FROM HOMELESS ON THE STREET TO SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR PROVINCE OF ALBERTA HONOURS AG SOCIETIES BEHIND THE SCENES: WITH ROBERTSON AMUSEMENTS

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1 PROVINCE OF ALBERTA HONOURS AG SOCIETIES BEHIND THE SCENES: WITH ROBERTSON AMUSEMENTS WESTERNER DAYS FAIR & EXPOSITION FROM HOMELESS ON THE STREET TO SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR CONTRACTING FOR SUCCESS THE 178 TH EDITION OF L EXPO DE SAINT-HYACINTHE SOCIAL MEDIA CHANGING THE FACE OF EVENT PROMOTION FALL

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3 Fall 2015 Edition CONTENTS 3 PRESIDENT S MESSAGE 4 CAFE ACTIVITIES 5 MOT DU PRÉSIDENT 6 ACTIVITÉS DE L ACFE 7 INDUSTRY NEWS 16 FROM HOMELESS ON THE STREET TO SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR 19 CONTRACTING FOR SUCCESS 21 THE 178 TH EDITION OF L EXPO DE SAINT-HYACINTHE 27 PROVINCE OF ALBERTA HONOURS AG SOCIETIES 29 BEHIND THE SCENES: WITH ROBERTSON AMUSEMENTS 32 WESTERNER DAYS FAIR & EXPOSITION 34 SOCIAL MEDIA CHANGING THE FACE OF EVENT PROMOTION FALL 2015 CANADIAN FAIR NEWS 1

4 Canadian Fair News Fall 2015 Edition The Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions / Association canadienne des foires et expositions Box (WEPO), Brandon, MB R7B 3W8 Toll-Free: (800) Phone: (204) info@canadian-fairs.ca Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions (CAFE) and its licensors. All rights reserved. Editor: Karen Oliver Production and Administration: Karen Oliver Graphic Designer: Tim Logan timlogandesign.com Additional Photography: Gregg (Scooter) Korek CAFE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: PRESIDENT Jim Laurendeau Calgary Stampede, Calgary, Alberta T : (403) FIRST VICE PRESIDENT John Peco Markham & East York Ag Society, Markham, Ontario T : (905) SECOND VICE PRESIDENT (FINANCE) Gregg (Scooter) Korek North American Midway Entertainment, Calgary, Alberta T : (601) DIRECTORS AT-LARGE (EXECUTIVE MEMBERS) Brian Casey Maritime Representative, Hants County, Nova Scotia T : (902) Virginia Ludy Canadian National Exhibition Toronto, ON T : DIRECTORS: Darren R. Dean West Coast Lumberjack Shows. Ltd, Courtenay, British Columbia T : (250) Glen Duck Saskatchewan Association of Agricultural Societies T : (306) Harry Emmott Paris Agricultural Society, Paris, Ontario T : (519) Hugh Fletcher Western Fair District, London, Ontario T : (519) Dale Greene Richmond Agricultural Society, Richmond, Ontario T : (613) Peter Male Pacific National Exhibition, Vancouver, British Columbia T : (604) Josh Shaw Queen City Exhibition, Regina, Saskatchewan T : (306) Karl André Végétarian Expo de Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec T : (450) ext CANADIAN FAIR NEWS FALL 2015

5 PRESIDENT S MESSAGE In the fair industry, we are a humble bunch. Our humility is part of what makes our events authentic, accessible and appealing. But it has a downside: we are quick to look up to others and think, that is bigger/better/more something than we are, or we are just a small town event/small business/summer activity/3-day event. Consider this: When one adds the yearly fair-time attendance across Canada at some of our largest events, it doesn t take long to come up with more than 6 million attendees. As you consider it for longer than 30 seconds, you might decide that 7 or 8 million isn t a stretch, with the real power coming in the volume of people that attend hundreds of our smaller events. Then, think of the various other events held the rest of the year at fairgrounds and you get another 7 or 8 million attendees. In fact, the Canadian Fair Industry and its associated venues, to make an educated guess, play host to something like 15 million attendees per year likely more. Canadian fairs as a group are the single biggest driver of community gathering and bringing people together from all walks of life ethnic, religious, and socio-economic in the country. We have a lot to be proud of. For some perspective, the NHL had 5.3 million attendees at its Canadian venues last year; the CFL had 2.3 million attendees last season including pre-season and playoffs; and approximately as many people voted in the 2011 federal election as attended an event at a fairgrounds (14.8 million)! From an association perspective, we are working hard to elevate this industry to be perceived as the powerful force that we actually are, in particular with the federal government. Whether it is Canada 150, livestock traceability, bio-security, temporary foreign workers or copyright law, elected officials and bureaucrats are hearing about C.A.F.E. with unprecedented frequency. As we wind down another busy, fun (!) and successful summer, we look ahead to the upcoming Niagara Falls Get Inspired convention (November 19-21). What an amazing opportunity to share ideas and find ways to grow this powerful industry for the benefit of all Canadians. Looking out onto the magnificent falls, I for one will be reminded that they are a collection of humble raindrops coming off the hills into streams and into Lake Erie, but when they combine at Niagara there is nothing in the country more powerful. In the fair industry, it is up to all of us to get the streams headed to the same place, and we are making progress! JIM LAURENDEAU, PRESIDENT FALL 2015 CANADIAN FAIR NEWS 3

6 CAFE ACTIVITIES Summer is never really a relaxing time if you work in the Fair Industry. While others are lazing on a sandy beach or teeing off on a luscious green golf course, we are generally working on the next event. This past summer, thanks to the support of a Federal Canada Jobs grant, CAFE was able to hire a summer student and here in the national office we were able to complete all sorts of projects that were in the to do file! We hope that your summer has been likewise productive, but with enough fun to keep your spirits and energy up. Naturally progress on the Annual Convention has continued over the summer based on the strong Early Bird Registration numbers, there should be a great turn-out! Staff worked on the CAFE website, adding content and enhancing the French translation to ensure that it provides maximum benefit to all our members. (Be sure to check all the new documents and templates in the Members area of the site) And of course, our Best Practises for E.coli Prevention Project continued to progress, with our Researcher being out in the field, collecting samples for testing in the lab, and preparing for filming of the educational video. The project will culminate with seminars in all provinces, providing education on how to prevent contamination by deadly E.coli and other pathogens at your event. The sessions will be free of charge, and EVERY fair, facility, or organization that deals with livestock-human interaction should plan to attend! Possibly most importantly, CAFE took the opportunity to learn more about what you our members value in terms of services and programs. We conducted a survey of members and non-members and will be sharing the results in the coming months. We hope you have noticed that we are reaching out to you more frequently, through our CAFE E-news and through , as in our survey you indicated that information sharing was one of the top benefits of membership. And now it s fall season of harvest, back-to-school, crisp autumn days and of course fall fairs! We look forward to hearing reports of how the fall fair season goes. And we are also looking forward to seeing many of you in November in Niagara Falls, for what promises to be a top-notch convention. In the meantime, please stay in touch. We are here for YOU! KAREN OLIVER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 4 CANADIAN FAIR NEWS FALL 2015

7 MOT DU PRÉSIDENT Nous sommes, dans l industrie foraine, un groupe sans prétention. Et notre humilité, ce manque de prétention, est ce qui confère à nos événements leur caractère authentique, accessible et attrayant. Mais il y a un inconvénient : nous sommes prompts à nous tourner vers d autres et à nous dire : «En voilà un plus grand, plus ceci, plus cela que nous», ou «nous sommes juste une foire banale, une petite entreprise, une activité estivale sans envergure, un événement de trois jours». Voyons ceci : si l on additionne l assistance annuelle à certains de nos événements les plus importants dans tout le Canada, en se basant sur le temps de présence, il ne faudra pas longtemps pour arriver à plus de 6 millions de participants. Et si vous y réfléchissez encore, au-delà de 30 secondes, vous pourrez estimer qu une assistance de 7 ou 8 millions de visiteurs n est vraiment pas exagérée dès lors que vous savez que la grande affluence, la force du nombre, réside dans des centaines d événements de faible taille que nous organisons. Ensuite, pensez aux diverses autres manifestations organisées le reste de l année dans les champs de foire et vous avez encore 7 ou 8 millions de participants. En effet, l industrie foraine canadienne et ses sites associés accueillent au jugé environ 15 millions de visiteurs par an et probablement davantage. En tant que groupe, les foires canadiennes constituent, à lui seul, le moteur principal du rassemblement communautaire, puisqu elles attirent des personnes issues de tous horizons et milieux ethniques, religieux et socioéconomiques dans le pays. Nous avons beaucoup de raisons d être fiers. Pour mettre les choses en perspective, la LNH a accueilli l an dernier 5,3 millions d amateurs dans ses arénas canadiens; la LCF en avait 2,3 millions à la saison dernière, y compris la pré-saison et les séries éliminatoires; et il y a eu plus ou moins autant de personnes qui ont voté aux élections fédérales de 2011 que celles qui ont fréquenté un parc des expositions (14,8 millions)! Du point de vue de l association, nous travaillons d arrache-pied pour faire reconnaître notre industrie comme elle est réellement, une force puissante, en particulier auprès du gouvernement fédéral. Qu il s agisse du 150e anniversaire du Canada, de la traçabilité du bétail, de la bio-sécurité, des travailleurs étrangers temporaires ou du droit d auteur, élus et fonctionnaires entendent parler de l ACFE à une fréquence sans précédent. À mesure que s achève un été chargé, amusant (!) et réussi, nous nous tournons vers le prochain Congrès à Niagara Falls (du 19 au 21 novembre), placé sous le thème «Inspiration : à vous de jouer». Y a-t-il une occasion plus propice d échanger des idées et de trouver des moyens de développer cette industrie performante au profit de tous les Canadiens? Pour ma part, contemplant les chutes magnifiques, j aime bien me rappeler qu elles sont au départ des gouttes de pluie banales qui, venant des collines convergeaient pour se jeter dans les ruisseaux et le lac Érié mais qui, une fois dans le Niagara, déclarent au pays que rien n est plus puissant qu elles. En clair, il appartient à chacun de nous, dans l industrie foraine, d orienter les ruisseaux vers la même destination, et nous faisons des progrès! JIM LAURENDEAU, PRÉSIDENT FALL 2015 CANADIAN FAIR NEWS 5

8 ACTIVITÉS DE L ACFE L été n est jamais vraiment une saison de détente si vous travaillez dans l industrie foraine. Alors que d autres s accordent des heures de farniente sur une plage de sable ou donnent le coup de départ dans un terrain de golf verdoyant, nous sommes généralement en train de travailler au prochain événement. L été dernier, grâce à une subvention canadienne pour l emploi, l ACFE a pu embaucher un étudiant et, ici, au bureau national, nous avons pu achever toutes sortes de projets qui étaient sur la liste des tâches à faire! Nous espérons que votre été est aussi productif, mais quand même assez ludique, de quoi garder le moral et se sentir plein d énergie. Naturellement, au chapitre du Congrès annuel, les préparatifs se poursuivent dans le courant de l été et, au vu des pré-inscriptions, cet événement devrait attirer une assistance nombreuse! Le personnel travaillant sur le site Web de l ACFE en a enrichi le contenu et a amélioré la traduction française pour s assurer qu il profite au maximum à tous les membres. (Assurez-vous de prendre connaissance de tous les nouveaux documents et modèles dans la section du site réservée aux membres.) Et bien entendu, notre projet intitulé «Les meilleures pratiques de prévention de l E.coli» continue de progresser : notre chercheur est sur le terrain en train de prélever des échantillons en vue de les analyser au laboratoire et de préparer le tournage de la vidéo éducative. Le projet se terminera par des séminaires dans toutes les provinces, et ce dans le souci de prévenir lors d une foire la contamination par la bactérie mortelle E.coli et d autres agents pathogènes. Les séances seront offertes gratuitement, et TOUS les intervenants foires, forains, établissement ou organisation qui traitent de l interaction bétail-humain devraient veiller à y assister! Peut-être, plus important encore, l ACFE a pris l initiative d en apprendre davantage sur ce que vous nos membres valorisez en termes de services et de programmes. Nous avons mené une enquête auprès des membres et non-membres et feront connaître les résultats au cours des prochains mois. Vous aurez remarqué, nous l espérons, que nous communiquons plus souvent avec vous, par notre lettre d information (CAFE E-news) et par courriel, comme vous nous avez indiqué dans notre sondage que le partage d information est l un des meilleurs avantages aux membres. Et maintenant, c est l automne..., la saison des récoltes, la rentrée des écoles, des journées fraîches et, bien sûr, les foires d automne! Nous sommes impatients d entendre vos nouvelles, les nouvelles de la saison foraine, de ce qu il en est pour vous. Et nous avons également hâte de vous voir nombreux en novembre, à Niagara Falls, à l occasion de notre congrès qui s annonce prometteur par la haute qualité du programme. En attendant, je vous invite à garder le contact. Nous sommes ici pour VOUS! KAREN OLIVER, DIRECTRICE EXÉCUTIVE 6 CANADIAN FAIR NEWS FALL 2015

9 INDUSTRY NEWS RED RIVER EX BREAKS -DAY ATTENDANCE RECORD NEWS WINNIPEG On Saturday June 20 th, over 53,266 people passed through the gates of the Red River Ex in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The previous record was around 48,000. Red River Ex CEO Garth Rogerson tells 680 CJOB that overall, it wasn t a record year attendance-wise, but it was pretty close: Our record was in 2011 at 223, 000. Reflecting on the 10-day run that ran from June 12th to 21 st, Rogerson said this year s Ex experience was tremendous, and calculated that, even using conservative estimates of Sunday s numbers, 2015 s attendance would easily shatter 200,000 people and likely be closer to 210,000. INDUSTRY VETERAN IS MOURNED We were sad to receive the news that Dave Farberman, a well-known figure in the Fair Industry, passed away on June 26. Dave was familiar to many, as he spent much of his life working in the carnival business and was a Past President of the Showman s League of America. Our condolences to his son Shane Farberman (Doo Doo the Clown). FALL 2015 CANADIAN FAIR NEWS 7

10 INDUSTRY NEWS CANADIAN LAKEHEAD EXHIBITION: THANK YOU! The Canadian Lakehead Exhibition s celebrated their 125 th Anniversary in 2014 and their organization would like to thank everyone who attended their 125 th Birthday Celebration at last year s exhibition! Some history about the Canadian Lakehead Exhibition located in Thunder Bay, Ontario: it was known as the Westalgoma Agriculture Society in 1922 and throughout the 30s had grandstand attractions such as Christy s Performing Elephants, cattle displays, horse races and various animal shows. Weekly tickets were $1.00, which were good for 6 admissions! EXHIBITION PARK IN HALIFAX SET TO CLOSE THIS FALL CBC NEWS There will be no Maritime Fall Fair this year in Halifax, Nova Scotia after Exhibition Park was significantly damaged this past winter from snow loads and water. It is set to close this November, disappointing organizers of the popular Maritime Fall Fair. Brian Casey says with no venue the Maritime Fall Fair will be cancelled this year. We re definitely disappointed and we d really like to see it happen, but because of the deterioration of the building or so we ve been told they re going to close it and it s not safe for the public so it just can t happen this year. Casey says the 2016 Fall Fair will happen he s just not sure where. FIRST RESPONDERS SERVE AS K-DAYS PARADE MARSHALS EDMONTON JOURNAL This year s K-Days parade was dedicated to honoring & thanking the heroes that touch the lives of the Edmonton community daily. This is our opportunity to celebrate what s important to us and to recognize those who contribute to the greater good of the city in both big and small ways, said Tim Reid, President and CEO of Northlands in Edmonton, Alberta. Northlands is proud to have had first responders Royal Canadian Mounted Police K Division, Alberta Sheriffs, Edmonton Police Service, 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, Edmonton Fire Rescue Services and Edmonton Emergency Medical Services as their 2015 K-Days Parade Marshals. K-Days Parade day, July 17, has also been proclaimed Edmonton Heroes Day. 8 CANADIAN FAIR NEWS FALL 2015

11 GET WELL WISHES! Joyce Trafford, General Manager of Carp Fair, is recuperating at home after having BOTH knees replaced! We expect she will be able to run twice as fast by the time the fair takes place this fall. Heal quickly, Joyce. GRATEFUL SCHOMBERG AG SOCIETY CELEBRATES 165 FAIRS On behalf of the Schomberg Agricultural Society, we would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who came out to our 165 th Schomberg Agricultural Spring Fair, helping to make it a huge success, even despite the rain. Celebrating 165 Fairs has been made possible due to the continuous support of our community and surrounding area visitors. You have helped us maintain one of King Township s most anticipated and largest events. As we close the book on our 165 th fair, preparations are well underway for our 166 th. Looking forward to seeing you all there at the fair! With our sincerest gratitude, Cathy D Alessandro (Manager) and Ron Hepburn (President), Schomberg Agricultural Society WESTERN FAIR DISTRICT S CONFEDERATION BUILDING RECEIVES NEW ROOF Western Fair District (WFD) is pleased to announce that it has received a $100,000 grant, for one year, from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to replace the roof of the Confederation Building, a piece of London, Ontario s history that provides space for community markets. The WFD s mission and mandate is to develop programs that meet the needs and enrich life in the communities it serves and to provide a facility intended to meet the needs of the agricultural community. The new roof ensures the Confederation Building carries on as a safe, functional and historically significant space within the Western Fair District, said Hugh Mitchell CEO, WFD, we thank the Ontario Trillium Foundation for their support. WESTERN FAIR DISTRICT RECOGNIZED AS THE EVENT, ENTERTAINMENT OR RECREATIONAL FACILITY OF THE YEAR The Western Fair District (WFD) has received recognition at the 1 st annual Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA) London Region Hospitality Awards, held May 4. WFD was recognized as the Event, Entertainment or Recreational Facility of the Year. This award is presented to an organization or representative who has demonstrated leadership and innovation in the London region hospitality industry. They must demonstrate superior guest service and provide an excellent product while being from the London region and in business for a minimum of one year. WFD takes great pride in being selected for this local hospitality and tourism honor and congratulates all fellow nominees and finalists FALL 2015 CANADIAN FAIR NEWS 9

12 INDUSTRY NEWS ANCASTER FAIR CAMP BRINGS A NEW AND EXCITING TWIST TO THE TRADITIONAL DAY CAMP Summer 2015 marks the kickoff of Ancaster Fairgrounds introduction of a new Summer Camp for children. Campers will interact daily through projects and activities that instill these core values: leadership, friendship, community, agriculture and creativity. They will also learn about the environment and agriculture awareness and exploration through interaction with baby animals, and go for hay wagon rides to identify flora and fauna. There will also be an end-of-week trip to various venues. The program came about through the Ag Society s Strategic Planning Committee looking to expand their presence in the community and bring more people to the fairgrounds outside of their fair. CALGARY STAMPEDE SHOW BAND ROCKS! The Calgary Stampede Show Band has completed a highly successful summer tour, performing at Westerner Park in Red Deer, the Saskatoon Exhibition, K-Days in Edmonton and the Indiana State Fair. They also competed at the DCI (Drum Corps International) Competition in Indianapolis, where they were recognized as International Champion in the DCI Drum Line Battle and received a gold award in the DCI Soundsport Competition, with recognition as Best in Show! Congratulations to this talented group of 120 young people between the ages of 14 and 21! GRAND OPENING OF PONTIAC AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY S NEW HEAVY HORSE BARN On June 5, 2015 the Pontiac Agricultural Society held the grand opening of its brand new Heavy Horse Stall. The new barn will hold 80 horses, with state of the art stalls supplied by Ebersol Products of Milverton, Ontario and building suppliers ThermoEnergy Structures Inc. of Braeside, Ontario. Music from Ambush and 300 guests helped in celebrating the ribbon cutting at the grand opening of their new barn. They look forward to using the new structure at this year s 159 th Annual Shawville Fair, held September 3-7, 2015 and welcome anyone to stop by and check out the new building! 10 CANADIAN FAIR NEWS FALL 2015

13 POPULOUS IS THE OFFICIAL EXHIBITION DESIGNER FOR WAF LONDON POPULOUS.COM Populous has created the inaugural World Architectural Festival (WAF) London exhibition. Through their designs, Populous has created a physical identity and brand experience for WAF that can be packed up, shipped and reassembled in locations across the globe. The dramatic 7m high installation forms the centrepiece of the exhibition, taking inspiration from the Eames famous house of cards. The WAF (hosted by the University of Westminster with the London Festival of Architecture) is being held to showcase international game-changing design and best in world architecture. Populous is comprised of a dedicated team of designers, architects, technical experts and industry veterans who specialize in creating innovative spaces and experiences in places where people come together. ARMY COMMANDER, LT.-GEN MARQUIS HAINSE AS GHG S GUEST OF HONOUR STANDARD FREEHOLDER Lieutenant General Marquis Hainse, Commander of the Canadian Army, was the 2015 Guest of Honour for the Glengarry Highland Games (GHG), which were held July 31 - August 1, 2015 in Maxville, Ontario. Hainse s desire to join the army took its roots during his Air Cadet years in hometown, Thetford Mines, Quebec. He joined the forces in 1977 and in August of 1980, was commissioned as an officer and later joined the Royal 22 nd Regiment. At the 2015 GHG, Haines took salute to start the Tattoo on Friday evening and at its end, closed the evening s ceremonies. Hainse also opened the 2015 GHG and presented the Tug-o-War Challenge cup to the Reserve unit, which best combines physical fitness, readiness, and esprits de corps - three essential qualities of our soldiers, said Haines in a pre-games release. CHRISTIAN HUDSON, CS TALENT SEARCH CHAMP PLEDGES TO DONATE CASH PRIZE CS BLOG The Calgary Stampede named Christian Hudson of Airdrie, Alberta as their 35 th Talent Search Champion on the night of Saturday, July 11. Hudson, 19, received the President s Trophy, a custom one-ofa-kind silver belt buckle, a performer development package, musical instrument, recording prizes, and $10,000 cash. Upon being presented with his cash prize, Hudson promptly announced that he would be donating it all to the Calgary Drop-In and Rehab Centre. During the week-long competition, to save money, Hudson spent a few nights on the banks of the Bow River instead of driving back to Airdrie. He was inspired to donate his winnings after connecting with one person whose story touched him MEDICINE HAT STAMPEDE SEES BIGGEST CROWDS IN YEARS MEDICINE HAT NEWS Jim MacArthur, General Manager of the Medicine Hat Stampede and Exhibition, says just judging from how the grandstands looked at this years Stampede, attendance was up this year. And indeed it was; Gate admissions over the 4-day event broke a 19-year-old record and overall, attendance was up from The Stampede reported 43,698 people paid to attend the event, up from 39,617 last year. The night show concerts, which saw Martina McBride, Dallas Smith and a triple bill of Trooper, Kim Mitchell and Prism, nearly doubled the total from 2014 and broke the 1996 record. The night shows really shone this year, said MacArthur. The night show committee did a great job putting the FALL 2015 CANADIAN FAIR NEWS 11

14 INDUSTRY NEWS package together and, obviously, it was a favourite for fans. COLONIAL DAYS UNSUNG HEROES MERIDEAN BOOSTER With another successful Colonial Days in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan passed, one company is the true unsung heroes of the fair. West Coast Amusements (WCA), originating from Chilliwack, B.C., has brought food, rides, and midway games to Lloydminster, among many other cities, for nearly 30 years. It s very rewarding when you can watch all the people who have worked for you and then their kids come up and work beside your kids, and now the grandkids are there, I mean it s pretty amazing. I ve got three families out here that are on third generations right now, said Bob Hauser, owner of WCA. I think [Colonial Days] just keeps getting better. That fair is put on for the people of the community I want to thank every one of them for attending this year s fair. 110 TH MELFORT EXHIBITION A SUCCESS DESPITE RAINY WEATHER MELFORT JOURNAL The 110 th Melfort Exhibition was a success despite having some events cancelled on Sunday, July 19 th : We ended up cancelling the chuckwagons, chariots and barrel racing, along with the tractor pulls, Nicole Gagne, of the Melfort Ag Society, said. The exhibition ran from July 17-19, and according to the Ag Society, Saturday was one of the best days in recent memory, with ideal weather helping benefit the event. According to Gagne, the weather on Saturday, July 18 was probably close to perfect and the amount of people who came through the gates proved it. We had a number of new things that came in, the lumberjacks, the motocross. It was great and no doubt they were very supportive of the Ag Society as well so it was great to support them, she said. THE MORRIS STAMPEDE, A LITTLE PIECE OF HEAVEN WINNIPEG SUN Manitoba s only professional rodeo, located in Morris, completed its 52 nd year July 16 th to 19 th. A lot of the cowboys and cowgirls come straight from the Calgary Stampede to take part in the Manitoba Stampede, said Dawn Morin, general manager of the Valley Agricultural Society. It s like Morris is a little piece of heaven that these riders want to be a part of. There was something for everyone at the Manitoba Stampede, whether you came out for the day to watch the rodeo and enjoy the rides and the new Ag-tivity Ranch, or for the night at the Cabaret and Electric Tavern. 12 CANADIAN FAIR NEWS FALL 2015

15 VOLUNTEERS A CRUCIAL PART OF VERMILION FAIR S SUCCESS THE VERMILION STANDARD The Vermilion Agricultural Grounds in Alberta were littered with volunteers, who worked tirelessly to make sure the area was ready for that week s Vermilion Fair, held July 23 rd to 25 th. One thing that s unique about Vermilion [Fair] is it s pretty much 100 percent volunteers, said Tyler Moses, President of the Vermilion Agricultural Society. We just do this because we enjoy it. The Ag Society s executive consists of just 5 members, but are committees that deal with each aspect of the Fair, like entertainment, beer gardens, exhibit displays, livestock shows, and more. How the Ag Society works is it s made up of a bunch of different committees [who are] pretty passionate about their own event and what they do, so without them, the executive, we couldn t do it, Moses explained. Everybody comes back year to year and they make their own little show it all works together into one big show. LAMONT AND DISTRICT AG SOCIETY SEVERS TIES WITH TOWN THE FORT SASKATCHEWAN RECORD The Lamont and District Agricultural Society moved all their equipment and towed their barns away from the location they called home for 97 years. In 2014, the society received a notice of an agreement termination with the Town of Lamont in regards to using the grounds for future society events. It s like a bad divorce. We ve severed all of our ties, said Frank Cholak, Ag Society treasurer. President Aaron Wick, said the two parties could not reach an agreement. We figure it s time to move. We bought new land and we re moving on, Wick said. This year s events were still held as planned. Lamont mayor Bill Skinner said the town council and the fair committee decided last year that it would be better to separate due to conflicts. It wasn t a very satisfying experience for all of the groups that were involved, Skinner said.

16 INDUSTRY NEWS ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS CALL FOR AGRIFAIR TO DROP CRUEL RODEO EVENTS CKNW Animal rights activists are calling for a boycott of the Abbotsford Agrifair, unless the event drops several so-called cruel rodeo events. Peter Fricker says the Vancouver Humane Society is pushing for the elimination of calf roping, steer-wrestling, and team roping. Well all of these events involve subjecting animals to fear, pain, and stress to make them perform. And we think that s unacceptable in a modern and civilized society. We think that because of the animal cruelty that takes place, people need to send a strong message to the Agrifair by boycotting the rodeo and letting them know that this is no longer acceptable. Fricker says the Cloverdale Rodeo dropped the events in 2007 and hasn t seen attendance drop. The Abbotsford Agrifair did not return a request for comment. STRATHMORE STAMPEDE WRAPS UP ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL WEEKEND THE STRATHMORE STANDARD The 2015 Strathmore Stampede, which ran from July 31 st to August 3 rd, was a big success. The weather was great all weekend long, and there were few injuries throughout the Running with the Bulls, the chuck wagon races and the rodeo. Strathmore and District Ag Society GM Herb McLane says he was pleased with the overall attendance. McLane said. I think this year has been very successful. I think the community was very supportive All of the businesses that we work with support us so much Those kinds of things are very important to the success of the event. The General Manager was also grateful for all the volunteers, first responders, the PWM security team, the town of Strathmore, bylaw officers, the event coordinators, the RCMP and others. CLIMB UP ON HORSEPOWER LIVE! HorsePower Live! Kicked off their first summer tour, capturing family, fun and entertainment! HPL was featured at the Ram Rodeo in Orangeville, Ontario where over 4000 fans enjoyed the show! Then, Sydney, Nova Scotia featured HorsePower Live! at their inaugural Horse Expo, where again the performance was a great success. For the Sydney Horse Expo we were looking for something that would bring people out to our event. We decided on Horse Power Live and they certainly didn t disappoint, said Paul McDonald, Manager Sydney, Centre 200. The third stop was Toronto s Canadian National Exhibition grounds where they performed in front of 10,000 kids throughout the 18-day feature!currently the HorsePower Live! production team is planning their fall shows which are being held during the Binbrook and Markham Fall Fairs. 14 CANADIAN FAIR NEWS FALL 2015

17 KNIGHTS OF VALOUR TROUP BRING IN JOUSTING FANS AT THE FREMONT COUNTY FAIR COUNTRY10.COM The Knights of Valour put on an entertaining show in the Grand Arena at the Fremont County Fair on July 30 th with a half-dozen Knights showing off their skills, while dressed in armour. The Knights included Shane Adams, current Captain and owner of Knights of Valour, as well as the current reigning World Jousting Champion and host and executive producer of the hit TV show Full Metal Jousting. The Knights hailed from two countries, Canada (Ontario) and the United States. The Knights of Valour Jousting Troupe continues to grow and be the premier full-contact jousting troupe in all of North America. POPULOUS BEGINS MASTER PLAN FOR THE NEW YORK STATE FAIR Populous, fairgrounds master planners and architects of Knoxville, Tennessee, were selected to develop a master plan for the 360-acre historic New York State Fair located in Syracuse. Shown left to right are: Todd Gralla, SDA, Principal/Director of Equestrian Services, and David Forkner, ASLA, Principal/Senior Planner of Populous, Joel Bianchi, P.E., Director of Municipal Engineering for M.J. Engineering & Land Surveying, P.C., Charlie Smith, AIA, NCARB, Senior Principal/Senior Architect of Populous, Troy Waffner, Acting Director of the New York State Fair, Jenny Lippman, P.E., Project Engineer with M.J. Engineering & Land Surveying, P.C., Rod Markin, President of Markin Consulting and Bill Bourne, Senior Architectural Technician of Populous. FALL 2015 CANADIAN FAIR NEWS 15

18 SEE FRANK O DEA LIVE AT THE 2015 CAFE CONVENTION IN NIAGARA FALLS FROM HOMELESS ON THE STREET TO SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR THE STORY OF FRANK O DEA IS SURE TO INSPIRE Just a few years ago, Frank O Dea was a down-and-out homeless guy, sitting on a street corner in downtown Toronto. Now he is a successful business man and founder of the Second Cup Coffee Chain. How did that transformation take place? O Dea s presentation on The Power of Hope, Vision, Action is only one of the inspiring sessions you will hear when you attend the 2015 CAFE Convention in Niagara Falls, ON, from November 19 th to 21 st. 16 CANADIAN FAIR NEWS FALL 2015

19 The convention organizers took care to address suggestions and concerns gleaned from the evaluations of the 2014 CAFE convention, and the result will be a 2015 convention with sessions geared to every sector of the membership small fairs, large fairs, provincial associations, concessionaires, midways and performers. They also created a schedule that is less jam-packed but still overflowing with great speakers and activities. Given the v theme of GET INSPIRED and the warm hospitality of the CNE as they welcome and entertaining the delegates, this year s convention should be a memorable one. The awe-inspiring backdrop of Niagara Falls certainly sets the tone. The Convention Hotel, the Sheraton on the Falls, is located directly across from the Falls in the heart of Niagara s tourist district, so in addition to a great convention, you can count on a long list of entertainment options to keep you busy in your spare time. Plan to arrive at least one day early, as the CNE will be offering a tour of the Niagara area on Thursday, November 19 th, prior to our convention opening. Convention speakers have been selected with special attention to the needs and interests of the CAFE membership. For example we all know that food has become an important attraction at our events, both in terms of education about food production, and in terms of public desire to sample new and unique foods. To help the delegates explore those topics, Rebecca LeHeup, Executive Director of the Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance will speak on Culinary Tourism and Jennifer Cockrall-King, author of Food and the City will show how cities around the world are growing and eating locally through urban agriculture. Volunteer Recruitment is often discussed as a challenge to our local fairs. CAFE is pleased to offer two sessions on Volunteer Recruitment and Retention, presented by Paula Speevak, Executive Director of Volunteer Canada. Paula will impart wisdom on the challenges of finding and keeping volunteers in today s society. And midway operators, concessionaires and fair managers will definitely want to attend the session by Colin James, Director of Program and Policy Design with the Temporary Foreign Worker Program at ESDC Canada. James will review the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, including the recent changes it has undergone, LMIA requirements and compliance framework. The Internationally renowned Dr. Mark DeVolder, known as The Change Specialist, will be presenting a session on how to Adapt to Extreme Change and Achieve New Heights. As the winner of the Prestigious Top 5 Speaker Award USA in Business Management for four consecutive years, he is known for presentations that are dynamic, humourous, high energy and content rich. Now - Add in some entertaining showcases, inspiring award presentations, opportunities for discussion and networking, a tradeshow full of top notch products and entertainers, and a fun filled host evening and you can see that this is an event you can t afford to miss! You can still register, and in fact, you can still receive a discounted registration fee until October 9 th so don t delay. Go to the CAFE website at to get your form, and either register online or your registration to the CAFE office at convention@ canadian-fairs.ca Above: Mark Devolder FALL 2015 CANADIAN FAIR NEWS 17

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21 CONTRACTING FOR SUCCESS It s one of the major challenges facing a fair - how can you be sure you are contracting the best attractions for your event? Most of us have failed at least once or twice in this regard. Maybe you hired the magician who arrived late and missed some performances. Or the attraction that forgot to mention they needed 24 hour security on their site! Maybe it was the Petting Zoo that had sickly animals and insufficient bedding. Or the band that spent too long in the bar before they performed. Chalk it up to experience, and don t make that mistake again and tighten up your hiring practices. Here are some suggestions that will ensure success when booking future attractions: If at all possible, go and see the attraction when it s at another location. There s nothing like first hand experience to determine if the entertainment will work for your audience, and to identify potential issues for your event. Contact other events (preferably of similar size) that have hosted the attraction FALL 2015 CANADIAN FAIR NEWS 19

22 and be prepared with a list of questions to ask. Did the attraction arrive on time with all the components they promised? Were they easy to work with? Were they relatively self-sufficient once they got onsite? Were they reliable? What sort of audience response did they get? Keep in mind that an attraction which can easily be presented at a large event might need amenities that cannot be easily provided at a smaller one. Can you present the attraction given your own resources? Think about those details BEFORE booking so there are no disappointments. Ask yourself if you are comfortable with this attraction representing your organization to the public. Is the language appropriate? Are you comfortable with the performance and production values? Remember that your reputation, as well as theirs, is at stake. If it s a Petting Zoo or Animal Attraction are the animals healthy? Are they presented in a humane manner? Do they have plenty of clean bedding, appropriate footing and is there a system to prevent over-handling by the public? Have the animals been vaccinated appropriately (if relevant) and / or vet examined? Have you or the handler ensured appropriate signage and hand wash stations? Is there an established protocal that kicks in if an animal becomes sick or dies? Keep in mind that there is great public sensitivity to wild animals being in capitivity or displayed to the public, so you should be prepared to address this concern before it is even raised. For example, are the animals rescues? Get ahead of the question with media releases! Ensure that your contract spells out everything that you expect. How long will the performances be? How often? How many animals will be in the petting zoo? What kinds of animals will be presented? Are they permitted to sell souvenirs or promotioinal items? And if so, what happens with the revenue? Check to see where else the attraction is playing, and feel free to add a clause to your contract, stipulating that they cannot perform within a certain time/distance from your event. There is nothing worse than hiring a big act and finding out they played ten miles down the road just the week before! If it s an American Act have they submitted a waiver for withholding tax, or will you need to deduct it from their cheque? Do they require a letter of introduction to cross the border? Have you stipulated whether you are paying them in Canadian or (gulp!) US Funds? And finally check in a week or so before they arrive to be sure that everything is go and get their estimated time of arrival so you can ensure that load in and set up can be achieved. Are they expecting help to unload and/or set up? Yes problems will still arise that s the business we are in! But if you do your due diligence when hiring you can minimize the drama and reduce the last minute issues that give fair employees the grey hair! If all fails they sell Miss Clairol at the pharmacy.

23 THE 178 TH EDITION OF L EXPO DE SAINT-HYACINTHE WAS A RESOUNDING SUCCESS WITH PERSONS IN ATTENDANCE Record Day at the Expo with visitors for Télé-Québec Day featuring, among others, the stars of the youth show «Toc toc toc» (Groupe CNW/Exposition agricole et alimentaire St-Hyacinthe). SAINT-HYACINTHE, QC, L Expo de Saint-Hyacinthe, presented by Desjardins, the largest family agricultural festival in Quebec, took place from July 23 rd Bilan positif avec personnes pour la 178 e Expo de Saint- Hyacinthe SAINT-HYACINTHE, QC, le 4 août 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - L Expo de Saint-Hyacinthe, présentée par Desjardins, le plus grand festival familial à thématique agricole au Québec, s est déroulée du 23 juillet au 2 août et a reçu visiteurs et ce, malgré des journées d orages et de forte canicule. FALL 2015 CANADIAN FAIR NEWS 21

24 to August 2 nd, with visitors and this in spite of stormy days and intense heat. The opening banquet welcomed its guest of honor, Mrs. Nicole Ménard, deputy of Laporte, president of Couillard government Caucus and sponsor of the county of St-Hyacinthe. Among other guests were many provincial and national association presidents. July 25 th was the busiest day with visitors thanks to the success of Télé-Québec s themed afternoon as well as an evening show featuring Kevin Parent. Le banquet d ouverture a accueilli comme invitée d honneur Madame Nicole Ménard, député de Laporte, présidente du Caucus du gouvernement Couillard et marraine du comté de St-Hyacinthe. Se sont côtoyés également de nombreux présidents d associations agricoles et autres organisations provinciales et nationales. La journée du 25 juillet fut la plus achalandée avec visiteurs grâce au vif succès de l après-midi Télé-Québec ainsi qu au spectacle de Kevin Parent en soirée. L Expo de St-Hyacinthe has become the leader in shows for children and activities for the little ones including their families. For the past 6 years, Télé-Québec Day has become a must at l Expo and this year was no exception with the performance featuring the stars of Toc toc toc (and especially, an appearance by M. Craquepoutte who won the hearts of both young and young at heart), Les Argonautes and Les p tites tounes. For the fourth year in a row, The Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation made it possible to have a to be born and grow day for children by offering 5 quality shows which brought joy to thousands of children and parents. With one great artist after the other, from the giant puppets of théâtre de L Expo de St-Hyacinthe est devenue un chef de file en matière de spectacles pour enfants et d activités pour les petits et les familles. Depuis 6 ans, la journée Télé-Québec est un incontournable de l Expo et cette année ne fit pas exception avec les vedettes des émissions «Toc toc toc» (avec en exclusivité la présence de M. Craquepoutte qui a charmé petits et grands), «Les Argonautes» et «Les p tites tounes». Pour une quatrième année, la fondation Lucie et André Chagnon a rendu possible la tenue de la journée des enfants «Naître et grandir» qui a offert 5 spectacles de qualité qui ont su ravir des milliers d enfants et leurs parents. Se sont succédés les marionnettes géantes du théâtre de la Dame de Cœur, 22 CANADIAN FAIR NEWS FALL 2015

25 la Dame de Cœur to Mélou, Anne-Lune, les Space Cats to the ever popular Caillou, the show venue was full to capacity. The Oasis family zone was particularly busy thanks to the many family shows including Le Fabuleux Cirque Jean Coutu as well as activities for the wee ones such as pony rides, a water zone with pedal boats, make up, inflatable games etc. Children had the chance to meet Mollie, the mascot of l Expo and Ari Cui Cui, spokesperson of the event. This year, the Breeds Salon welcomed 2 breeds of buffalo from the premier breeder in Canada, located in Montérégie. Buffalo milk is one of the most consumed varieties of milk, after cow milk. Most notably, more than 2100 animals were present on site, with educational activities, provincial horse carriage races, demolition derbys, rodeos, the Grand National tractor pull and as a finale, the Parade of Champions closed the festival. In the agrifood sector, Mélou, Anne-Lune, les Space Cats et en grande vedette Caillou, grâce à qui l espace réservé aux spectacles fut rempli à pleine capacité. La Zone Famille Oasis fut particulièrement achalandées grâce aux nombreux spectacles familiaux dont le Fabuleux Cirque Jean Coutu ainsi que les activités pour les petits que sont les tours de poney, le bassin d eau avec pédalos, le maquillage, les jeux gonflables, etc. Les enfants ont pu y rencontré Mollie, la mascotte de l Expo et Ari Cui Cui, porteparole de l événement. Le Salon des Races accueillait cette année 2 spécimens de bufflonnes du plus important élevage du Canada situé en Montérégie. Le lait de bufflonne est un des laits les plus consommés au monde après le lait de vache. Notons aussi la présence sur le site de plus de 2100 animaux, les activités éducatives, le concours provincial d attelages, les derbys de démolition, les rodéos, le Grand National de FALL 2015 CANADIAN FAIR NEWS 23

26 77 cooking workshops and the Kitchen for children proved to be very successful. The shows featuring Guylaine Tanguay, who has the number one best-selling record of the summer and Leboeuf Deschamps were the most popular. The Strong Men Circuit, featuring champion Jean-François Caron was a big hit. tire de tracteurs et la Parade des Champions qui a clôturé le festival. Au secteur agroalimentaire, les 77 ateliers culinaires ont été un franc succès, tout comme la Cuisine des Petits. Les spectacles de Guylaine Tanguay, numéro un des ventes de disques cet été et Leboeuf Deschamps fut des plus populaires. Le circuit des hommes forts, avec la présence du champion Jean-François Caron, fut des plus appréciés. Photo caption: Record Day at the Expo with visitors for Télé-Québec Day featuring, among others, the stars of the youth show «Toc toc toc» Groupe CNW/Exposition agricole et alimentaire St-Hyacinthe). Bas de vignette : Journée record à l Expo avec visiteurs pour la journée Télé-Québec avec, entre autres, les vedettes de l émission jeunesse «Toc toc toc» (Groupe CNW/Exposition agricole et alimentaire St-Hyacinthe). 24 CANADIAN FAIR NEWS FALL 2015

27 A special thank you to the many partners and sponsors (particularly Desjardins, Lassonde, Fromages d ici, Pepsi, Coors Light, Rythme fm, Rouge fm, Boom, le Journal de Montréal, Télé-Québec, La Terre de chez Nous and le Courrier de St-Hyacinthe) who have directly contributed to the success of the festival year after year! We recognize the generous contribution of MAPAQ and the Quebec government through a program of Tourism Quebec. L Expo de St- Hyacinthe also acknowledges the generosity of the Canadian government thanks to the Building Communities through Arts and Heritage Program. The event will be back from July 28 th to August 7 th 2016 Follow all the updates on the web: expo-agricole.com SOURCE Exposition agricole et alimentaire St-Hyacinthe INFORMATION: KARL-ANDRÉ VÉGÉTARIAN, HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS Mobile: karlandre@expo-agricole.com Un merci particulier aux nombreux commanditaires et partenaires (en particulier Desjardins, Lassonde, Fromages d ici, Pepsi, Coors Light, Rythme fm, Rouge fm, Boom, le Journal de Montréal, Télé-Québec, La Terre de chez Nous ainsi que le Courrier de St-Hyacinthe) qui contribuent directement au succès du festival tous les ans! Nous reconnaissons la généreuse contribution du MAPAQ et du gouvernement du Québec par l entremise du programme de Tourisme Québec. L Expo de St-Hyacinthe reconnait également la générosité du gouvernement du Canada grâce au programme du développement des communautés par le biais des arts et du patrimoine. L événement sera de retour du 28 juillet du 7 août 2016 Suivez les mises à jour sur le web : expo-agricole.com SOURCE Exposition agricole et alimentaire St-Hyacinthe RENSEIGNEMENTS : KARL-ANDRÉ VÉGÉTARIAN, RESPONSABLE DES COMMUNICATIONS, Cell : , karlandre@expo-agricole.com STAFF online ticket sales point-of-sale barcode ticket generation barcode ticket authorization & consumption real-time reporting cash control partner tracking accreditation system & photo ID Take your event to new heights while keeping both feet on the ground. HOME STAFF info@authentigate.ca visit us at authentigate.ca e- TICKET Event Staff Canada Ltd., proud provider of AuthentiGATE POINT OF SALE STAFF everyone counts FALL 2015 CANADIAN FAIR NEWS 25

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29 PROVINCE OF ALBERTA HONOURS AG SOCIETIES On February 6, 2015, at the Alberta Association of Agricultural Societies Annual Convention in Edmonton, 22 Alberta Agricultural Societies were recognized for over 100 years of service to rural Alberta communities under the new Alberta Agriculutural Societies Century Awards Program. In the photos that follow, Honourable Verlyn Olson, Minister of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, presents the award to representatives of these distinguished organizations. The next page contains a variety of photos featuring some of the distinguished organizations that were awarded, additional photos can be found at: FALL 2015 CANADIAN FAIR NEWS 27