If Westerner Days Fair and Exposition is anything like last year, with people pouring through the turnstiles, the local economy will reap millions of dollars in benefits next week.
Attendance was way up last year, so much so that a new record of 94,000 fairgoers was set, said Westerner Park marketing manager Erin Gobolos.
And 43 per cent of those visitors came from outside the Red Deer area.
“Anytime we get an influx of visitors into our city, it certainly creates a boom for our local businesses, particularly for the hospitality and retail sector,” said Red Deer Chamber of Commerce president Maureen McMurtrie.
“Each year gate attendance records seem to have been broken, and that is indicative of the calibre of acts that they are bringing in now,” she said.
It is anticipated that Westerner Days, with the slogan of “Break Away from the Everyday,” will generate a gross economic impact of $7.3 million.
Gobolos says they hope to reach the 100,000 attendance mark this year.
“That is definitely our goal and we are not far from it,” she said. “We have increased our attendance every year so we are looking to do the same this year.”
Westerner Days, running from July 18 to 22, kicks off with the parade on Wednesday and winds up on Sunday.
The parade starts at 9:30 a.m. on 48th Avenue and wraps around to 47th Avenue, 53rd Street and to 51st Avenue. The route will then follow around to 48th Street and back to 48th Avenue. The route is approximately 3.4 km in length and the parade takes about one hour.
Gobolos said every year about 30,000 people flock to the downtown core for the parade, which has numerous agricultural livestock entries. The marshalling area for the parade will be open at 7:45 a.m.
The Canadian Forces SkyHawks will parachute in formation and land into the bowl of the pony chuckwagon track on Wednesday and Thursday evening at the fair. The North American Pony Chuckwagon Championships, one of the most popular events at Westerner Days, will feature 56 drivers competing for the championship buckle and trophy. On the other nights, the Stars of Tomorrow, who are the children of the chuckwagon drivers, will open the show with a race themselves.
“That is something we have never done before and it will be really great,” Gobolos said.
There are 17 confirmed offsite events, including pancake breakfasts, barbecues, a chili cookoff and show and shine. For more information, visit www.westernerdays.ca/off-site-events.
• On Wednesday night, the SkyHawks team will be available for autographs and pictures.
• Thursday is McDonald’s Kids Days, where children 12 and under get gate admission for free until 6 p.m. Ride coupons are reduced by $1 until 7 p.m.
• Sunday is Service Credit Union Family Day, where a carload of up to six people get gate admission and parking for $20. The Ride-All-Day pass will also be featured for $12 for kids 10 and under.
• The Northern Lights Fireworks Show will brighten the night sky on Friday evening.
• Hedley, Sawyer Brown, Nazareth and Terri Clark will be performing on different nights. Visit www.westernerdays.ca/entertainment for more information.
• Midway boulevard acts are Bandaloni, Copper Cowboy, Doo Doo the Clown, Movie Stunt Adventure, My Antique Portrait Ltd., Spandy Andy, Wobbly Water Balls and X-Treme Wild.
• Living Wild with Safari Jeff, Dale Murdock Sand Sculpture and Under the Sea will be featured at Adventure Alley.
• The North American Midway will feature 16 thrill rides, 15 family rides and 11 kiddie rides.
For detailed information, including times and locations, visit www.westernerdays.ca.
jjones@www.reddeeradvocate.com