The EX!

The EX 2026 will run from Friday, June 12 – Sunday, June 21, 2026.

The EX takes place at Red River Exhibition Park at 3977 Portage Ave, Winnipeg, MB. The Park is located just west of the Perimeter Highway. Please note that Exhibition Park is a large area with several entrances and is located between Racetrack Road and Festival Drive.

*The best and most convenient gate to access the event is the West Gate, off of Festival Drive/ Destination Parkway.   

Payment for parking can be made by cash or debit/credit. Most vendors/ food trucks accept both cash and credit, but some may operate as cash only. ATM’s are located in Exhibition Place.

Red River Exhibition Park has two parking lots. Both are serviced with a shuttle vehicle to transport guests to the event gates.

1) The “West/ Main” lot at the top of Festival Drive – just turn north off of Portage Ave. onto Festival Drive and go straight until you see the parking lot. The west event entrance gates are just a short walk from the lot.  

2) The “South” lot at the corner of Racetrack Road and Stewart Millet Drive. The east event entrance gates are the closest entry point to the event.

NOTE: The parking lot directly outside of the east gates of Exhibition Park is not owned by the Red River Exhibition Association. The price that is charged for parking in that lot during The EX is determined by, and charged by, the owner of that property.  

Exhibition Park is serviced by Winnipeg Transit only during events in order to accommodate and welcome our guests. The transit stop at the Exhibition Park is located just outside of the west entry gates, near The Loop, on Destination Parkway, off of Festival Drive.

CLICK HERE for the link to the Winnipeg Transit page for service to Exhibition Park.
NOTE: Exhibition Park is not regularly serviced by Winnipeg Transit.

The taxi and ride share drop-off and pick-up point at the Exhibition Park is located just outside of the west entry gates, near The Loop, on Destination Parkway, off of Festival Drive.

Sure thing!
ADMISSION This allows anyone aged 7 & above gate entry into The EX for one day, until the end of the day. Take in all the shows, musical acts, creative competition entries, special events and all-day attractions you can until you’ve seen it all! You can literally be entertained all day and night for just the price of admission!
– Can be purchased at the entry gate, online, or at retailers.
– If you wish to go on the rides or play the midway games, you have to purchase that separately. (See below.)
– Admission is free for kids aged 6 & under!
– HELPFUL HINT: There are several days and times where adult admission is free! Watch the website and plan accordingly.
– Shopping at vendors, taking a helicopter ride, other items for sale and enjoying the delicious food offerings from the food trucks are an optional, additional expense.

RIDE ACCESS There are two ways to buy your way onto the awesome rides! Both options can only be purchased at the EX. (Not online or through retailers.)
1) Purchase Ride Tickets once you arrive to The EX from the various ticket booths located around the Park. Most rides will require 10-17 tickets to get on.
2) Buy a Ride-All-Day Wristband! If you really love going on rides, but yourself one of these and ride as much as you can in one day!

MIDWAY EXPRESS ACCESS PASS With only a limited amount available each day, you can hop into the ride priority line and get more rides in!
– Can only be purchased at the EX or online. (Not at retailers.)
NOTE: When purchasing an EXpress Pass, you also need to purchase gate admission AND either ride tickets or a Ride-All-Day Wristband. The Express Pass wristband alone will not grant you access to rides.

MAGIC PASS! This includes gate admission and a Ride-All-Day Wristband for one person for one day. These are only available for purchase online or at retail stores. If this option is best for you, act fast because retail stores sell out quickly!
NOTE: Magic Passes cannot be purchased on site at The EX, and cannot be shared/ split by two people.

Feel free to bring everything to make your visit comfortable.

• Weather: Be sure to check the weather forecast and plan accordingly: bring a hat, sunscreen, jacket, umbrella, etc. and wear comfortable shoes!
• Food & Drinks: Even though there are incredibly delicious food offerings inside the event, guests are allowed to bring outside food and non-alcoholic drinks to enjoy. Water bottle filling stations are available at each of the five washroom buildings.
• Mobility items: non-motorized wagons, strollers, wheelchairs, lawn chairs for resting, etc. are permitted.

*Reminder: Pets are NOT allowed at The EX, and it is not a suitable environment for their enjoyment. We love your pets as much as you do, but please leave them comfortably at home. Service animals are permitted.

The following items are strictly prohibited at Exhibition Park: alcohol, illegal drugs, weapons and dangerous devices of any kind, professional cameras or recording devices, drone cameras and other unmanned aerial vehicles, offensive clothing, gang colours and gang wear.
For a full list of prohibited items, click here. Security searches will be conducted at the entrance gates.

This year, instead of inviting a giant headliner, we decided to hand the big stages to a variety of absolutely incredible local bands – shining the spotlight towards a ton of super talented hard-working local musical artists who delivered incredible performances!

Over the past few years, the live music industry has been dealing with rising costs, higher insurance premiums, higher interest rates for financing shows and tours, and this cost is passed onto the hiring client (Red River Exhibition Association).

The EX is one of only two fairs left in Canada that does not receive operational funding from the government. Exhibition Park, with events running over 240 days a year, is operated by the Red River Exhibition Association (RREA). It truly operates to provide memorable experiences to Winnipeg residents and visitors. Just as our motto says, “Creating Memories and Building Community – One Event at a Time!”. The costs of bringing in all musical acts, artists, attractions, displays, etc. for The EX lies with the RREA.

It’s common for large fairs to charge an extra admission ticket price to access the headlining concerts, but The EX doesn’t charge extra to see musical performances or attractions. Your gate admission allows you to take in all the shows and experiences on the grounds at the EX.

North American Midway Entertainment (NAME) does an incredible job of providing fair guests with the most exciting and fun rides available each year. New rides are very exciting, but they cost millions of dollars and lots of time to develop and test, so new rides cannot be expected each year. A list of rides are posted on our website in the weeks ahead of The EX each year so everyone can make a plan to jump on their favourites or even something they’ve never tried before!

Many folks were looking for the Zipper on The EX midway. While it may make a return in future, for now, it has been moved to another of NAME’s business units, continuing to spin and flip fair-goers around throughout North America. This specific business unit is not the one that visits Winnipeg.

Ride Safety: North American Midway Entertainment (NAME) holds safety as their number one priority. On-site Safety Coordinators work closely with local authorities to ensure all rides pass and exceed inspections and examinations. NAME has adopted one of the most, if not the most, stringent policies toward ride safety in the amusement industry.  

Cell phone charging is available inside Exhibition Place. Please note that charge cables ARE NOT provided for use, so please bring your own USB charging cable.

*HELPFUL TIP: Arrive at The Ex with your cell phone fully charged.

Exhibition Park is pleased to offer child safety services. The Lost Kids’ booth is located inside the east Park entrance. Notify security as soon as possible if you become separated from your child.

Upon arrival, visit any information booth for a sticker for your child’s shirt that includes your cell phone number so you can be immediately contacted.

*HELPFUL TIP: Take a picture of your child with your cell phone as you enter the gate.

Pets ARE NOT allowed at The Ex. However, service animals are permitted.

We love your pets as much as you do, and we realize The EX is an outdoor event, but please leave them at home or make care arrangements with friends, family, pet day-care or a kennel. This event is not an ideal environment for our furry friends.
1) There are many loud noises that may be frightening.
2) The weather may not be favourable for their comfort.
3) They may get stepped on by other guests as rides bring eyes and attention towards the sky and pets are below the sight line.
4) Pets cannot go on rides and finding a caretaker could be stressful.
5) They may acquire tummy issues by eating spilled fair food off the ground.
6) They may frighten or distract the other animals that are hired with the attractions for the fair.
7) Other guests, including children, may have a general fear of animals.
8) There’s really not an ideal place for them to “go”.
9) By no means should anyone leave their pet in a hot car in the warm sun.

PLEASE DO NOT BRING THEM TO THE EVENT. When you get home to them, give them an extra scratch behind the ears and a treat!

Wagons, scooters and wheelchairs are available for rent by Reliable Mobility at the west entrance. Rentals are limited and provided on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Two companies hire temporary staff for The EX:
1. The Red River Exhibition Association hires for a variety of paid and volunteer positions during The EX, including customer service, Park operations, janitorial and more. For more information on job opportunities during The EX, keep an eye on our website in the months before the event.
Temporary staff hired for the event report directly to the Red River Exhibition Association.

2. The ride and games provider, North American Midway Entertainment (NAME), directly hires temporary staff for The Ex while they are stationed in Winnipeg for positions such as concession staff, game operators, ride operators and more.
These staff report directly to NAME supervisors (not the Red River Exhibition Association).
For more information about applying to work with NAME, please contact NAME directly.  

Yes! Guests are allowed to re-enter the event, but they must wait in line with the other guests entering and passing through security. To ensure everyone’s safety, there are no exceptions to this rule.

Event operating hours will be posted on our website in the months ahead of The EX.
Gates close one hour before The EX closes, and re-entry during that time is not permitted.

Rides operate from open to close, with Kiddieland rides closing about an hour before the event closes each night.

Children aged 6 and under receive free gate admission, however, every person wanting to get on a ride must have either a wristband or ride tickets.

Every person boarding a ride requires a wristband or ride tickets. No exceptions.

Yes! Buy before opening day to save money on gate admission and magic passes.

In the event of a health concern or medical emergency, visit the medical services trailer next to the west main entrance gate. 

For safety reasons, many of the rides require the use of bodily strength and the ability to use all of your limbs to their fullest ability, and you may not be allowed to board rides. However, some of the easy rides require less strength and are still able to be enjoyed with permission and a signed waiver.

*Anyone with an injury of this type must visit the North American Midway Entertainment Guest Services booth, where a representative will provide you with a list of appropriate rides for your condition, and have you sign a waiver.

Refunds are not available on tickets and passes, whether due to weather reasons or otherwise. The Red River Ex opens rain or shine.
*Safety Note: Rides may still operate in rainy conditions, but will be temporarily shut down if lightning is spotted in the area.

Smoking is permitted on-site, but is not permitted in the area known as Kiddieland; where the kids rides and games are.
As a courtesy to non-smokers, please move to the outer edges of the event where your smoke won’t affect others.

There are areas that are licensed for beverage consumption at The EX. The beverages are not allowed to be taken out of the licensed area. ID must be shown, and safe service is practised by staff and security.  

No, cannabis is strictly prohibited on Exhibition Park grounds.

Yes. Lost items are typically collected overnight and brought to the Red River Exhibition Association office the next day. To see if your lost item was found, please call our office at 204-888-6990. Office hours are 8:30 am – 7:00 pm during The EX.