Everybody loves a fair
Horsing around will be encouraged as community members congregate in Beban Park for Nanaimo鈥檚 summer fair this weekend.
The Vancouver Island Exhibition takes place Friday to Sunday, Aug. 25-27, at Beban鈥檚 fairgrounds.
The VIEX will be a celebration of agriculture, but also a summer fair filled with diversions such as a midway with rides and games, food trucks, a full slate of musical performers and other entertainment and family activities.
Horse owners can take part in the Obstacle Trail Challenge Playday on Saturday, Aug. 26, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
鈥淚t鈥檚 set up for horses, so anyone with a horse can enter. It鈥檚 our first time doing it, so it will be interesting 鈥� it鈥檚 basically some fun games for the horses, there are some obstacles to go through,鈥� said Michelle Solloway, VIEX spokesperson.
Registration is required, as are helmets for riders aged 18 years and younger.
Another sure-fire crowd-pleaser will be motocross action presented by GlobalFMX.
鈥淭hey do crazy jumps and flips and all kinds of tricks way up in the air and it鈥檚 a lot of fun,鈥� said Solloway. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e a big draw, and they鈥檙e good at hyping everyone up so they put on a good show.鈥�
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Live music is always a big VIEX draw and headlining Saturday is Juno Award-winning country music star George Canyon who hits the main stage at 9:30 p.m. with B.C.-born Chris Andres opening at 8 p.m., and Solloway said there will be tribute bands of some notable groups.
鈥淥n Friday night there鈥檚 a tribute to the Tragically Hip and a tribute to Heart,鈥� said Solloway. 鈥淭here鈥檚 an AC/DC group, they鈥檙e TNT 鈥� the Bon Scott Revue, because they do Bon Scott-era tributes. Then we have an Eagles tribute on Saturday. There鈥檚 an Alice in Chains tribute and then a Stone Temple Pilots [tribute].鈥�
In July, the VIEX announced that the barns on the fairgrounds were condemned, but Solloway said organizers have made adjustments to accommodate livestock.
鈥淥ur poultry, rabbits and [guinea pigs] will be in the Centennial Building 鈥� then we have goats and sheep and a petting farm and horses down on the grounds outside,鈥� she said.
The fair could stand to have a few more volunteers, but regardless, organizers are ready.
鈥淭he board has worked really hard and it鈥檚 been a bit of a different year for us with the barns closing, but we鈥檝e rallied together and I think it鈥檚 going to be really great,鈥� Solloway said.
Admission is $12 for adults, $9 for youths and seniors and $5 for children 12 and under. Children six and under get in for for free.
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