MEDIA RELEASE  

      Expo Québec celebrates 100 years of history   By Jean-Marie Lebel   Québec City has its own special traditions. So when mid-August comes around and “back-to-school” is on everyone’s lips, it’s time once again for Expo Québec. This fair, which until 1969 was known as the Québec City Provincial Exhibition, is the last big summer event to roll out in Québec City every year. And this tradition so loved by the people of Québec is still just as relevant, popular, and magical as ever. 2011 marks the 100th edition of this Québec summer staple.       Mayor Drouin wanted a big annual exhibition   One hundred years ago in 1911, Québec City Mayor Napoléon Drouin decided to endow his city with a major yearly exhibition showcasing the area’s commercial, industrial, and agricultural activities. Drouin, also a leading manufacturer and maker of the popular smoking tobacco Rose Quesnel, was certain that the annual exhibition would become a must-see showcase for products made and sold in Québec City.   Mayor Drouin thought it would be best for his municipal administration to follow Toronto’s lead and take charge of organizing this big annual event. Well aware of the fact that the Québec City Exhibition Company, founded in 1892 by agronomist Philippe Landry, no longer had the financial means or momentum to forge on after its first few exhibitions, the mayor convinced his city council to approve the idea of launching the Provincial Exhibition Commission on February 2, 1912. One month later on March 2, the City of Québec, represented before a notary by the mayor himself, acquired the land, buildings, and equipment of the defunct Exhibition Company for $36,921.50—half its appraised value. The city council voted to allocate $10,000 to organizing the first exhibition.     Nothing but palaces and coliseums!   In late summer 1912 the first major exhibition organized by the new Québec City Exhibition Commission was held (if you count each exhibition held since, you see that 2011 marks the 100th edition of the event).   In 1912 downtown Québec City dwellers found the exhibition site (the same one as today) to be a bit too far away. What a crazy idea to hold exhibitions in the middle of the meadowlands beyond the St. Charles River a few kilometers northwest of the city center (the city would later spread to encompass the site)!      The existing wood structures found at the vast site of the 1912 exhibition dated back to 1898: the large grandstand of a racecourse, an industrial palace, and cowsheds and stables. These structures had not been well maintained and were in a state of disrepair. In the years that followed, the Commission built new buildings one by one. Today, visitors can still admire the Arts Pavilion (1913), Central Palace (1917), Trade Pavilion (1923), and imposing Agriculture Pavilion (unveiled in 1932).   The year 1942 was a turning point for the exhibition site, which up until then had been closed in winter. A fire that year at the Parc Victoria Arena paved the way for the construction of a skating rink in the Agriculture Pavilion. Also known as the Coliseum, it became the home of the Québec City Aces hockey team, and later the Citadelles. People started coming to the exhibition site regularly to watch hockey. On March 17, 1949, fire ravaged the first Coliseum. A second coliseum was then built north of the racetrack and ringed with a large parking area. Starting in December of the same year, hockey returned to the coliseum that still stands today. In 1950 the building was also used for big shows at the Provincial Exhibition.   In 1997 the Provincial Exhibition Commission became the current ExpoCité, whose mission included organizing Expo Québec. The large indoor space of the ExpoCité Exhibition Center, unveiled in 1997, was the ideal venue for the yearly exhibition. The new arena slated for 2013 will also be located on the ExpoCité site. Clearly, the exhibition site is still creating a lot of buzz!     A fabulous fairground   We may have inherited a tradition of agricultural and trade exhibitions from England, but the festive element of these events came from the United States. In fact, a giant Ferris wheel was one of the biggest draws of the 1893 Chicago Expo!   In many ways, the 1912 Provincial Exhibition in Québec City was already very similar to today’s Expo Québec. It featured major provincial farm animal judging contests. Many commercial exhibitors came to showcase their new products and specials. Farmers displayed their craftwork. There were even some rides, known as mechanical games, which were brought in from the United States. Games of skill were already quite popular at the time. Pitching a ball into a milk can required good hand-eye coordination!   Starting in the early 1920s, visitors could enjoy American-style hamburgers, hotdogs, caramel corn, and ice cream cones. More traditional visitors continued to munch on corn on the cob. Children would beg for barley sugar lollipops, candy apples, and “mousse” (which was what tykes in Québec called American cotton candy back then).   The Pontifical Zouaves, a local religious association looking for a way to raise funds, helped make bingo a popular component of the exhibition from the 1930s to the 1980s. They even had their own building at the exhibition site. Visitors wouldn’t even think of leaving the exhibition without trying their luck in at least one round of bingo. And the annual charity draw for a family home attracted droves of visitors without fail from the mid-1950s to the early 2000s.     Always something new to discover!   Today, the big annual exhibition continues to offer a world of fun and discovery. A lot of new attractions have been added in recent years. A science pavilion educates and fascinates visitors big and small. While the Québec Winter Carnival is known for its ice and snow sculptures, since 1998 Expo Québec has garnered an enviable reputation for its International Sand Sculpting Competition, which draws teams of skilled artists from around the world. Under the bigtop, tons of sand are transformed into colossal and bold works of art.   When the sun goes down, Québec’s biggest musical stars take to the outdoor stage, drawing thousands of fans. The popular Bête de scène contest is a veritable showcase of up-and-coming talent. The Québec City International Festival of Military Bands Festival has been presenting its Military Tattoo, featuring musical ensembles from various military regiments and police forces from around the world, at the Coliseum since 1999 as part of the Expo Québec festivities. Since 2007, Expo Québec has played host to the Canadian Strongman Competition. Twelve athletes from around the world come every year to vie for the title of Canada’s strongest man.   The agricultural component continues to be a major attraction at Expo Québec. For urbanites, it’s an extraordinary opportunity to learn more about rural life. The Bovine Pavilions are huge and well ventilated. After being moved to the Exhibition Center, the immense Trade Pavilion now houses spacious stables and sheep-pens where the horse, sheep, and goat judging competitions are held. The fully renovated and comfortable Youth Pavilion is where dairy and beef cattle are judged. The impressive harness racing shows are also held in this pavilion in the evenings. The Breed Showeducates visitors about various breeds of livestock, and the Rendez-vous Laitier dairy show brings together cattle breeders and buyers. The Petite ferme UPA petting farm is always a kid favorite.   Since 1997 ExpoQuébec’s vibrant Carrefour agroalimentaire has treated visitors to cooking demonstrations, recipes, and samples of gourmet delights inside the Exhibition Center. This big showcase also features meetings and talks on various topics of interest for consumers in an age of growing environmental concerns. Marché des terroirs introduces people to the distinctive food and beverages of the various regions of Québec.   As the largest annual exhibition in Québec and one of the biggest events of its kind in North America, Expo Québec is proud to celebrate its 100th anniversary. It can look to the future with confidence as the wheels of the amusement rides keep on turning.   Pictures taken from L’Expo : Plaisir et découvertes à Québec book (2011)

Response Data Summary Report

The results are in of the ICount Survery at the 2010 C.A.F.E. Convention. Click here to download the results.

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In Quebec City Expo Québec Turns 100!

Click here to read the download the release.

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CAFE Convention Sponsorship

CAFE represents the over 400 fairs and exhibitions that occur annually across Canada and its membership base consists of top leaders from many of these fairs. A CAFE partnership is an excellent sponsorship investment for companies who want to do business with Canadian fairs and exhibitions by accessing key decision makers and by demonstrating commitment to the industry. Click here for more information.

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Handwashing/sanitizing Signage now available!

The Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions has developed signage that you can place on your fair grounds to inform and educate your consumers. Click here to download your order form.

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