Sign up for the paNOW newsletter

History of the Prince Albert Exhibition

Oct 4, 2011 | 8:37 AM

In the Words of the Pioneer – Lana Alberts

The annual Prince Albert Exhibition began in 1883 and took way with a gala parade. These parades were originally sponsored by travellers and represented a float for every store in Prince Albert. The first exhibitions were similar to a country fair and were primarily agriculture events.

Local citizens made up the majority of the crowd along with people from Shellbrook, Rosthern, and nearby districts who attended the exhibition by special fair trains.

The major portion of the fair constituted of livestock exhibits of horses, cattle, chickens, and rabbits; other displays of local merchants; and women’s canning, cooking, embroidery, and quilting. During the first exhibitions there was a lack of adequate barns available so the livestock stood in the open during the days of the fair.

Horticultural exhibits were popular among the women and, previous to 1909, pow-wows were held at the exhibition. The main attraction, however, was the horse races consisting of anything from buggy to sulky to saddle activities.

These races were well attended and considered to be “the” event of the year. Originally the exhibition was a one day event that soon developed into five days of festivities. There were games of chance, sideshows, and rides that could be enjoyed for ten or fifteen cents.

Some of the most popular sideshows included the Roaring Lion, the Fat Lady, The Ride of Death, and the Tiniest Baby in the World, which turned out to be a baby monkey.

Unlike the early fairs, the exhibitions of today focus on the rides and fast-food, rather than on the agricultural events. The fair has changed slightly throughout the years; however, the people of Prince Albert enjoy this social event none the less.