Agricultural society president says Peterborough Exhibition not moving to Kawartha Downs

Hold your horses — and more: the host of the Peterborough Exhibition says its event is not relocating to Kawartha Downs in Fraserville as was announced earlier this week.

In a media release, Kawartha Downs stated the Exhibition would be part of its lineup of events in 2023. Kawartha Downs, an entertainment site south of Peterborough, hosts a horsing racing track and Shorelines Slots casino with extensive plans to expand the property.

For nearly the past 135 years, the “Peterborough Ex” has been held at Morrow Park along Lansdowne Street in Peterborough.

Run by the Peterborough Agricultural Society, the four-day exhibition was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. This year the exhibition was cancelled due to an ongoing dispute the society has with the city over land use at Morrow Park. Construction began in September for a new twin-pad arena. The society argues the project is claiming some land that would be used for some of its activities including equestrian events, a midway and livestock exhibits.

But in an announcement Tuesday, Peterborough Agricultural Society president Viren D’Souza says the Exhibition is not moving, claiming Kawartha Downs made a mistake with its announcement which Global News Peterborough received on Sunday afternoon.

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“A release that was issued on Nov. 20, 2022 by Kawartha Downs incorrectly implied that the Peterborough Exhibition is relocating to Kawartha Downs,” he stated.  “The Peterborough Agricultural Society, organizers of the annual Peterborough Exhibition, has not authorized the use of the name Peterborough Exhibition by Kawartha Downs.”

He noted Kawartha Downs is in no way associated with the Peterborough Exhibition or the Peterborough Agricultural Society.

However, D’Souza said the society has held Exhibition events at Kawartha Downs during the pandemic and have had discussions with the possibility of holding a “a small selection of events at their facility.”

Details for the 2023 season are not confirmed, he said.

More to come…

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