By Kellah Lavoie

Summer fair features big thrills

Jul 31, 2011 | 11:54 AM

A favourite summer event in Prince Albert opens its gates on Tuesday.

The summer fair, which usually sees between 35,000 and 45,000 people come through the gates, will be entertaining Prince Albert residents and guests until Saturday.

“There are a number of new things going on down here – we’ve changed it up a little bit from years previous,” said Dave Young, general manager of the Prince Albert Exhibition Association.

Additions include three new rides to the West Coast Amusements midway, the West Coast Lumberjack Show, Al LaSalle's Petting Pals, Ken Jen Celebrity Pig Racing and Barnyard Frolics, and the ¿Qué Bolá? magic show.

Young described the lumberjack show as “a full lumber jack show with log rolling and axe throwing and sawing and chainsaws and lots of interaction with the audience.”

Court proceedings

'The impact of this trauma will echo for generations': court case surrounding La Ronge woman's death reaches conclusion

19h ago

Going Global

P.A.'s Zablocki named to Team Canada for U18 Women's World Championships

20h ago

Election 2024

Birch Hills staff won't share election decision

20h ago

One of the new rides should draw a lot of excitement. It swings riders in a circle while they are lifted about 150 feet in the air, he said.

Another change will be some new food vendors, but also the loss of one of the most popular ones.

“A big change this year, and not a good change, is that the Big Brothers Big Sisters spudnut booth is not going to be here,” Young said.

In total there will be 25 places to keep stomachs full of food.

The regular fair standbys will still be there in full force including chuckwagon and chariot races, youth talent show, demolition derby and the pedal-tractor pull.

With it celebrating 128 years, Young said it is one of the oldest exhibitions in the province.

The annual summer fair is also a big boost for the Prince Albert Exhibition Association, the oldest operation agricultural society still running, he said.

“The annual summer fair basically floats the exhibition association. The exhibition association is a non-profit corporation. We are not a money maker at all, everything we do goes right back into the operation of the organization and the summer fair is the big one of the year. It is also probably the biggest single event in the city of Prince Albert,” said Young.

He reminds people that Tuesday is kids’ day, Thursday is seniors’ day and Saturday is family day.

The first show is Tuesday at 10 a.m. and all other days at 8:30 a.m. The midway opens every day at 1 p.m.

The summer fair festivities kick off Monday with the parade at 7 p.m.

klavoie@panow.com