Ninette Fair to mark 70th anniversary this weekend

People seen enjoying the Ninette Fair in an undated photo. Uploaded June 11, 2025. (Bryan Podworny)

The Ninette Fair is marking a major milestone this weekend.

June 13 and 14 will mark the 70th annual Ninette Fair. It will be an event that has something for everyone to enjoy while showcasing the fair’s history.

“When you look at fairs nowadays, you look at small towns, communities, everything seems to be shrinking and it’s getting harder to put these events…When you can hit something like 70, 75 (years), it’s amazing. Not only for the people that are putting it on, but for the community as a whole because it means that in a community of a couple hundred people, it’s surviving,” said Bryan Podworny, the president of the Pelican Lake Ag Society, which hosts the fair.

Podworny said when the fair started, it was an agricultural fair, focused on everything from livestock to growing crops.

That trend will continue this year with nine different horse competitions as well as a youth cattle show. Games like the three-legged race and an egg toss will just be a sample of the entertainment that people can enjoy.

There will also be bounce houses, musical acts and a kids exhibit, which will showcase all the kids’ talents, from art to cooking.

Friday night will feature a teen dance and the traditional roast beef dinner will also be making a return, as it was sidelined during the pandemic.

“The other cool thing that we’re bringing back again, a little nostalgic as they used to do it, is the king and queen farmer. We’re calling it this year the Ag Olympics. People are going to have to muscle up and do some farm chores and (compete) for some prize money.”

It wouldn’t be a fair without a parade as well, with Podworny noting the parade was amazing last year and he expects much the same this time around.

Gates to the fair open up at 4 p.m. Friday and getting onto the grounds is completely free. Podworny said the only things people have to pay for are food and beverages.

He thanked all the volunteers who have put in so much hard work to make this event possible and he is excited to see everyone show up to enjoy it.

“If it wasn’t for the volunteers, we would be nowhere. So a massive thank you goes out to them for helping us out.”