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HomeNewsLong-running Comox Valley Exhibition forges ahead

Long-running Comox Valley Exhibition forges ahead

The Comox Valley Exhibition is a go.

Happening Aug. 28-30 at the Comox Valley Exhibition Grounds, the 146th annual fair will be drastically scaled back to follow provincial health guidelines.

Admission is free and you’ll be seeing a handful of events including Home & Garden Show & Competitions, the West Central Water Dogs Show,  Laughing Logger performances, chainsaw carving, on-stage entertainment, exhibitor booths, and food booths.

CVEX president Mike Trimble says they’re emphasizing the Home & Garden Show, which he added makes sense with so many people staying at home because of the pandemic.

“Due to so many people growing their vegetables and doing a lot of baking at home, because of the situation we’re in,” Trimble said, “so to celebrate the local gardener and the local farmer, and as well as any other farmer, this is the year… to celebrate the farmer, as we have now come to appreciate our ability to shop, and shop locally in the Comox Valley due to to the situation that we’re in.”

Trimble said the pandemic has forced the cancellation of many CVEX staples.

“We’ve taken out the kids zone, we’ve taken out the Cops For Cancer barrel racing, they’ve had to drop out, same as the cattle sorting, they’ve had to drop out, antique machinery which is huge, we’ve had to put them off to next year, as well. That whole animal situation with the 4-H, which is a huge part of the show, we’ve had to put them off to next year. The one-day Volkswagen show, that group, as well.”

Trimble said there was a real danger of the exhibition being cancelled altogether.

“The considerations were there,” he said.

“Exhibitions and cultural fairs across B.C. have either been eliminated, postponed, or whatever you want to call it, until 2021. They’re all saying 2021 is going to be bigger and better than 2020. Well, we don’t know that. We don’t know what the chances are that this will be around with these protocols next year.”

Trimble said they decided to follow the protocols this year and see what they can do, to make it happen.

And, he said, there’s a lot happening, considering the circumstances.

“Celebrating the home and garden show was No. 1 on our list, we’ve got Ryan Cook, chainsaw carver coming for the weekend, we’ve got the diving dogs coming for the weekend, we’ve got some draft horses coming all the way from Victoria for the weekend… so that’s basically the weekend.”

Hours are Friday, Aug. 28th from noon to 7:00pm, Saturday, Aug. 29th, from 10:00am to 7:00pm, and Sunday, Aug. 30th from 10:00am to 5:00pm.

New this year is a logging show happening through the week at the fairgrounds.

Laughing Loggers will be performing at 5:00pm and 7:00pm each night Aug. 25th, 26th, and 27th.

“Staying with the protocols, 50 people to each show, and the show is $5 for adults and free for kids under 12,” Trimble said.

You can find out more about the event at CVEX.ca.

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