Saskatoon Ex changing dates, returning to 8-day schedule for 2025

The Saskatoon Ex is marking its 140th anniversary with updates that include returning to an eight-day schedule next year, and a shift in the dates the annual fair runs.

In 2025, the Ex will run for a from July 31 to Aug.7, marking the first time in decades ithas had an eight-day format, said a Thursday news release fromthe Saskatoon Prairieland Park Corporation the non-profit thatputs the annual fair on.

Historically, the fair has taken place around the same time at the beginning of August. It ran for six days, from Aug. 6-11, this year.

The fair has been held for six days for the last 24 years, before which it had run for eight days.Susan Kuzma, the manager of signatureevents for the Ex, said the festival can expand now because the midway company the fair works with was able to accommodate two more days because of the shift in dates.

"A lot of the midway rides that may have taken and had to go to Toronto because of the time it takes for setup will now be in Saskatoon," Kuzma told CBC.

She also said food vendors who would have gone directly to Toronto or Calgary in the past will also be able to stop in Saskatoon because of the change in schedule.

Dan Kemppainen, the CEO ofthe Saskatoon Prairieland Park Corporation, said the Ex is alsoexpanding capacity to allow for bigger thrill rides and shorter wait times, thanks to a new five-year-contract with the amusement park ride supplier North American Midway Entertainment.

"We're excited to bring a full A-circuit midway to the Saskatoon Ex," Kemppainensaid in Thursday's news release. "Over the next few years, we're also planning to enhance Prairieland Park with more upgrades to improve the overall experience."

Prairieland also saidthe Exhas invested in upgraded security protocols to ensure safety for visitors over the last several years.

That includedupgrading its security with bag searches and a walk-through metal detector in 2023, afterpolice were called to the grounds on three separate occasions in 2022 when bear spray was used at the fair.

Organizers plan to "enhance these efforts even further, ensuring a family-friendly experience where you can enjoy the event safely while navigating lines quickly and efficiently," said director of signature eventsFunmi Oyatogun in the release.