The Battlefords Agricultural Society will have a midway and parade this summer following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. (Submitted photo/Jocelyn Ritchie)

By Angela Brown

COVID-19 restrictions lifting

Battlefords Agricultural Society planning Northwest Territorial Days Parade, midway event

Jul 9, 2021 | 1:00 PM

The Battlefords Agricultural Society is excited to announce it will be holding a number of events this summer with the province’s COVID-19 restrictions lifting July 11.

General manager Jocelyn Ritchie is thrilled to be able to offer the parade and a midway this year after the events were cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“It’s been a really long haul,” she told battlefordsNOW Friday. “Thank you to everybody who supported us. We’re hoping for community support to keep us going. We’re so happy we can start offering some events for the public to attend.”

The Northwest Territorial Days Parade will take place August 16 starting at 7 p.m.

There will not be any candy, drinks or give-aways distributed during the parade, for safety reasons and as a COVID precaution. Anyone wanting to participate in the parade will need to contact the Agricultural Society in advance. The theme of the event this year is the Great Outdoors.

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A midway is planned from August 19 to 21. But there will be no entertainment or exhibit halls as part of the activities, so the Agricultural Society is not calling the event this year a fair or an exhibition.

“Unfortunately, we just haven’t had time to plan for all that and do it safely, because the COVID restrictions as we speak today [July 9] are still in place,” Ritchie said. “Yes, they are going to be lifted. Hopefully, Sunday everything will get back to normal. But I still feel a lot of people are still going to be very cautious. And we just didn’t want to go full-force yet. We want to wait and see until next year.”

Wild Rose Shows will be coming to the Battlefords Agricultural Society grounds in North Battleford to provide the midway event. This will include rides, games and food offerings.

Because there is no entertainment scheduled, there will be no admission charge at the gates. Ride bracelet pre-sales will start next week. For details, people are asked to check the Battlefords Agricultural Society website.

Ritchie said while there are not expected to be any COVID restrictions, the midway company has full precautions in place, and will be sanitizing all their rides, will have hand sanitizers available, and will be “very diligent on all the cleanliness and sanitation of everything in their midway.”

The Agricultural Society is also holding a Light Horse Fun Day that is planned for Aug. 21.

“Anyone interested in entering should give us a call,” she said.

Also coming up, a demolition derby is scheduled for Sept. 11 as a stand-alone event with an admission fee. The activities will also include a Mini Car category as well as barrel racing. The event will take place at the grandstands. Concession stands will also be available.

“It will be a great day and a fun time for everyone,” Ritchie said.

Then, on Sept. 18, a community garage sale is planned in the Agriplex building.

“Everybody is excited about that too,” Ritchie said. “If you don’t have your tables yet, give us a call to book one.”

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow