Hundreds gathered to say a final farewell to summer and soak up some sun before autumn sets in at the Red River Exhibition Park.
The Fall Fair near the Assiniboia Downs drew in Dominique and her family for the first time. Dominique, who asked for her last name to not be used, and he six-year-old son Nash whirled around on the midway rides.
“I thought we were gonna crash into the fence,” said Nash, while looking around for the next ride to hop on.
Dominique and son Nash take a whirl on the Scrambler during the Fall Fair at Red River Exhibition Park in Winnipeg Sunday.
“We’re trying to work up the courage to do bigger and bigger rides,” said Dominique.
Normally, the family spends the long weekend at their cottage in Victoria Beach, but decided to stay in the city this year.
Nash has been to Disneyland and loved the rides there. Dominique said they had to choose between going to Tinkertown or the Fall Fair, but ultimately decided to try something new.
“There’s a lot of fun stuff here. It’s great that there’s stuff to do on the long weekend for people who don’t have a cottage to go to,” Dominique said before following Nash to the next midway attraction.
Providing an option for fun for families that don’t have a cabin to go to is the main goal of the fair, said Red River Exhibition Association CEO Garth Rogerson. The turnout was great, he said Sunday afternoon as the three-day fair neared its end.
Garth Rogerson, CEO of Red River Exhibition Park, is pleased with the turnout this year for the fair.
Free Sunday admission and parking enticed fair-goers, he said.
“The crowd is streaming in steady. I’m really pleased,” Rogerson said. “The families are really coming out and it’s just a pleasure to see it all come together.”
For the fair’s third year, there was a new main stage with bands performing live music, a larger dinosaur exhibit and free Clydesdale wagon rides. It’s like a smaller version of the Red River Ex, Rogerson added.
Patrick Labossiere said he was excited to interact with the animals at the petting zoo after going on rides with his son Tyson. It’s the first time in a decade he’s been to the fair grounds and the very first time for his kids.
Labossiere said he loves to get a whole bucket of mini donuts to share while he and his family walk around the grounds.
Harper, Ariste, and Hermes enjoy a thrilling ride on Tilt-A-Wheel.
“At the end of summer break, we wanted to do something super special. We wanted to… enjoy all the rides, stay outside and have some fun,” Labossiere said. “It’s the last hurrah to have a good time and remember all the fun things we’ve done in the summer.”
jura.mcilraith@freepress.mb.ca
Patrick Labossiere and son Tyson have a blast on the Typhoon.