Tag: returning

Posted on by

Heidi’s Walk returning to in-person event on Sept. 18

Heidi’s Walk returning to in-person event on Sept. 18


August 25, 2022   ·  
0 Comments

By Paula Brown

Family Transition Place (FTP) is taking steps to raise awareness of violence against women with upcoming event – Heidi’s Walk for Hope.  

The 5 km walk around Island Lake is scheduled to take place on Sept. 18.

“It’s something that we’ve been looking forward to in so many different ways,” said Brennan Solecky, FTP’s director of development and culture. “The last two years, by nature of the global health climate we were in, the walk had to be virtual, but we knew that wasn’t our ideal. The in-person experience is something that can’t be recreated. We’re looking forward to having everyone together again because there’s a certain energy and collective response that virtual just doesn’t achieve.”

Typically, Family Transition Place hosts two of their events, Heidi’s Walk and the HOPE Project, separately, but this year they’ve thoughtfully joined the two together to create Heidi’s Walk for Hope.  

“It made really good sense to bring them together because they do have similar event mandates that’s to raise awareness and to raise much needed funds towards ending violence against women,” said Solecky. “A lot of people believe quite naively but naturally, if you’ve not been expose to it, that violence can only mean abuse and physical abuse, but it is so much broader than that. Bringing these two events together, it gives us a platform in which to generate awareness about the different types of violence that exist.”

Heidi’s Walk is an annual memorial walk in honour of former Orangeville resident Heidi Ferguson, who tragically died on Sept. 12, 2009 following a domestic dispute with her estranged husband. The incident occurred shortly after Heidi filed for divorce.

In 2012, the Ferguson Memorial Walk (2012-2018) was started by Heidi’s parents, Gus and Penny Bogner, as a way to honour their daughter’s legacy. Hosted by Family Transition Place, the event is now known as Heidi’s Walk. Since it’s inception in 2012, the memorial walk has raised over $150,000 for FTP programs and services.

“A lot of folks don’t believe that violence against women is as prevalent an issue as it is and I think through Heidi’s story, it’s almost the picture that it can be happening to anyone,” said Solecky.

While the event is centred around a 5 km memorial walk it will also include guest speakers, a silent auction and raffle, a vendor’s market and a restorative yoga class with GoYoga Orangeville for $20 a person.

Heidi’s Walk for Hope will not only serve as a memorial walk to raise awareness of violence against women, but will also serve as a way to raise funds for FTP’s programs and services, including their Youth Education Program.

The FTP Youth Education Program is an eight-week lesson designed to teach kids about healthy relationships to help eliminate violence. Since it’s inception in 2011, the program has benefitted more than 50,000 students in over 40 schools.

“It’s a prevention lens, they know how to recognize what is unhealthy or healthy or what is an effective relationship even in their peers,” said Solecky. “Our goal through this programing is hopefully that in their older years they’re able to recognize and support their friends, but also that they won’t need our services, although they’ll continue to be available for those that do.”

This year, Family Transition Place has a goal of raising $50,000 for their programs and services.

Registration is now open to take part in the memorial walk with a $40 fee for adults and no cost for children 12 and under.

Those interested in being a sponsor or in-kind donor for the event-day silent auction or raffle can contact Kelly Lee at 519-942-4122, ext. 243, or email kelly@familytransitionplace.ca.

For more information about Heidi’s Walk for Hope visit www.heidiswalkftp.ca.

Posted on by

PGA Tour: ‘Top players’ commit to ‘elevated’ events; Jay Monahan says ‘no’ to LIV golfers returning

PGA Tour: 'Top players' commit to 'elevated' events; Jay Monahan says 'no' to LIV golfers returning

The 12 elevated events will be the three FedExCup Playoffs, the Genesis Invitational, Arnold Palmer Invitational, Memorial Tournament, WGC-Dell Match Play, Sentry Tournament of Champions and four events to be announced; Top golfers will play a minimum of three other regular PGA Tour events

Last Updated: 24/08/22 3:23pm


Jay Monahan say he is 'inspired by our great players and their commitment' as he outlines four key items to improve the PGA Tour.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Jay Monahan say he is ‘inspired by our great players and their commitment’ as he outlines four key items to improve the PGA Tour.

Jay Monahan say he is ‘inspired by our great players and their commitment’ as he outlines four key items to improve the PGA Tour.

Golf’s “top players” have committed to play at least 20 PGA Tour events a year, commissioner Jay Monahan has announced.

The 20 events include the four major championships, the Players Championship and 12 “elevated” tournaments on the PGA Tour which will have an average purse of $20million (£17million).

Players will then choose a minimum of three other PGA Tour events to add to their schedules as the Tour bids to combat the threat posed by the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series.

“Our top players are firmly behind the Tour, helping us deliver an unmatched product to our fans, who will be all but guaranteed to see the best players competing against each other in 20 events or more throughout the season,” Monahan said in a press conference ahead of the Tour Championship.

Asked if LIV Golf players who were impressed by the changes to the PGA Tour would be welcomed back, Monahan said: “No.

“They’ve joined the LIV Golf Series and they’ve made that commitment and many have made a multi-year commitment.

“I’ve been clear throughout, every player has a choice and I respect that choice. I think they understand that.”

More to follow…

Posted on by

Fergus Fall Fair Next Up on Long List of Local Events Returning to In-Person

Fergus Fall Fair Next Up on Long List of Local Events Returning to In-Person
Fergus Fall Fair Next Up on Long List of Local Events Returning to In-Person

File photo from 2019 Fall Fair

Riverfest Elora and the Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games have come to an end, but next up is the Fergus Fall Fair on the list of local events making a comeback this year.

The 185th Fall Fair will take place September 16-18 on the fairgrounds at the Centre Wellington Sportsplex.

Fair Ambassador Dillon Bernier says you can expect to see all the rides, food, games and exhibits this year, along with a new event on the Thursday before the fair officially opens.

To celebrate the return to an in-person fair, Bernier says they are hosting a Welcome Back concert.


Due to COVID, Bernier’s term as fair ambassador was extended, but he says this year they will once again be holding the ambassador competition.

More information about the fair, the ambassador competition, and the concert can be found at fergusfallfair.ca.

Posted on by

Emancipation Day events returning to Lakeside Park

Emancipation Day events returning to Lakeside Park

Niagara’s annual Emancipation Day celebrations will return to live events this month.

Organized by Matter of Black (MOB) and BlackOwned905 in partnership with FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, the four-day event will feature workshops, live performances and a vendor market at Lakeside Park and downtown St. Catharines.

The event marking pride and solidarity among the Black Canadian community is returning from two years of virtual and hybrid celebrations.

Performing arts centre programming director Sara Palmieri said the event is meant to “remember, honour and respect the struggles of freedom that Black Canadians experience, while continuing to learn and celebrate.”

In years past, the Emancipation Day Picnic at Lakeside Park would attract upwards of 8,000 people from Toronto to Owen Sound, with some attending from Virginia and Tennessee.

The Emancipation Day Picnic has been held in St. Catharines since 1924.

The raising of the Pan-African flag at city hall will kick off the festivities Friday at 2 p.m.

Events on Saturday will include the Black Owned 905 Market with DJ Rennie from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. along with a performance by SHAD at 5:45 p.m., in front of the performing arts centre at 250 St. Paul St.

Sunday will offer an open house and tour talk at Salem Chapel BME Church on Geneva Street from noon to 4 p.m.

Emancipation Day at Lakeside Park on Monday will feature music and activities all day, including a drumming performance by Alpha Rhythm Roots at 2 p.m., a spoken word performance by poet Dwayne Morgan at 6:30 p.m. and a concert by local legends LMT Connection at 7 p.m.

All events are free.

For a full list of Emancipation Day activities visit www.firstniagarapac.ca.

Posted on by

CNE returning after two years with new events, attractions

CNE returning after two years with new events, attractions

NEWS RELEASE

CANADIAN NATIONAL EXHIBITION

*************************

After a two-year hiatus, the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) will mark its highly anticipated return Aug. 19 to Sept. 5 for 18 fun-filled days of all-new features and returning events expected to attract more than 1.4 million visitors through the iconic Princes’ Gates.

This year, the CNE has raised the bar sky-high (literally) with a dazzling nightly Drone Show, created for the EX, featuring 100 drones that will light up the night with precise formations and colourful images. Drones also play a role in the CNE’s new multimedia show, NEVAEH and the NorthStar, presented by VinFast, that merges the most cutting-edge theatrical technology, pyrotechnics, and augmented reality to take audiences on an immersive odyssey through time, land, sea and galaxies.

Festival season culminates at the CNE with special events including a Mardi Gras Food Truck Festival (Aug. 20 to 23, evenings), Food Truck Frenzy and Craft Beer Fest (Aug. 25 to 28), and new Celtic Food Truck Festival (Sept. 1 to 5) celebrating Celtic heritage, music and food.

Fan favourites return with new twists such as a new SuperDogs show, Pawvengers, the 2022 Canadian International Air Show featuring the Canadian Armed Forces Parachute Team and Canadian Forces Snowbirds, and Gaming Garage Powered by AMD is back for all 18 days of the fair in a new, expanded location inside Hall B of the Enercare Centre with more tournaments, prizes, and free-play games. The Celebrity Kitchen Stage is also back for the first time since 2017, to dish up some inspiring meal ideas from chefs Claudio Aprile (MasterChef Canada), Corbin Tomaszeski (Dinner Party Wars), Bob Blumer (The Surreal Gourmet), and Matt Dean Pettit (Rock Lobster Food Co.) to name a few.

There has never been a shortage of photo opportunities at the EX, whether it’s in front of the illuminated CNE sign, or overlooking the fair on the Sky Ride (celebrating its 10th anniversary) — and new this year on the midway, it will be hard to miss the 34-foot-tall double-decker merry-go-round, a picturesque menagerie of lights and colours offering a new Instagram-worthy POV of the CNE. Whether capturing the views, creating new memories, or enjoying the sights, sounds and tastes of the CNE, there are plenty of reasons to say, “Let’s go (back) to the EX.”

2022 highlights at a glance

New: Nightly drone show — Cap off a fun-filled day at the fair with a colourfully dynamic drone show featuring 100 drones that will illuminate the night with an array of stunning images. The show is designed by Canadian company and leading drone formation specialists North Star Entertainment, who have wowed audiences at major events for the NFL, NBA and NASCAR. (Aug. 19 to Sept. 4, at 10:45 p.m. above the Food Building.)

New: NEVAEH and the NorthStar presented by VinFast — Making its stunning debut at this year’s CNE, NEVAEH and her trusty drone, NorthStar, embark on a never-before-seen odyssey through time and space featuring groundbreaking projection mapping, augmented reality, laser, pyrotechnics and indoor drones. Cutting-edge theatrical technology takes audiences on an epic journey in this spectacular new multimedia show. (three shows daily, at Coca-Cola Coliseum.) 

New: Celtic Food Truck Festival — To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the publication of James Joyce’s Ulysses, a new festival takes over Princes’ Boulevard for a rousing weekend that celebrates Celtic culture with music, entertainment and food. (Sept. 1 to 5, Princes’ Boulevard.)

Fourth annual Gaming Garage powered by AMD — Back by popular demand, the CNE’s Gaming Garage powered by AMD and Innovation Garage are bigger and better than ever. New this year, the gaming extravaganza will run throughout all 18 days of the fair featuring everything from e-sports and pinball tournaments to Dungeons and Dragons, board games, VR, Video Game Dance Floor, and more. As well, the Emerging Innovators Pitch Competition takes place Aug. 28, convening Canada’s brightest innovators to pitch their inventions and compete for cash prizes; and a robotics competition takes place Sept. 2 to 4, where contestants and their creators will spar head-to-head to determine which bot will take the crown. (Daily, 2 and 5 p.m., Enercare Centre Hall B.)

Celebrity Kitchen Stage — Celebrity chefs are back for the first time since 2017. The CNE’s Celebrity Kitchen Stage will feature a roster of renowned chefs, Canadian culinarians, and mixologists such as MasterChef Canada’s Claudio Aprile, Corbin Tomaszeski of Dinner Party Wars, and Food Network star Bob Blumer. Get inspiring meal ideas with Caribbean-inspired flavours from La-Toya Fagon or learn how to properly cook with seafood from Rock Lobster’s Matt Dean Pettit. (Daily, Enercare Centre Hall A.)

Food Truck Frenzy and Craft Beer Fest — Everyone’s favourite food truck festival is back. Food Truck Frenzy and Craft Beer Fest will feature more than 20 vendors offering global fare from perogies to Egyptian street food, Caribbean roti to pho dumplings. Wash it all down with a selection of icy cold craft brews. (Aug. 25 to 28, Princes’ Boulevard.) 

SuperDogs — Get ready for a paw-some good time with the SuperDogs. Celebrating their 40th anniversary, these incredible canines will unleash their super powers in a high-energy, high-flying adventure show, Pawvengers. (Daily, Enercare Centre Hall D.)

Celebrating CNE heritage — Step into Doorways to the Past displayed throughout the grounds for an interactive journey of the EX through the eras; travel back in time and walk through the iconic history of the CNE and its storied grounds with the CNE Heritage Immersive Experience (Enercare Centre Heritage Court Gallery) or join the CNE Ghost Walks to learn about the fair’s haunted history and legendary spirits.

CNE Bandshell — Enjoy summer nights outdoors while rocking out with Tom Cochrane or Marianas Trench; jammin’ to the reggae tunes of Jay Douglas; singing along to Gordon Lightfoot’s greatest hits — or discover new music from Juno-winning artists including Indigenous singer-songwriter iskwē and 2022 Breakthrough Group of the Year MONOWHALES, and more. All concerts and performances are free with CNE admission. New this year, the bandshell is shining the spotlight on some of Canada’s funniest acts, headlined by America’s Got Talent judge and one of the most successful comedians in the world, Howie Mandel, on Aug. 19.

Kids’ World — Families can enjoy the mini-midway for kids, interactive programs such as the Pizza Nova pizza-making shop, and plenty of entertainment on the Kids’ World stage from characters such as Bob the Builder, Dorothy and Wags from The Wiggles, and more. New this year in Kids’ World is a topsy-turvy cirque-tacular show, Cirque Wonderland, a Dino Dig, where aspiring paleontologists can dig for prehistoric artifacts, and Chalkmaster Dave, who will be creating amazing chalk art in Kids’ World.

Art at the CNE

National Geographic’s The Greatest Wildlife Photos Exhibit — The world’s most striking wildlife images will be on display at the CNE. For 115 years, National Geographic has pioneered and championed the art of wildlife photography, and captivated generations of audiences with a steady stream of extraordinary images of animals in nature. (Daily, Arts, Crafts and Hobbies Pavilion and Enercare Centre, Hall A.)

Charles Pachter (a.k.a. Johnnie at the Fair) Exhibit: A Romance with Canada — The CNE is honouring the work of esteemed Canadian painter Charles Pachter and his unique connection to the fair. Pachter starred in the National Film Board of Canada’s Johnnie at the Fair, which celebrated a five-year-old child’s experience at the 1947 CNE after the fair had been closed from 1942 and 1946 due to the Second World War. Some of his most renowned works and favourite subject matter will be on display including the Queen and Moose series. (Daily, Withrow Common Gallery.)

Voitek Pendrak Immersive Projections — Toronto-based photographer and multimedia artist Voitek Pendrak presents an all-new 360-degree, immersive experience, titled A Trip Through 103: Therapy for the Soul, that combines his vibrant kaleidoscope-like imagery and cinematography with an original soundtrack to create a truly mind-bending show. (Daily, 1 to 7 p.m., Enercare Centre Salon 103.)

The Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation Exhibit — The CNE invites fair goers to learn more about the land on which we gather, that is part of the Treaty 13 lands and the territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee, and the Huron-Wendat. This important exhibit showcases the history and culture of the Mississaugas of the Credit through art, storytelling, and a variety of interactive experiences. (Daily, Enercare Centre.)

General admission (plus HST and applicable fees)

$20: Advance tickets (purchased before Aug. 18)

$25: General admission (14 to 64 years)

$20: Adults 65 and better

$20: Children (ages 5 to 13)

Free: Children four and under

$75: CNE Family Pass (two adults and two children or one adult and three children)

To purchase tickets, ride passes, and for more information on discounts and promotions, go to www.TheEx.com.

The Canadian National Exhibition is Canada’s largest community event and one of the top 10 agricultural exhibitions in North America. Founded in 1879, the CNE generates an economic impact of approximately $93.1. million for the Greater Toronto Area and $128.3 million for the Province of Ontario each year (when in operation). It is celebrated as one of the “greenest” fairs in North America and attracted 1.4 million visitors over 18 days in 2019.

*************************

Posted on by

Outhouse races returning!

Outhouse races returning!

After a two year pause due to the pandemic, the Cochrane Outhouse races are returning.

Event organizer Dan Kroffat says that the over 20 year-old event is scheduled to take place on Sunday, August 28th barring any complications.

The format for the races is similar to a popular Stampede event says Kroffat.

“It’s almost like the chuckwagon’s, we do them in heats and then we eliminate the teams that are losing in their heats, and then we have a final runoff between the two finalists to determine who will be the 2022 outhouse world champion.”

In addition to races a special award will be given to one of its organizers, that has helped make the races the success that it is says Kroffat.

“We’re going to be honouring Karrie Peace, who had run the Outhouse races for years, so this year we want to take the opportunity to thank her so we’ll be presenting her with a citizen’s award.”

Kroffat also says that the races will be open to sign up for next week under a new group.

“We will have a contact set-up, and it’ll be through our new group, just formed recently in Cochrane, the Rocky Mountain Rotarians. This is a group of young business leaders who have now come together and they will be serving the community in every way they can.”

Lastly Kroffat says that Cochranites should start to get excited for the return of the races.

“I would suggest people get out and oil up those wheels on the outhouses, because we’re coming back and it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Posted on by

Returning events provide boost to Shropshire company, says business leader

Shropshire Chamber chief executive Richard Sheehan
Shropshire Chamber chief executive Richard Sheehan
Shropshire Chamber chief executive Richard Sheehan

Shropshire Chamber chief executive Richard Sheehan said the events are important in not only providing revenue, but also attract thousands of visitors from outside the area.

The Covid pandemic wreaked havoc on the events industry for two years, but this year events in the county are back in full swing.

Shropshire usually hosts a range of major events each year, including the Shropshire County Show, Shrewsbury Flower Show, music concerts as well festivals.

Just weeks after 80s legends Tears for Fears performed a concert at the QEII Arena in Telford Town Park, pop royalty Madness will be performing an outdoor gig in the Quarry Park in Shrewsbury on Friday, July 15.

Mr Sheehan said: “The events industry feeds heavily into the tourism, leisure and hospitality industry which has been hard hit by Covid. These events help market the area. They are enjoyed by people living locally as well as bring people in from outside.

“In the short-term they raise revenue, but they also raise awareness of the beautiful destinations we have got in the county and make people want to come back and visit.

“The diverse events on offer in such a rural county is fantastic.

“We’re in a situation where we recognise our agricultural roots and that will bring people in from that sector. But with events such as the concerts and flower show, they bring a much diverse audience and attract people from further afield who will stay in hotels and spend money in bars and restaurants.

“All these events should continue to be welcomed and supported.”

Shropshire Festivals organises several major events in the county annually, including Shrewsbury Food Festival, Shropshire Oktoberfest, Shropshire Kids Festivals, Shropshire Tasty Trail and Shropshire Party at the Quarry Park, collectively attracting over 90,000 visitors annually.

It has also been enlisted to organise the Queen’s Baton Relay family festival in the Quarry on Monday afternoon and Oakengates Carnival in September.

Owner and creative director, Beth Heath, said: “Local events are incredibly important, not just for our economy, but for strengthening community cohesion. Since the moment Boris announced the first lockdown, we have realised how much we took live events for granted – being immersed in community spirit, supporting local businesses, and having fun with our loved ones with shared experiences.

“It has been brilliant to bring back all of our major events this year, plus we’ve had a new demand for event consultancy with corporate clients – everyone wants to enjoy in person parties again, which is fantastic.

“Away from the big boys like Glastonbury, smaller events and festivals like ours are facing a huge challenge. All of our costs are going up but our customers are battling a cost-of-living crisis. Event organisers can’t put on events which don’t break even, let alone make a profit, but we’re loathed to pass on cost increases to customers who are feeling the strain too. It’s going to make many events become unviable, which is heart-breaking.

“Our festivals are a huge boost to the local tourism sector, with people travelling from outside the county, and even the country to visit us. Local restaurants and hotels get booked out whilst our events are on.

“We give space at our festivals for other events to market themselves, helping to boost visitor return visits.

“We believe our events have a circular economy, they attract local people, who support the local businesses we showcase, who create jobs and opportunities in our local area, and those businesses make our events better. I can’t stress enough how important it is to support local events in the area.”

Posted on by

WWE NXT stars Grayson Waller and Xyon Quinn explain the importance of returning to live events

WWE NXT stars Grayson Waller and Xyon Quinn explain the importance of returning to live events

NXT stars Grayson Waller and Xyon Quinn have explained the importance of returning to live events, with the COVID area officially in the rear-view mirror for WWE’s developmental territory.

The third brand of the pro wrestling juggernaut has seen a myriad of changes in recent times, with the new-look NXT 2.0 focusing more on preparing talent for the bright lights of the main roster, as opposed to being it’s own entity. 

Waller has become one of the shining lights for the brand since the changes were made, with the Aussie loudmouth cementing himself as one of the top heels in NXT.

From working an angle with the departing Johnny Gargano, to wrestling former world champion AJ Styles and challenging for a number of titles within NXT, the 32-year-old is primed for big things in the squared circle.

Waller is one of many NXT stars who will now get the experience to go back out on the road post-COVID, with the brand only working out of their Performance Center in Orlando, Florida since the pandemic began. 

Prior to the pandemic, NXT was a touring brand that would do ‘loops’ around parts of the US, and even travelled to the UK and Australia at the height of its popularity. 

And while the goalposts may have been moved in regards to the product, getting the opportunity as a developmental talent to perform solely for the live crowd, as opposed to a massive television audience, will only be beneficial in the long run.

Despite years of experience working the independents in Australia, Waller knows how important it is for the NXT roster and himself personally to get out in front of a different audience and further hone their craft. 

“It’s super important, I can’t put it over enough,” he told The Sporting News. 

“Luckily for me, I have about four or five years on the independent scene in Australia and working in front of live crowds twice every week.

“There’s a lot of people in NXT who this is their first time either working in front of a crowd at all, which is wild, or working in front of a crowd that isn’t at the Performance Center.

“That Performance Center crowd, they are there every week and they know everyone and they know what to expect. These live event crowds, some of these people have never seen wrestling before, so it’s a different environment.

“Regardless of how talented I am, when the camera comes on I perform, but the stress is there before you go out. There’s hundreds of thousands of people watching (on TV) and most of them want you to fail.

“Being able to go on these live events and have a little bit more fun and enjoy yourself more and interact with the live crowd, we’re not working for the people at home – we are working for the people who bought a ticket to come and watch us and we put on a show for them.

“I think it’s the most important thing and now that we are back doing that, I think you are going to see people improve even more rapidly than they are already are.”

With pro wrestling experience prior to signing with WWE, the likes of Waller, Carmelo Hayes and Cameron Grimes could be considered ‘main-roster ready’ in 2022, and those men likely aren’t far away from receiving a call to move up to Raw or SmackDown.

But for a talent like Xyon Quinn, who has come from a professional rugby league background just three years ago, the return to live events is even more important.

Up until the return to touring, the 32-year-old had only ever wrestled in front of the tight-knit Orlando crowd for the brand’s weekly TV program – but his world is about to change.

Quinn explained the ‘trial and error’ aspect of working live events without the pressure of TV. 

“You go out there, you have fun and try things – some things don’t work and you change them,” he told The Sporting News.

“As you know from school, when you make some drafts and send them in, the teacher has a look and they give it back to you – you send the next one in and get a much better mark.

“That’s kind of the same thing, you’ve just got to make sure you are ready and learn what things work and what things don’t and learn to try things.

“That’s the whole fun of it.”

Quinn and Waller are just two of a long list of Australian stars to make the jump to WWE, and while they come from different backgrounds, their end goal is the same.

And with WWE’s past reliance on part-time stars such as The Undertaker, Triple H and John Cena now leaving a huge hole at the top of the main roster, the hunger for NXT stars to make the jump and succeed is higher than ever. 

WWE NXT airs each Wednesday from 10am AEST on FOX8 and 8pm ET on USA Network. 

Posted on by

Dogs, fast draw, and tractor pulls among favourite events returning to Aldergrove Fair – Langley Advance Times

The Aldergrove Fair will see the return of the antique tractor pull this year, along with dog agility, fast draw, and other popular events as the fair returns to full operation. (Langley Advance Times file)

This year, the tractor pull is back at the Aldergrove Fair Days.

After two years of cancelled or scaled-back events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the July 14-17 fair will see the return in full of many traditional events.

“That tractor pull is back to its traditional format,” said the fair’s Mike Robinson.

That means multiple weight classes, ranging from the tiny “garden tractors” up to the big full sized farm tractors, will be on hand on the Kinsmen Park Field near the Aldergrove Community Secondary.

The tractors will be over on the south side of the fairgrounds near the BMX track, Robinson said.

In tractor pull, a tractor hauls a large sled, with wheels at the back, that has a significant amount of weight in it. The weight doesn’t stay still, either – it moves forward during the course of the pull, so it weighs down the portion of the sled that drags on the ground, increasing resistance the longer the tractor lasts.

The tractor pulls at the Aldergrove Fair will take place over a 250 foot course. There are usually about 40 competitors, Robinson said.

The fast draw competition, featuring holsters and six guns, will not only be back, the celebrity edition will take place. Local politicians, businesspeople, and other prominent Langley folks will get to test their speed with a shooting iron in front of the crowds.

Also returning will be the dog agility shows, which weren’t present at all in last year’s smaller fair.

The agility show has been moved to the northeast corner of the site, where there’s a little hill for people to sit on and watch events. The number of dogs competing in the event, which involves pups completing an obstacle course, hasn’t been determined yet.

Back for the first time in a while is also Mike the Reptile Guy.

READ ALSO: A bigger and better Aldergrove Fair is in the works

PREVIOUSLY: ‘Drive up’ version of Aldergrove Fair is a hit

“He’s got a phenomenal collection of snakes and reptiles,” said Robinson.

International Movie Services will also make a return with a collection of vintage and antique military equipment and vehicles. The local company rents out everything from trucks to armoured vehicles to uniforms for movies, and shows off parts of its collection at local events including the fair.

You never know what they’ll turn up with, said Robinson.

“They could bring out a new vehicle every day for a year.”

There will also be the biggest vendor area ever, and while there isn’t a full midway, there are a couple of interactive game sites, including a climbing wall and a bungee ride that launches people up.

Taking part in many of these events isn’t out of the reach of members of the general public, Robinson noted, although it might be too late to sign up for this year’s fair.

Local clubs run the fast draw and dog agility events, so taking part is a matter of joining those groups, Robinson said.

“Next year, you could be bringing your dogs out.”

Have a story tip? Email: matthew.claxton@langleyadvancetimes.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

AldergroveDogsLangley