Crowds were smaller Friday afternoon at the Prince Albert Exhibition (Michael Joel-Hansen/paNOW Staff)

By Michael Joel-Hansen

Smashing records

Exhibition seeing strong attendance

Aug 2, 2019 | 5:00 PM

The Prince Albert Exhibition is having a record year attendance wise.

So far the P.A. Ex has seen more people come through the gates than all of last year. Robbie Ross, president of Prince Albert Exhibition said they have had helped from mother nature to get people out.

“It’s been a great week, it’s one of the first weeks in a while we haven’t been rained out,” he said.

Ross said over the last few days over 22,000 people have attended the fair. These numbers are 3,000 higher than last year’s totals. Heading into this fair Ross said they hoped to draw around 30,000 people over the course of the week, but are now expecting to surpass that goal.

Along with the weather conditions, Ross credits the addition of live entertainment for helping to drive the numbers. Specifically, Ross said the show put on by Donny Parenteau and Roger Boucher as part of Kiddies Day received positive reviews and Ross hopes to seem them return next year.

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“I think it’s [live entertainment] big draw people have been asking for it for years,” he said.

Looking towards the future Ross said they are looking to work with sponsors so they can offer live entertainment free of charge.

On the midway besides the rides, fair goers as well have the chance to sample a wide variety of food ranging from Asian cuisine to some old fair favorites. A P.A. area classics, the Indian Métis Friendship Centre’s booth had an Indian Taco special on offer Friday.

Ron Fiddler, a member of the board of directors of the friendship centre said they have one item on the menu which is always in demand.

“Our most popular thing is the bannock burger, the bannock burger we’ve been doing for a whole lot of years and it’s the mainstay of our booth here,” he said.

The Indian Métis Friendship Centre was not the only community organization on hand the exhibition. Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Prince Albert was also set up selling a variety of items.

Cory Boisson, who was volunteering at the booth said the spudnut is by far their most popular food item.

“A lot of people come to the fair just for the spudnuts alone, this place gets busy all day,” he said.

Selling food at the fair is a big fundraiser for Big Brothers, Big Sisters, generally it pulls in around $10,000 for the organization.

A volunteer prepares spudnuts in the deep fryer (Michael Joel-Hansen/paNOW Staff)

For those looking to get their perogies and cabbage roll fix can drop in on the Prince Albert and District Ukrainian Culture and Heritage Club’s booth.

Marj Bodnarchuk, who is a member of the club said the club has been serving food at the exhibition for over 25 years and always see lots of interest.

“We’re always popular, we make all of our perogies and cabbage rolls here in Prince Albert by hand,” she said.

Besides the traditional Ukrainian staples like cabbage rolls and perogies, the club as well had the old clay oven fired up and making bread, which people could buy by the slice or by the loaf.

Ron Adamko throws wood into the clay oven to warm it up (Michael Joel-Hansen/paNOW Staff)

MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

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