Plans for Saskatoon Exhibition in the air until Calgary Stampede makes decision on its own fair

Like being stuck in the air on a ride not knowing how long you’re going to have to stay up there, so too are plans for “The Ex” in Saskatoon this year, for now.

But Prairieland Park CEO Mark Regier hopes there will be some kind of fair.

Last year’s events were cancelled because of the pandemic, and it will be a few more weeks before we know what could happen this year.

“We’re having communications with our mid-way company that brings the rides here,” he said. “That’s the biggest issue—to see whether they can make it here or no.”

Regier says the company is based out of the U.S. and it typically goes to about half a dozen Canadian cities throughout the summer, beginning with the Calgary Stampede. The company then goes to Edmonton and Regina before coming to Saskatoon and then heading off to Toronto.

“They’re working hard to get the Calgary Stampede off and get the Alberta government to relax the rules reasonably for them to maybe run at 50 per cent of their usual attendance,” Regier explained.

He added that if that happens in Calgary one month ahead of Saskatoon, then the same template might be used to try and work with the Saskatchewan government to get the fair running in August.

He says there will likely be an announcement in Calgary by the end of this month, or very early in April.

“So, we’ll know then whether we’ve got a chance or not,” explained Regier.

He said Prairieland Park will have to make an announcement in April as well, and if Calgary’s out, then chances are it wouldn’t happen in Saskatoon either.

“Without the carnival here and the rides, it really reduces what we can produce here,” he said.