Planning underway for Queen City Ex

The fair experience you know and love will be returning this summer.

After telling 980 CJME in April that the Queen City Ex coming back for the summer was a real possibility, it’s looking like the hopes of Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL) CEO Tim Reid will become a reality.

Planning is well underway for this year’s fair after the 2020 edition was cancelled because of COVID-19. The grounds that have been used as a COVID vaccination and testing site will now be used by thousands of people for something entirely different in August.

Reid spoke with Greg Morgan on Monday morning and gave some insight on what the fair will look like this year.

“Most of the fair will be outdoors and we anticipate you’ll still have the rides, the food, the games that you know and love,” he said. “We do anticipate that we’ll have concerts and entertainment; how exactly that looks we’re not sure yet.

“We are also optimistic that we’ll be able to do some form of rodeo.”

The usual date of Aug. 4 to 8 might be subject to change, depending on if the midway provider has to change some of its route.

“We are looking at a date shift that might put us in week number three and potentially four so it may be a longer Queen City Ex this summer,” Reid said.  “We’re planning today as if it’s going to go with securing artists and securing the setup and the contractors that we need to make it happen.”

Live music is expected to be very prominent in the Queen City over the next 12 months, according to Reid.

He says eight concerts are currently on hold at the Brandt Centre and there are three stadium concerts possibly in the books for 2022.

“We’re looking forward to a great year of entertainment. We are getting great feedback on people wanting to come back to events,” Reid said. “2022 looks like it’s going to be an incredibly busy year.”