DAWSON CREEK, B.C. - One of Northeast B.C.’s longest-running traditions is underway as the gates opened Wednesday for the 104th Dawson Creek Exhibition and Stampede.
The ‘Greatest Show in the Peace’ brings five days of rodeo action, midway rides, agricultural exhibits, chuckwagon racing and community celebration to the South Peace Region.
The Exhibition and Stampede officially got underway Wednesday at noon, with organizers preparing to welcome thousands of visitors from across the Peace Region and beyond.
“It’s a homecoming for a lot of people that come back this week to enjoy the fair and connect with their friends and family,” said Murray Pratt, President of the Dawson Creek Exhibition Association. “It’s been that way for as long as I can remember. It’s a big, important part of the community.”
Pratt said the exhibition continues to celebrate the region’s agricultural roots while offering attractions for all ages.
“The farm side of the fair, that’s important to our western heritage and community agriculture,” he said, pointing to livestock exhibits, cattle and horse shows, petting zoo attractions and youth-focused activities as key parts of the fair experience.
Rodeo events begin with the Junior Rodeo on Wednesday and the Ranch Rodeo on Thursday.
The Canadian Pro Tour Rodeo gets underway Friday afternoon. Pratt said stock will once again be supplied by Duane Kesler’s Championship Rodeo company, which has worked with the Dawson Creek event for more than three decades.
Chuckwagon racing is also returning, with races beginning Wednesday evening and continuing through the weekend before Sunday’s championship run.
Beyond the rodeo arena, visitors can expect a busy midway, food vendors, live entertainment and camping areas filled with visitors taking part in the festivities.
Pratt said community support remains a key reason the event continues to thrive more than a century after it first began.
Organizers are encouraging residents to take advantage of Wednesday’s “sneak peek” opening before the exhibition reaches full swing later in the week.
Gates opened at noon Wednesday, with the full schedule of events beginning Thursday.
This year’s event is a bittersweet celebration for the organizing committee and staff. It’s the first Exhibition and Stampede since the passing of long-time president, Connie Patterson.
“Connie has left a legacy with us and we are here to carry on in her memory,” said Pratt.
Now in its 104th year, the Dawson Creek Exhibition and Stampede remains one of the largest annual events in Northeast B.C., blending agriculture, western heritage and family entertainment in a tradition that continues to draw generations of visitors back to the city every summer.