Edmonton Exhibition: Memoir of a country fair in the city, by William Kay
Every town and city across Canada has its country fair, which reflects the agricultural community of that area. The cities such as Calgary have a themed one called the Stampede. Edmonton had no such themed one until the Klondike theme was taken up. This was to reflect our early history as the jumping off place for the overland journey to the gold fields of the Klondike in the Yukon.
The Edmonton Exhibition, the annual July event at the “Fair Grounds” wasn’t something that just came for its six day stay and left. It was something that everyone prepared for right after the last one ended. Why? One might ask. Well, unlike today’s ten day event, there were many different preserves to make, beautiful hand made quilts, bedspreads, dresses, baby clothes and much more to prepare for competition and display for the following year. The Ladies Pavilion located on the vast lawns and picnic area west of the tree lined boulevard from the West gate where the streetcars from downtown turned around was where this took place. Small cash prizes along with red, blue and white ribbons for 1st, 2nd and 3rd were awarded to the best in each Category. I recall my mother ironing patterns onto well washed linen flower sacks which made fine pillow cases. Then embroidering them during the cold winter evenings. She was rewarded for her efforts with a number of firsts and seconds, as I recall. Some of these pillow cases are still around.
The Exhibition was a time when many in the farming community gathered in Edmonton for this large Farm Fair to show off their efforts and animals as well as inspect the farm machinery displays. There were a number of picnic areas to enjoy picnic lunches which were packed for a whole day stay with a purchase of a cool drink and maybe a candy floss. It was a time when the more adventurous could enjoy the rides that came with the fair.The East side of the grounds where today stands the permanent potato sack slide and the Chechako Gold mine, and starting at what was called the Manufacturer’s building there were barns for each type of farm animal and fowl to be judged and awarded prizes. These barns, low wooden white painted buildings, stretched all the way to the north up to the hockey rink along another tree-lined boulevard. For many children it was an opportunity to see all of these animals that they read and learned of in school and for those who had lived on farms to reminisce about. We children were not left out as during the school year we produced many “works of art “ that were submitted in competition. Each grade had a number of categories to compete in Our teachers selected the one to be entered.
The Royal American Shows “the Midway” as it was called consisting of a number of different side shows including “freak” shows, magic shows, Harlem Revue, and Sally Rand Follies (the Fan Dancer) and rides including the Ferris Wheel, Moon Rocket as well as the many games of chance was looked on with much anticipation. It was the same one that played the Calgary Stampede during the previous week. At midnight on the Saturday in Calgary the whole thing was packed up and put onto their own railway flat cars and brought to Edmonton. The Edmontonians lined the tracks with great anticipation turning out to see this colourfully loaded train come into Edmonton and switch over from the CPR track to the CN track at 109th and 104th Avenue. The long string of rail cars block a number of thoroughfares but there was not much complaint as automobile traffic was not as great as today and people came to expect and put up with this each year.
The coming of the Midway was also looked upon as an opportunity to earn a few dollars helping to raise tents pounding tent pegs as well as general labour. The Monday was parade day and the opening of the Exhibition grounds and the judging of all categories of agricultural things and other exhibits.
One little known fact about the exhibition was that during WW II the government of Canada used the exhibition grounds as dormitory for Air Force personnel taking flying training in Edmonton. They built a large number of barracks that housed these airmen from all over the commonwealth. The airmen were seen lounging around the buildings and watching the people as they enjoyed the fair.These buildings were eventually used as temporary emergency housing immediately after the war ended.
The last and much anticipated part of the fair was the grand stand show, which eventually saw its demise with the advent of television. This was the one event that really made the day at the fair for many. The entertainment, which was presented on a large stage, set up immediately after the horse races ended, included high wire acts, musical song and dance troupes, and even an act where a man was shot out of a cannon. This was ended with oh so grand and spectacular fireworks displays on both the ground and in the air. Today’s Klondike Days though with many new rides and entertainment’s and sophistication just doesn’t have that country charm of old.