Regina senior celebrates 70th year going to Queen City Ex

Once known as Buffalo Days, Queen City Ex has been around for 134 years.

Barry Tappin started coming to the Exhibition when he was just two-years-old. 70-years later, he hasn’t missed a single one, attending over half of the events.

“I look forward to this week every year. Always have and always will,” Tappin said.

“Jonny Rivers used to have diving mules, outside of the Brandt Centre… And it was so cold that one year even the mules wouldn’t jump into the water,” Tappin said.

READ MORE: Not all the fun is outdoors at the Queen City Ex in Regina

Tappin notes that diving mules won’t ever be back at the Ex.

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Back then, everything including the rides were transported by train.

“It would have just been the lights, the rides, everything and back in the day that’s when Royal American Shows used to travel by train,” Tappin said.

“Back then… The midway was all dirt. There was Scotsmen Sunday where everybody in town came to watch them, they set up around us… Few days before, they would put oil down on the ground.”

“Time has evolved,” he said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Time has evolved," he said.

Tappin flashes back to that and other moments as he takes a walk ‘Down Memory Lane’, an exhibit at the Ex.

He is joined by a number of volunteers, like Isabel Sheltgen, who has been coming to the Ex for decades.

“It shows people what used to be and what progress has been made over the years, just around the park,” Sheltgen said.

All these years later, families experience the same joy at the fair. Melinda Pelletier and her three-year-old daughter Jayla are hoping to experience their own magic at the midway to make lasting memories.

“Who can resist the food? We come for the rides for the little ones now… We are probably going to become annual people at the Ex for sure,” Melinda Pelletier said.

READ MORE: The Queen City Ex full of yummy foods this year

That is joy to Barry Tappin, because for him, the summer fair is more than just rides and food. It is a love affair.

“It’s been a fun ride,” Tappin said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It's been a fun ride," Tappin said.