After being limited by COVID-19 the past two summers, Vancouver Island Exhibition organizers are free to put on the kind of event that fair-goers remember.
Stephen Kass, VIEX president, said all involved are looking forward to the exhibition at Beban Park this weekend, Aug. 26-28.
“It’s fantastic this year and the fact that we can bring back basically all the activities that we’ve had in the past and looking forward to a couple of new ones as well this year,” he said. “COVID did play a little bit of havoc on us. Of course 2020 where we only had the drive-thru and last year, we [had] only about seven weeks of preparation time … so while it was very successful, we just didn’t have the time to put on a full-fledged fair.”
This year’s entertainment lineup is full, according to Kass, with a variety of acts.
“On Friday night, for normally what we call our rock night, we’re having Jesse Roper perform for us,” said Kass. “On Saturday night, which we normally deem our country night, we have JoJo Mason and we’re really excited with that. JoJo has a new song and [EP] out … and then on Sunday, we’re going to have a [Victoria group] the Timebenders performing for us and they’re always fun to watch and listen to.”
New food vendors will be on site this year, increasing options for eats available to fair-goers.
“JLA Food Truck is joining us this year, they have a twist of Jamaican in their food,” said Kass. “We have [Don’t Bannock Food Concession], so they’ll be joining us as well, they’re new … We have Alkhalid Food, which is a Mediterranean-type food, and then we have Brazilian Delicacies, so we have a lot of ethnic food groups that will be joining us this year.”
While the fair is this weekend, organizers could still use more helping hands and those interested are asked to stop by the fair’s office at Beban Park during business hours Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
“While we always appreciate everyone’s efforts to help us out, because we are doing a full-fledged event this year, we are a little shy on the volunteer side of things,” Kass said.
For more information, including a schedule, go to www.viex.ca.
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