The Battlefords Agricultural Society Inc. announced it is cancelling the 134th annual Northwest Territorial Days Exhibition and Parade due to COVID-19 precautions. (Jocelyn Ritchie/Submitted photo)

By Angela Brown

COVID-19 precautions

Northwest Territorial Days Exhibition and Parade cancelled due to COVID-19 precautions

May 21, 2020 | 5:00 PM

The Battlefords Agricultural Society Inc. has cancelled the 134th Annual Northwest Territorial Days Exhibition and Parade this year due to COVID-19 precautions.

General Manager Jocelyn Ritchie said “it is with extreme sadness” the society announced the decision not to proceed with the event originally scheduled for August 14 to 17.

All other summer events have also been cancelled, including the Children’s Festival, 4-H Regional Show and Sale, Community Garage Sale, and all grounds rentals.

The fair has been running since 1885 with the exception of one year when it was forced to cancel due to the Louis Riel rebellion, so it was difficult for the Ag. Society to have to shutter the event for this year.

“It’s hard to believe, since we have had one for so many years,” Ritchie told battlefordsNOW. “It was a tough decision; we have to keep everybody as safe as possible. The midway is not travelling at all so we wouldn’t have had any rides, even if we tried to put something together. As another factor, we are not sure what Re-Open Saskatchewan is going to look like in the future, so even to have more than a few hundred people on the grounds it doesn’t seem very feasible at this time.”

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Ritchie mentioned the Ag. Society would also be required to provide deposits to book entertainers, funds that would not be returned if it didn’t hold the event. And with no revenue coming in, the society cannot take that risk at this time.

Cancelling the events and activities, she said, was in the best interest of staff, volunteers and the public due to the pandemic.

Ritchie said as a nonprofit, the Ag. Society also relies on all these events and rentals for sustainability. Many other service clubs and nonprofit groups in the Battlefords and surrounding areas are also impacted.

She said the Ag. Society and all the service clubs and user groups involved in the Northwest Territorial Days Exhibition usually make over $500,000 in total in one year from the fair including all sponsorships, so it will be a tough year for everyone.

Ritchie mentioned any donations to the Ag. Society are appreciated.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow