It’s late August, and if you’re in the Westlock area, that means it’s fair time.
The 102nd annual rendition of the Westlock and District Agricultural Fair is right around the corner and gets underway Friday and runs through until Sunday.
This year more than 12,000 are expected to pass through the gates Aug. 19-21 said Westlock and District Agricultural Society president Bob Jones.
“It’s hard to estimate, but probably between 10,000 and 12,000 usually come through our gates,” Jones said.
“We always hope for more.”
Fair weekend kicks off, as usual, with the parade on Friday morning, and then festivities move over to the fair grounds for the remaining events including the two-day rodeo, chuckwagons, demolition derby, midway, baseball and hall exhibits.
While the fair itself has already celebrated its centennial in 2014, this year’s fair will pay homage to the Town of Westlock’s 100th anniversary this year, starting with Friday’s parade.
“We’re hoping some of the floats will spill over,” Jones said. “Even though it’s over, it’s a salute to Westlock’s centennial.”
With a summer full of excess rain and overall good growing conditions, Jones said organizers are hopeful for a good selection at the hall exhibits.
“Between the trade show and hall exhibits, the hall is full,” Jones said.
“It should be good because of all the rain we’ve been having. We’re expecting a big turnout of really good plants and flowers.”
Finally, the weekend caps off with the demolition derby on Sunday afternoon, which is always a crowd-pleaser, Jones said.
The weekend, Jones said simply would not be possible without the work of more than 300 volunteers.
“We wouldn’t even think about it,” Jones said. “It just would not be possible to put on the fair without our volunteers.”
Admission to the fair hasn’t changed and is $10 per day for adults and $5 for kids aged 6-13, while children under 6 are free. A three-day weekend pass is also available for $25.
