Westerner Days (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

By Alessia Proietti

July 17-23

Organizers say guests can expect MORE at this year’s Westerner Days

Jul 18, 2023 | 4:01 PM

Locals have witnessed Westerner Days Fair & Exhibition grow significantly over the past 130 years, bringing central Albertans together for fun, music and entertainment, and organizers say this year will push the envelope even further.

“The best way to say what they [the public] can expect this year is ‘more’,” said Marla Lowe, Marketing and Communications Manager for Westerner Park.

From July 19-23 at Westerner Park (4847A 19 St.), the festivities will begin with the annual parade on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. in downtown Red Deer. Lowe says over 120 floats will be participating, starting at the Pidherney Centre (4725 43 St.).

READ: Road closures/transit disruptions during Westerner Days parade

Not only will there be over 30 rides and attractions at the fair’s midway, but some new exciting attractions include a thrilling Monster Truck, propping guests on the backseat for a tour around a race track, and a new food and beverage outdoor area called “The District”, hosting over 30 food trucks from across the region with live music.

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Lowe says due to high demand, pig races will also be returning this year to the Community Corner alongside the local Backcountry Recreation company serving freshly cooked food samples.

Four pavilions will be packed with a myriad of activities:

• Kidventure: families can participate in Hula Hoop Circus workshops, Junior Firefighters presentations, learn about reptiles, watch Doo Doo the Clown, face paint, play mini golf, axe throwing and so much more
• Agventure: besides meeting farm animals, kids can learn the Ultimate Bull Fighting Experience, watch a gravity-defying jump show, partake in a blacksmith workshop, or even see numerous machinery displays, including a giant combine
• The Market: taking up two pavilions, the market will be filled with over 100 food and beverage, arts, culture and lifestyle vendors with an indoor patio facing a live-music stage for emerging artists

Fair classics like the Pony Chuckwagon Championships will also be present with five days of racing in anticipation for their 50^th anniversary next year.

Westerner Park faced various struggles over the past few years due to the pandemic and costly financial decision-making. However, Lowe says this year is going to bring more for guests as they come out from those times of unrest.

“The team here has been super committed to bringing back more for the community; more things for them to do so they get more value for what they’re paying for to come in here. They get to have more experiences and just spend a genuine time enjoying themselves, having great food, great beverages, great vibes,” she said.

READ: Red Deer city council helps Westerner Exposition Association towards financial sustainability

Apart from nightly fireworks, live music will be performed, indoors and outdoors, each night, including headliner Arkells on Saturday at the Peavey Mart Centrium.

Tickets can be purchased in various packages either at the door, on the Westerner Days website, or on Tickets Alberta.