Frequently Asked Questions

The EX 2026 will run from Friday, June 12 – Sunday, June 21, 2026. The gates open at 5:00 pm on the first day. Check the daily schedule for event hours on all the other days.

The EX takes place at 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 Race Track Road and Festival Drive. WE recommend turning north off of Portage Avenue onto Festival drive for the easiest, most direct access.

*The main entrance to the event is the West Gate, off of Festival Drive/ Destination Parkway.

*2026 Note: The east entrance will be closed in 2027. 2026 is the last year that entry access for The EX will be offered through the east entrance off of Race Track Road. 

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

Exhibition Park is pleased to offer child safety services. The Lost Kids’ booth is located inside the east event 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.

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 people’s eyes and attention upwards 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!

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 to be brought into Exhibition Park:

• alcohol
• illegal drugs
• weapons and dangerous devices of any kind,
• professional cameras or recording devices,
• drone cameras (not even under 250 g) and other unmanned aerial vehicles,
• offensive clothing, gang colours and gang wear.

*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.)

No. Not even a microdrone. Drones pose a risk to the safety of guests, staff, and the safe operation of tall rides. Unauthorized operation of a drone at The EX (and any event at Exhibition Park) is strictly prohibited, and drone operators will be instructed to ground their craft, and authorities will be notified immediately. 

As of April 1, 2025, Transport Canada has revised drone regulations to require a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC-RPAS) for ALL drones, including those under 250 grams (microdrones), when operating at or near an “advertised event”. 
“Drone pilots, including microdrone pilots, are not allowed to fly near or at advertised events, such as outdoor concerts and sporting events, unless they have a Special Flight Operations Certificate that specifically allows them to do so.” 

Exhibition Park will have a professionally licensed, certified and highly experienced drone operator capturing the excitement on one or more days, and security personnel will be informed when this is taking place. No other drones should be operating at The EX.

We are serious about fun and hospitality! That’s why The EX midway is structured in such a way that allows guests to travel from one attraction to another with ease. Along the way, guests will find the following amenities to make everyone’s day more convenient.

• Benches and rest areas
• Plenty of trash and recycling containers – please use them!
• Water fountains are available in 5 locations to fill your water bottle.
• Diaper changing stations, and a mother’s lounge for nursing.  
• NAME Guest Relations booth and an Exhibition Park Information booth
• Lost Kids Centre
• First Aid Booth
• An All-Faiths Prayer Room
• Walk up security booth and roaming security officers
• An air-conditioned atmosphere is available inside of Exhibition Place

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

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.

Wagons, scooters and wheelchairs are available for rent by Reliable Mobility – their booth will be set up at the main/ west entrance. Rental equipment is limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis.  

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.

STAFF: 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.  

VOLUNTEERS: Volunteers for a variety of positions are coordinated by the Red River Exhibition Association. Complete an application here.

Yes! Guests are allowed to re-enter the event, BUT to re-enter, 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.

*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.)

Event operating hours are posted on our website.
Entrance gates close one hour before The EX closes each day, and re-entry during that time is not 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 EX is a very big fair, but not a full-time amusement or theme park like Disneyland or Six Flags. The midway has to move along to its next event, which happens to be the Calgary Stampede! How cool is that? The Stampede is right in your own back yard!  

The Red River Exhibition Association (RREA) is an independent, non-profit organization, which hosts community events in Exhibition Park on over 240 days a year to bring various communities together and showcase other organizations. We don’t just host one event a year! Our year-round events have generated tens of millions of dollars in tourism revenue for the city and province!

It is located right next to the Century Wheel and the washroom building, on the east side of Kiddie-Land.

The Red River Exhibition Association (RREA) is local to Winnipeg, and does not “run” the rides or directly employ staff for the North American Midway Entertainment (NAME) midway. NAME Canada is based out of Branford, ON, and is a trusted partner with a stellar safety and customer service record, who have taken their fun and excitement all over the continent each year for decades!  

It’s common for people to believe rumours and hold onto negative stories. While The EX has experienced a small amount of security incidents over the past 74 years, and the frequency of violent community incidents has increased over the past several years, The EX saw ZERO serious security incidents in 2025 & 2024. We take the safety and security of our guests and events extremely seriously. Metal detectors at the doors, and we have increased the amount of roaming security staff throughout the grounds and parking lot. We stand by our commitment to ensure maximum safety for all guests, staff, and volunteers. Troublesome characters have no place at this incredibly positive community event and we make every effort to keep them from ruining anyone’s day.   

Housekeeping teams are constantly on the go, and they do a fantastic job cleaning up any spills and used food containers left behind. There are many garbage and recycling containers placed throughout the park – please use them when needed.  

We absolutely LOVE our guests, staff, volunteers and performers and all aspects of everyone’s health and safety is our number one priority.  

Absolutely not! It’s actually huge: The excitement of The EX stretches over 2.05 kms!  We definitely recommend everyone wears comfy footwear!

The Red River Exhibition Foundation actually purchased the current land for Exhibition Park in the 60’s with dreams of a bright future. The big move for The EX from Polo Park was only made in 1996 when the venue negotiations came up for discussion and event expansion was in our sights.   

Low key – Can you keep a secret? The Polo Park location actually had less square footage, was more crowded and held smaller rides than Exhibition Park. So… welcome, everyone! Come on over and enjoy the BIG show!   

Absolutely! There’s still so many things to take in while under cover and inside. And hey – rain doesn’t last forever, right?

*Safety Note: Rides may still operate in rainy conditions, but will be temporarily shut down if lightning is spotted in the area. They may also stop running temporarily in heavy rain or hail. After all – who wants to waste their ride getting peppered in the face by water or ice?!?!

There are many benches and rest areas on the midway to take a break, sit for a bite to eat, and some are shaded/ covered. There are:

• Benches placed along the midway;
• A picnic area in front of the Big Wheel on the Major-land midway;
• A picnic area behind Exhibition Place, beside the Expressway Tent;
• A quiet area behind the Century Wheel in Kiddie-land;
• The All-Faiths Prayer Room behind the Century Wheel in Kiddie-Land; and,
• Guests can sit, relax and enjoy the entertainment under the Central Park Stage tent & the Red Barn Stage tent.

Past guests have even brought their own folding lawn chairs to ensure they can take a seat whenever they like!  

Smoking

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

Cannabis

Cannabis is strictly prohibited on Exhibition Park grounds and at The EX.

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.

NAME Canada is actually based out of Brantford, Ontario. The rides for Class-A Canadian events are leased from and are transported from the USA, but the Canadian office manages all of its Canadian business. In fact, the tens of thousands of stuffed animal prizes are even manufactured in Montreal. Each year, the NAME midway employs approximately 250 full time Canadian travellers, creates 208 temporary jobs in Winnipeg, and inject $4 million dollars into the Winnipeg economy. Yay, Canada!

The main entrance to the event is on the west side of Exhibition Park at the West Gate, off of Festival Drive/ Destination Parkway.
2026 Note:  2026 is the last year that entry access for The EX will be offered through the east entrance off of Race Track Road. The east entrance will be closed in 2027. 

Red River Exhibition Park has two parking lots. Both are serviced with free shuttle vehicles 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, charged by, and retained by the owner of that property.

Parking fees collected by Exhibition Park go towards lot, shuttle, and park maintenance.

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.

Yes! Bike racks are available for use just outside of the main/west entrance. Remember to bring your bike lock.

We understand that everyone’s circumstances are different, and budgeting for entertainment looks different for every family. Our goal is to provide flexible options and strong value so guests can plan a visit that works for them.

The EX does have more rides by far than any other fair in Manitoba, but it’s SO MUCH MORE! Right next to Kiddie-Land is the Free Family Fun Zone, and it holds a ton of shows, attractions and fun for everyone! Prepare to make a day of it and create lasting memories.

1. BUY EARLY! Plan your visit, and get your admission, ride passes and fast passes before opening day! (The EX opens on June 12, so buy by June 11).
2. Take advantage of the three, free admission periods! (1) Friday, June 12: 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm, (2) Sunday, June 14: Noon – 1:00 pm, (3) Sunday, June 21: Noon – 1:00 pm. Everyone who enters during these periods can come enjoy hours of free entertainment, experiences and activities!
3. On Sunday, June 21, kids all-you-can-ride wristbands are just $25 (purchase on-site)! Combine that with free admission from noon-1:00 pm and all-day activities and entertainment and you’ve got a GREAT deal!
4. Best value for All-You-Can-Ride Wristbands: You NEED to get here on the “Thrill Seeker Days”! Less lines = more rides = MAXIMUM wristband value! All thrills; no wait!
   Here in Manitoba, we all do love to be spontaneous, BUT – the rides on the last weekend of The EX are consistently busy and there are longer lineups so it’s tough for riders to get them all in.
   That’s why we’re calling all ride fanatics to get here on one of the “Thrill Seeker Days!” Here are the best days to get on ALL the rides! Even more than once!

• Thrill Seeker Day #1: Friday, June 12
• Thrill Seeker Day #2: Monday, June 15
• Thrill Seeker Day #3: Tuesday, June 16
• Thrill Seeker Day #4: Wednesday, June 17

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

Sure thing!
GATE 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. (The same person has to use both the admission portion AND the ride wristband.)

Payment for admission, rides, and 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.

**Attention credit union members: The use of the tap payment feature is not recommended at The EX. In 2025, we learned that credit union card security features relating to the tap function are very strict and transactions from out of province machines will be flagged as fraudulent. This may lock your card/ account. If you plan to use your credit union debit card at The EX, please ensure you insert it into the machine and enter your pin to complete your transaction(s).    

Debit/credit cards from all other financial institutions have had no issues with the tap function.

ATM’s are located in Exhibition Place.

1. Friday, June 12: 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
2. Sunday, June 14: Noon – 1:00 pm
3. Sunday, June 21: Noon – 1:00 pm

If you can spare a few dollars for a great cause, there are donation buckets set up at the entry gates during these times to collect donations for the scholarship fund in the Red River Exhibition Foundation. Every dollar that gets donated to the Foundation gets passed on to Manitoban post-secondary students!

Everyone who enters during these periods can come enjoy hours and hours of free entertainment, experiences and activities.

Refunds are not available on tickets and passes, whether due to weather reasons or otherwise. The 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. They may also stop running temporarily in heavy rain or hail. After all – who wants to waste their ride getting peppered in the face by water or ice?!?!

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 have been looking for the Zipper on The EX midway, and may also be looking for the X-Drive. While those rides may make a return in future, for now, they have been moved to another of NAME’s business units, continuing to spin and flip fair-goers around throughout North America. This specific unit is not the one that visits Winnipeg.

North American Midway Entertainment (NAME) holds safety as their number one priority. On-site Safety Coordinators work closely with local authorities for one week before opening to ensure all rides pass and exceed inspections and examinations. The rides are also subject to spot inspections throughout The EX. NAME has adopted one of the most, if not the most, stringent policies toward ride safety in the amusement industry.

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

We’ve got all this information neatly packaged for you in the “Measure Up” guide:

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

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

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.

Yes! There will be a wide assortment of alcohol-free drinks available for everyone to enjoy!

The cleanest! The EX is arguably the cleanest and safest food truck event in MB!
Every food truck, whether local or travelling with the midway, is required to be triple checked and approved every year at The EX by health and fire inspectors before opening. Food trucks are also subject to unannounced inspections throughout the event. (Note: The EX is not the first outdoor event to happen each spring/ summer, and food trucks have already been operating at other events earlier in the season where they are permitted to operate without health inspector approval. The EX really is the cleanest!)

Food truck operators really work hard to serve EX guests. They have to attain a food safety permit, have proper insurance, pass health inspections (minimum 3), maintain accurate food labelling compliance procedures, maintain food equipment standards, they have product and supply costs, employee wages, and more. They are truly here to bring the flavour and add to your EX-perience!  

Yes! Guests are allowed to bring food and unopened, non-alcoholic beverages into the event. There are also 5 water bottle filling stations available around the park.

However, please do not bring your pets. They 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.)

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 deliver 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 “Class A” 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, even if you got in for free, allows you to take in all the shows and experiences on the grounds at the EX.

ATTRACTIONS: Watch our social media and website starting in November each year for the call for attractions.
MUSIC: To apply to be a part of the music lineup for The EX, please contact mike@morrisentertainment.ca.

DID YOU KNOW?? 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 “Class A” fairs left in Canada that does not receive operational funding from the government. Red River 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!”. ALL of 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.

*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.)