident, fair security called police after finding a teen who was in possession of a machete. Police said that the boy with the machete had been bear-sprayed by another person. Police arrested the 15-year-old boy, who had the machete hidden in his pants.

Then a couple of hours later, security apprehended a teen after he showed off a handgun in his waistband. Police found a replica BB gun in his waistband and arrested the 17-year-old.

Sararas couldn’t confirm if there has been an increase in incidents at the fair over the years, but noted that they come with the territory whenever there are large crowds.

“Every time there are large amounts of people gathering, there is always a risk for criminal behaviour and unsavoury behaviour,” she said.

Meanwhile, Humphries said that the Provincial Ex did not receive any concerns about safety or security from the public and emphasized that the organization decided to increase security to stay in tune with industry standards as well as provide comfort for everyone attending.

“We want it to be a safe environment. That’s the motivation for us,” Humphries said.

He said that ticket prices will not be affected by the organization’s increased spending on security this year.

Humphries said that fairgoers can look forward to nearly 40 rides, musical entertainment as well as horse shows and a petting zoo.

The Manitoba Summer Fair kicks off on Wednesday at 4 p.m. and wraps up on June 11. Tickets can be purchased online.

» gmortfield@brandonsun.com

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