Rain and heat didn’t discourage summer fairgoers

The Manitoba Summer Fair at the Keystone Centre in Brandon wrapped up on a high note this week, with organizers calling the 2026 edition a ‘strong success,’ despite weather disruptions that briefly impacted operations.

Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba president and Summer Fair co-chair Tim Rowan said the preliminary figures show attendance surpassed about 35,000 visitors recorded last year.

“The crowd has edged last year’s total (as of Sunday morning),” he told the Sun.

“The event performed strongly across all four days, even with changing weather conditions. The crowds have been good and have been happy. The weather’s been good. People have had lots of fun — they’ve had lots of positive comments.”

While final numbers are still being compiled, Rowan said the fair is shaping up to be “a good success.”

The fair experienced intermittent rain during the week, including a slower start on Sunday morning and a brief lull in operations during rainfall on Saturday. More significantly, a tornado watch was issued during the event, prompting heightened alert levels.

Rowan said the Keystone Centre had a clear safety plan in place.

Despite the weather concerns, operations largely recovered quickly after rainfall, with crowds returning within the hour during one of the disruptions.

Temperatures also played a role, with heat and humidity pushing into the high 30s at times, contributing to both comfort challenges and strong evening attendance.

A major attraction this year was the introduction of two new rides that made their Canadian debut at the Brandon fair: the Downdraft and the Super Miami, he said.

“These are the first appearances in Canada here at the Brandon fair,” Rowan said. “They’ve been very busy, very popular.”

North America Midway Entertainment vice-president of client services Scooter Korek said the new attractions represented a significant investment and were among the highlights of the midway.

“We brought the Downdraft, which has been spectacular,” Korek told the Sun. “And the Super Miami, where riders face the midway while going around at thrilling speed — that’s also been very popular. That’s about $2.5 million worth of brand-new rides.”

He said that Brandon benefits from being the first Canadian stop on Midway’s tour, which helps bring a wide selection of attractions to the fairgrounds.

Organizers and midway operators both pointed to local affordability as a key factor in strong attendance this year. Rowan said that rising fuel costs may be influencing travel decisions, making local events more attractive.

“If you want to go to Winnipeg, you’re looking at a lot more cost to travel,” he said. “Brandon offers a more affordable option for families.”

Korek said economic conditions are keeping people closer to home.

“People are looking for local-based attractions,” he said. “But the fair committee here does such a good job of putting on a quality event. It’s a very good package.”

Organizers revealed plans for a new event called Midway Madness, set for August in partnership with Canadian Tire and Shindico, and hosted in the Canadian Tire parking lot.

The four-day summer event will bring North America Midway Entertainment back to Brandon with rides, games and food.

“It’s going to be a great festival right in the middle of the summer,” Rowan said.

The company said it will return with many of the same rides featured at the Summer Fair.

Rowan said the combination of strong entertainment, competitive pricing, and popular midway attractions continues to make the fair a key summer destination for Manitoba families.

» aodutola@brandonsun.com

» X: @AbiolaOdutola