Summer starts here at the Red River Ex, when Manitoba’s largest summer fair returns June 16-25! We can’t wait to meet under the bright lights of rides and rising stars, with ten action-packed days of music, attractions, food, fun and entertainment coming your way.
This year’s Ex has something for everyone. You won’t believe what’s included with your gate admission! From new attractions and returning favourites to incredible musicians on three stages, community celebrations, fireworks and more, your gate admission is an all-access pass to a long list of free shows and super fun things to see.
Getting Here
Red River Exhibition Park is located on Treaty One Territory at the West end of Winnipeg, just past the Perimeter Highway at Portage Avenue.
If you’re driving, you can enter off Portage Avenue on either Racetrack Road or Festival Drive, as there’s ample paid parking options at both the East and West Entrances.
Winnipeg Transit service operates during the duration of the Red River Ex with pick up and drop off at the West Entrance. Transit service stops one hour after the posted closing time, so make sure you don’t miss that last bus! View the Winnipeg Transit schedule here.
If cycling is your jam and you’re biking to the Ex, you’ll find multiple bike racks at the East Entrance and West Entrance. Be especially careful crossing the Perimeter Highway, and remember your helmet!
The Park, buildings and parking lots at the Red River Ex are wheelchair accessible. Wagons, scooters and wheelchairs are available to rent outside the West Entrance.
Find a map of Red River Exhibition Park here.
What’s New at This Year’s Ex
From a new feature stage to thrilling rides, entertainment and attractions, there’s even more to enjoy at this year’s Red River Ex. Your favourites are returning, along with these exciting additions:
New stage at The Loop: Located near the West Entrance, you’ll find The Loop: a multi-use entertainment destination (fun fact – it’s the future home of Manitoba Harness Racing). Catch our featured headliners, The Northern Pikes, on June 18 at 8:30 PM and Delaney Jane on June 22 at 9:00 PM live at The Loop Stage! With the addition of this new stage, there are now three stages on-site at this year’s Ex, each with a beer garden!
Central Park Family Area: Behind the Big Red Barn, you’ll find the Central Park Family Area programmed with shows including some of our newest entertainers, Tiauni Starr, X-Pogo and iFlip. Central Park Family Area is also where you’ll find the Double Decker Carousel, a spectacular two-story Merry Go Round!
Thrilling new rides: We can’t wait for you to experience the North American Premier of the all-new X-Drive, an adrenaline-pumping spinning and rotating ride!
There are six exciting new rides this year, including X-Drive, Outlaw Roller Coaster, Parker City Saloon, Jumbo The Flying Elephant, Raptor Run, Tea Cups, and Rockin’ Tug. Check out our rides page for more details.
Phenomenal Entertainment: The good times are at an all-time high, with mind-blowing talent at every turn! This year we’re excited to introduce new-to-the-Ex performers, including:
- iFlip, the ultimate aerial show featuring aerial bungee, tramp-wall, sphere, power track and a 60-foot death-defying high fall, can be found in Central Park.
- Tiauni Starr, A rising Winnipeg star, Tiauni is a stilt walker, acrobat and fire dancer who you’ll find featured in Central Park!
Attractions
There are hours and hours (and hours!) of entertainment included with your gate admission, with free access to great new attractions and returning favourites!
If you love animals, you won’t want to miss the Extreme Dogs show, Canine Circus, Farm Animal Encounters and horse events! Enjoy friendly faces throughout Exhibition Park as puppets and princesses, magicians, mascots, superheroes, and more provide memorable moments.
Connect with nature and farming with antique tractors, the corn maze, a tractor pull and the Ex’s own Living Green Display. And take the experience home with you with a free spruce tree seedling as part of The Great Seedling Giveaway.
The attractions don’t stop here! Take a selfie with enormous dinosaurs at Extinction Park and hang out with the legendary Doo Doo The Clown. See a Science Magic Show and The Hockey Circus Show, enjoy the Shoppers’ Market and get your face painted.
Take a break and rest up for even more adventure in the Family Adventure Park picnic area. Feel free to bring snacks – outside food and sealed drinks are welcome at the Red River Ex.
Visit the attractions page for a preview of the jam-packed assortment of entertainment! And for our hand picked top ten free things to do at The Ex, check out this post.
Rides
If you’re seeking a thrill ride, you’ll find it on the world’s largest travelling midway at the 2023 Red River Ex! Majorland and Kiddieland are home to more than 50 incredible rides, including fan favourites and new experiences.
In Majorland, you’re sure to love the new X-Drive, Outlaw Roller Coaster and Parker City Saloon. You might also reminisce about returning rides, including the Polar Express, Giant Wheel and Mega Drop!
Get in the driver’s seat on rides including Mini Jet, Chopper Charlie, Jeeps and Jump Cycle over in Kiddieland. Ride your favourite animal on Dizzy Dragons, Bumble Bee, Jumbo The Flying Elephant, the Wacky Worm Coaster and the Double Decker Merry-Go-Round.
For riders of all ages, the Slide in Kiddieland and the taller Euro Slide in Majorland are always must-dos!
How many times will you experience each ride? Start planning your fun with this list of midway rides.
Experience all the rides with a Ride All-Day Wristband or purchase individual ride tickets. Live like a VIP and get access to the priority line to get more rides in with the Midway Express Access Pass! Both the Ride All-Day Wristband and Midway Express Access pass require Gate Admission. Find all the ticket information here.
Midway Games
Your favourite midway games are back to challenge your skills and your luck for a chance to take home prizes and cash!
Will you take on Ring a Bottle, Beer Smash and the Water Gun Race? Challenge your friends and family to these classic midway games and more!
Bring cash to play the midway games. Midway ride tickets are not valid for midway games.
Community
The Red River Exhibition Association celebrates community and creativity with special days, passion projects and fireworks during the Red River Ex.
Join us for special days where we embrace culture and community, including Caribbean Day (June 18), Hero’s Day (June 19), Senior’s Day (June 20), Indigenous Peoples Appreciation Day (June 21), Filipino Day (June 22) and Kids’ Day (June 25). View the special days.
Showcase your talent and enter your project into the creative competitions and juried shows for quilting, art and photography for your chance to bring home the blue (is blue for winners). Ribbon! Learn more about the show details and how to enter here.
Experience the Red River Ex Hobby Showcase, where you can meet community members and learn about their unique hobbies. Take in all the creativity as you view the entries in the Juried Art Show, Judged Quilt Show and Photo Salon.
Come together with family and friends to enjoy vibrant fireworks at The Loop Stage on Saturday, June 17, at 10:30 PM.
Check out how we celebrate our community and how you can get involved.
Food and Beverage
Whether your tastes are more adventurous, eccentric, classic or healthy, you’ll love the range of food vendors and tasty treats at the 2023 Red River Ex!
Food trucks and vendors offer delicious food and snacks throughout the Park with fair food, including cotton candy and mini doughnuts, plus exciting options, including Dill Pickle Pizza and Freak Fries.
At the three stages throughout the festival grounds, you’ll find a licenced beer garden so you can sip and enjoy while listening to incredible music and enjoying the entertainment.
The picnic area in Family Adventure Park is the perfect spot to enjoy a meal or snack. You can bring your own food and (sealed) drinks to enjoy.
Don’t forget to bring a water bottle to fill up at the water fountains beside each washroom building and at Exhibition Place! Stay hydrated!
Music
The Ex hosts an incredible range of musical talents, and you’ll find over 200 hours of music included with Gate Admission. Read this post to find out more about this year’s music.
Featured Headliners: The Northern Pikes, the Canadian pop and rock band, take over The Loop Stage with four decades of hits on June 18 at 8:30 PM. And Canadian singer-songwriter Delaney Jane will get you dancing all night long from The Loop Stage on June 22 at 9:00 PM.
Click here to read featured stories on The Northern Pikes and Delaney Jane on our blog!
Three stages (and beer gardens) to enjoy: Find free live music at the Red Barn Stage, Festival Stage and the new Loop Stage, each with its own beer garden! Here you’ll find all kinds of talented Manitoba musicians and tribute bands. Learn more about music at this year’s Ex here.
Get grooving: From cover and tribute bands to musical talents covering all the genres, you can’t help but toe tap, jive, or headbang all Ex long. Enjoy pure 80’s dance, 90’s grunge, 50’s and 60’s rock, fiddle and country music, Rockalypso Caribbean Band and more.
Peep the full music schedule and dance the day and night away.
Get your tickets to the Ex!
Tickets for Manitoba’s favourite summer experience are available now! Save money by purchasing advance tickets by June 15, 2023, at Sobeys, Safeway, Giant Tiger, Northern Store, North Mart, Valu-Lots or online. You can save $10 on Advanced Gate Admission + Ride All-Day Wristbands and $5 on Advanced Midway Express Access Passes.
Gate Admission grants access to all the free attractions, music, community experiences and more! Gate tickets purchased on-site June 16-25 are $15 or $10 on weekdays before 5 PM. Children aged six and under get free Gate Admission daily.
If you’re a ride connoisseur, don’t forget to grab your Midway Ride Tickets or the Ride All-Day Wristband. You can add the Midway Express Access Pass to access the priority line to get the most rides in. As a reminder, Gate Admission is required to enter Red River, Exhibition Park.
View ticket prices, pick the best package for you and get online tickets here.
Important info to make the most of your experience!
Be prepared for all types of weather. On hot days we recommend bringing a hat, sunscreen and a water bottle to fill up on-site. If it starts to rain, there are many places to seek shelter and stay dry.
All that’s lost is found. The Lost Kids Booth is located inside the East Entrance, where volunteers will tag your child with your cell number in case of separation. For lost items, the Lost and Found is at the main administration office located outside the East Entrance (open 8:30 AM – 7:00 PM).
First aid assistance is available. In case of a health concern or medical emergency, visit the medical services trailer next to the West Entrance.
Four-legged friends need to stay home. The Park cannot accommodate pets, so kindly leave your pets at home. Do not leave pets unattended in a vehicle. Service animals are permitted at Red River Exhibition Park.
Find frequently asked questions and answers here.
We’re excited to share ten exciting days together at this year’s Red River Ex! Sign up for our newsletter for event updates, park news and volunteer opportunities here (need link). Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube and share with #RedRiverEx!
What’s Your Thrill? Find it at the Red River Ex June 16-25, 2023!