Red River Exhibition Explained

Red River Exhibition
Location:3977 Portage Ave.
Coordinates:49.886°N -97.3271°W
Dates:June
Genre:Summer fair
Attendance:233,000 (2011)
Frequency:Annual
Country:Canada
Area:480acres

The Red River Exhibition (or "The Ex" for short and historically as Manisphere) is a ten-day festival hosted every summer, in June, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The event takes place at Exhibition Park and features a midway, concerts, stage shows, and agricultural exhibits. The park is operated by the Red River Exhibition Association, a not-for-profit organization. Winnipeg's The Guess Who played there in 2015, and the Crash Test Dummies played there in 1992.

The Ex was started in 1952 at the Osborne Stadium complex near the Manitoba Legislative Building. It later moved to the Polo Park Race Track and then to the Winnipeg Stadium, Winnipeg Arena, and Winnipeg Velodrome facilities.

In 1997, it moved to its present location. The total amount of land owned at the western edge of Winnipeg 480acres. Red River Exhibition Park was built as a multi-purpose facility on only 90 of those acres leaving almost 400acres for future growth and expansion.

The annual fair continues to grow despite the fact its arrival is frequently accompanied by significant amounts of rain, (seven days out of ten in 2014).[1] [2] The record for attendance at the Ex is 223,183 paid visitors, set in 2011.[3]

See also

Other Canadian annual fairs

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Geary. Aidan. Rain doesn't keep riders from Red River Ex. 19 June 2016. Winnipeg Free Press. 17 June 2015.
  2. News: Megarry. Brett. Red River Ex Massive Despite Rain. 19 June 2016. 680 CJOB. 24 June 2014.
  3. News: Weather rains on Red River Ex's parade; attendance down this year. 19 June 2016. 24 June 2013. Winnipeg Free Press.