Manitoba fair season kicks into high gear this weekend with the return of the Portage Ex Fair, Carberry Fair & Races, Eriksdale Creamery Days, and the weekly Gladstone Farmer’s Market. Each event brings its own flavour of small-town hospitality, family fun, and rural tradition.
Portage Ex packs in music, livestock, and more.
Running July 4–6 at the Portage Industrial Exhibition Grounds, the 153rd Portage Ex Fair is full of action from morning to night.
Live music kicks off Friday with a Tom Petty tribute followed by rockers Tooth n Nail, while Saturday's main stage hosts tributes to Pat Benatar, Foreigner and Van Halen. Sunday’s lineup features Kate’s Outlaw Band and Quinton Blair.
Throughout the weekend, fairgoers will find 4-H competitions, indoor and outdoor vendors, quilt and home living exhibits, and a petting zoo. Kids can also enjoy live reptiles, circus acts, bouncers, and more.
In the horse and cattle rings, events range from halter classes and gymkhana games to 4-H beef shows and peewee showmanship.
Daily admission is $10, or $25 for a weekend pass. Ages 6 and under are free, and all live entertainment is included in gate admission.
Carberry Fair celebrates rural roots
Carberry’s long-standing fair and races return July 4–6, proudly calling itself "Manitoba’s Largest Small Town Fair." The action begins Friday with 4-H beef achievement, children's activities, and the always-popular chariot and chuckwagon races.
Saturday brings a full slate of events: a pancake breakfast, interclub beef show, parade, draft horse show, show & shine, and cornhole tournament. Kids can meet “Sleepy the Clown” before the evening concert by The Shop Dawgz, followed by fireworks at dusk.
Sunday features the Manitoba Angus Gold Show, more racing, and the First Lady Classic. All weekend long, visitors can enjoy a trade show, inflatables, a beer garden, and a baby animal display.
Admission is free for kids 6 and under, with day and weekend passes available for others.
Eriksdale Creamery Days return with a full weekend lineup
The Eriksdale Creamery Days Fair and Rodeo kicks off Saturday, July 5, with a free pancake breakfast, followed by a local market and noon parade. Family fun includes glitter tattoos, a kids’ zone, bounce houses, wagon rides, and rodeo action from Heartland Rodeo and mutton busting.
Sunday’s events include more rodeo competition, a beer garden, a 50/50 draw, and music by the “BlueStem” band.
Organizers thank the community and sponsors for making the annual tradition a success.
Gladstone Farmer’s Market offers weekly charm
If you’re looking for fresh produce and homemade treats, head to the Gladstone Farmer’s Market, held every Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. near the baseball diamonds. Vendors offer local produce, baking, handmade goods, and more.
Whether you’re up for midway thrills, horse shows, beef sales, or small-town treats, there’s something for everyone in Manitoba this weekend.