More than 262,720 people made their way down to the Queen City Ex this year, which marks an increase of more than 3,190 from 2023.
“The five days of the Queen City Ex, presented by SaskTel, have been amazing, filled with the sounds of our guests having fun, the aroma of mini-donuts, corn dogs, and music from some amazing acts that took to the Original 16 stage,” Roberta Engel, the Regina Exhibition Association Limited’s (REAL) acting president, said in a statement.
“The positive feedback I heard as I walked the midway and attended various events was amazing. It was a great gathering of the community, with the smiles, joy, and countless moments of fun I witnessed from our thousands of guests.”
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After multiple incidents with fights and bear spray at last year’s fair, security was increased heading into this year’s Ex.
The exhibition added metal detectors and bag checks at all entrance gates this year, and also partnered with the Regina Police Service to have officers at different points throughout the area.
According to Regina Police, there was 39 reports of lost children who were reunited with family. There were also 11 reports of intoxicated people, two physical altercations and one bear spray incident.
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Fan favourites such as the QCX Eating Contest returned for another year, which saw world-famous competitive eater Joey Chestnut eat 343 mini donuts in just eight minutes. The event acted as a fundraiser for the Regina and District Food Bank, which helped gather more than 452,000 meals.
“For many years, our partnership with QCX has been a cornerstone in our efforts to serve the Regina community,” John Bailey, the food bank’s CEO, said in a statement.
“Over the last three years, the mini-donut competition has been an important collaboration and has been instrumental in helping us meet the increasing demand. The new format this year added a layer of fun, and the competitors did an outstanding job raising funds for the Food Bank.”
Saskatchewan’s Strongest Man Competition was one new event this year. It featured tire flipping, deadlifting a car and a variety of other strongman feats of strength. The title of Saskatchewan’s Strongest Man went to 29-year-old Sam Rissling of Regina, who lifted more than 43,000 pounds in the competition.
The 2025 Queen City Ex will run from July 30 to Aug. 3, 2025.
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