This year, three new attendance records were set during Westerner Days Fair and Exposition.
The most significant was on July 23, with a total of 26,825 people in attendance and on July 24, with a total of 18,355 people. Organizers say it’s a significant change from last year.
Also about 21,355 people attended the Family Day and enjoyed the new unlimited Ride Pass promotion. In total 93,965 people attended the fair, the highest attendance ever recorded.
Kicking off Westerner Days with a great parade downtown Wednesday morning the fair only got better.
One of the more popular tourist promotions, the ‘Arrest-a-Guest’ event brought out Steve Keddy, Theresa Lutz, and their children Rachel, 11, and Lucas, 10, all the way from Murphy Lake, NS.
The family were this year’s ‘Guest Family’ and were shown Red Deer’s hospitality and also landed free admission into the fair as well as other perks such as riding in the parade. The family was pulled over by an RCMP officer the day before Westerner Days kicked off and were offered the chance to be special guests of Red Deer for 48 hours.
Organizers also said the entertainment line-up this year proved to play a significant part in the record-breaking numbers with entertainers such as Dean Brody, Aaron Lines, High Valley and Chad Brownlee who performed on the outdoor stage at the beer gardens.
Also the main stage at the Enmax Centrium featured entertainers including April Wine, These Kids Wear Crowns, Stereos and Johnny Reid.
For the younger generation entertainment such as Spandy Andy, Doo Doo the Clown, the All About Science Show, Dock Dogs, and the FMX Show proved to be exciting for all.
Despite a cancellation Friday night the Pony Chuckwagon’s were back at it Saturday competing for the top spot.
The Sunny Family Fun Zone also brought joy to children with good food from the ENMAX Family Grill and also the Dairyland Kid’s Corral as well as the Petting zoo with horses, cows, goats, ducks, chickens and kittens. Agricultural shows including the goat show also proved to be successful once again as various age groups showed off their animals to the judges.
tsigurdson@reddeerexpress.com
