Ag Ex lays groundwork for Royal Manitoba Winter Fair

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This article was published 13/11/2021 (1635 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba is moving full steam ahead with the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair after finding success with the first Ag Ex since 2019.

Manitoba Ag Ex co-chair Dallas Johnson said the event found success. He appreciated how visitors, staff and exhibitioners adhered to public health regulations.

The show was triumphed financially, an important step because it was the first live indoor event hosted by the Provincial Exhibition in nearly two years.

It is critical to be hosting live events again, Johnson said, as the funds generated from shows ensure the Provincial Exhibition can keep its doors open.

“Even though the numbers were down, I think the quality of cattle was as good as we’ve ever had,” Johnson said.

Ag Ex saw about 270 heads of cattle on-site for the event, paired with more than 300 exhibitors.

Johnson said he especially enjoyed Saturday’s Junior cattle show as it had around 60 youth in the competition.

“Those kids, they are the future of the beef business in this province,” Johnson said.

He added it important to give them show experience at Ag Ex. He enjoys seeing them learning, as ag education is an essential part of the Provincial Exhibition’s mandate.

He added the crowds in attendance to watch the show were some of the biggest the event has seen in years. Around 2,000 people from around the world also watched the shows online.

It is good to see confidence in live events growing, he added, because the shows hosted by Provincial Exhibition have a direct impact on Brandon’s economy.

Proof of double vaccination was required to attend the event. Wrist bands were provided upon proof of vaccination ensuring people could come and go from the site with ease.

“It went very smoothly,” Johnson said. “It went really well. People who were coming from Saskatchewan and Alberta had no trouble getting through the gate.”

The Provincial Exhibition learned a lot from the experience, he added, and they will be making adjustments when it comes time for the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair in March.

One of the biggest takeaways has been the need to limit entrances into the event. This will allow them to keep a hand on people coming and going from the space and ensure proof of vaccination is presented.

They are already working through the logistics of the Winter Fair and are planning on moving full force ahead, Johnson said. Provincial Exhibition directors are meeting twice a month currently, and these planning sessions will continue to ramp up as March grows closer.

He added the layout of the Winter Fair is expected to be different because certain spaces at the Keystone Centre are occupied by Manitoba public health.

Provincial Exhibition board president Greg Crisanti said it was a relief to see Ag Ex found success in its first year back since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We were completely happy with the attendance, with the exhibitors and we were able to put a bunch of smiles on everyone’s faces,” Crisanti said. “It was just good to see everybody back at a live event.”

The community is excited to see the return of in-person events and he hopes COVID-19 regulations will allow for live shows to take place in March.

He appreciated the support exhibitors, staff and the directors showed in helping the Provincial Exhibition’s first indoor live event take place during the global health crisis.

“It was great to see everybody back and supporting Provincial Exhibition and having a great time while doing so,” Crisanti said.

While it was not an easy task bringing Ag Ex together, it marked a step in the right direction when it comes to Provincial Exhibition hosting in-person gatherings.

It is difficult to compare Ag Ex and the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair — Ag Ex is a smaller venue, he said, but the event served to “open up [peoples’] eyes” in regards to what hosting the Winter Fair will look like in March.

As a larger event, the Winter Fair will see more people crossing the border to attend the show from other provinces and the United States.

“We’re going to have to make sure that we don’t jeopardize any future events that the Provincial Exhibition puts on,” Crisanti said. “The logistics are definitely changing all the time.”

He hopes the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair will be able to move forward without a hitch and that public health regulations will allow for a somewhat normal event.

“We’ve learnt some good and some bad [things] after the event of Ag Ex. I think it’s a great learning experience. We’re all in this together and we’re trying to put on a safe and friendly event while supporting the Provincial Exhibition” Crisanti said. “I think our community is ready for a live event, our exhibitors are ready, but we’ve got to make sure that safety is our number one priority.”

He added Ag Ex, The Royal Manitoba Winter Fair and the Manitoba Summer Fair are three critical events for the Provincial Exhibition and it has been a precarious and stressful reality seeing them cancelled during the pandemic.

The Provincial Exhibition has pivoted to host smaller fundraisers to support the organization during the global health crisis to make up for the loss of funds, but the hope remains to relaunch Provincial Exhibition’s three major events — bringing in larger crowds and dollars for the non-profit.

He added while the shuttering of the events posed a loss of funds for Provincial Exhibitions, it also limited their ability to engage in agricultural education with audiences.

“It’s getting people back. Our rural community, bringing them back into Brandon. All our events, they’re helping the business community — whether you’re filling up with gas, staying at a local hotel, going out shopping and dining in one of our restaurants,” Crisanti said. “It doesn’t just benefit our organization.”

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