After being cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Saskatoon Ex is back.
Scooter Korek, vice-president of client services with North America Midway Entertainment, said it just feels good to see people smile again.
“You know, after the pandemic we’re just thrilled to be able to get back and put some smiles on peoples’ faces. So excited … for people to get back together again, go out with their friends, have some fun, go on some rides, eat some fair food. It’s just great,” said Korek.
The Ex travels around for nine and a half months of the year supplying communities with rides, carnival food, entertainment and games.
“I don’t know that people appreciate how good this fair is. North American Midway does 124 fairs a year and this by all means is in our top 10 fairs,” said Korek.
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Even with high anticipation, marketing coordinator Kristy Rempel says she has no expectations for the amount of people who will attend the Ex.
In previous years, there have been around 200,000 attendees over the course of six days.
But with the fair being extended by an extra two days, Rempel hopes they possibly surpass the previous attendance mark.
“We just don’t know, so we’re just excited that people have an opportunity to come out and experience the event and do the fun things and that we can be here to put on an event like that,” Rempel said.
Midway brought 42 rides for this years’ event, with hundreds of different food and game vendors setting up on the grounds as well.
Every vendor will have enough space in between them to allow for visitors to properly socially distance.
There will also be sanitization stands set up all over the Prairieland Park grounds.
Rempel noted that there are around 600 people working the event to keep it running smoothly.
The Ex runs from Aug. 6-8 with a two-day break for clean-up, and then resumes from Aug. 11-15.
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