Annual fall fairs are a staple of rural communities in Ontario, bringing people together to celebrate the fall harvest and the agricultural way of life. This fall, the largest agricultural and rural expo in all of North America is coming to the Kawartha Lakes.
Tickets are now on sale for the 2024 International Plowing Match & Rural Expo (IPM), to be held over five days in early October. The event is a celebration of agriculture and rural living with plowing competitions, a famous rodeo, educational demonstrations and displays, nonstop live music, an RV park, and fun for the whole family.
The not-to-be missed event runs daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Tuesday, October 1st to Saturday, October 5th at the Lindsay Exhibition Fairgrounds (354 Angeline Street South) and surrounding areas. Advance tickets are available now for $20 ($5 for youth aged 6 to 15 and free for those under five) until September 9, with rates going up to $25 from September 10 onwards and when purchased at the gate.
VIDEO: 2024 International Plowing Match & Rural Expo
“It’s a really big event drawing people in from all over,” says Bob Armstrong, Chair of the IPM 2024 Local Organizing Committee, noting the IPM was last held in the Kawartha Lakes back in 1992. “We thought it was a great time to finally bring it back to Kawartha Lakes.”
Heading into its 105th year, the IPM is a collaborative effort between the local committee and the Ontario Plowmen’s Association. Held in a different community in Ontario each year, the event attracts 70,000 people from across the province, the country, and around the world. The event was originally scheduled to be held in the Kawartha Lakes in 2020 but was cancelled due to the pandemic.
With an estimated economic impact of $25 million in every year, the IPM is such as important event in Ontario that the provincial parliament traditionally goes into recess for a day so politicians can attend the opening of the IPM.
“It’s the only time each year that the Ontario legislature shuts down for a day and all the MPPs, the cabinet, the leaders of the opposition, and the premier all come to the plowing match,” says Armstrong. “We’ll get to hear some of them speak at the opening ceremonies.”
Over the five days, farmers from around the world will compete in different classes of plowing competitions including horse and mule, junior competitions, and antique plowing (where drag plows and tractors must be pre-1959). Visitors will travel through time as they watch plowing through history, from old fashioned horse-drawn plows to the latest high-tech plows, with each competing to draw the straightest furrows.
On Thursday, October 3rd, the IPM will host the Ontario Queen of the Furrow for female farmers between 18 and 25 years of age. First held in 1960 to support young women in agriculture, the Queen of the Furrow features women who have won the competition held at their local branch association. The winner will be announced at the Evening of Excellence at the Victoria Park Armoury in Lindsay the following day, where she will be given a bursary and a vehicle to assist in being an ambassador for Ontario agriculture during her year of reign.
“These queens are professional folk in agriculture,” says Armstrong. “They’re young ladies that are well-spoken, and they make good role models for young girls watching. There will be some really good competitors this year.”
From Thursday, October 3rd to Saturday, October 5th, the RAM Rodeo Tour will also be making its annual IPM appearance. Touring the province, the rodeo features cowboys and cowgirls competing in barrel racing, saddle bronc, bareback, bull riding, pole bending, and more. The RAM Rodeo Tour will be co-hosted by Amber Marshall, who stars as Amy Fleming in the long-running CBC television series Heartland.
“It’s a really exciting, fun rodeo, and a classic,” says Armstrong. “It’s a longtime favourite for people of all ages.”
Those looking to make the IPM a week-long excursion can book a campsite in the official RV Park of the IPM, located on a property adjoining the Lindsay Exhibition Fairgrounds and a short walk from Tented City where the events and celebrations will be taking place. Guests staying at the 600-site RV park will have convenient access to all activities and get complimentary shuttle service.
“A lot of the farmers come with their RVs, stay for the week, and get entertainment every night,” says Armstrong, noting there is still availability to book sites in the park. “They’re in a convenient location. It allows people to be close to all the action of the match while still having a place to go back to.”
Entertainment on both the main stage and in the RV Park ranges from local favourites such as Melissa Payne, Irish Millie, Charlie Horse, Nicholas Campbell, High Waters Band, and Gunslingers, visiting performers including Stacey Kay and the Steel House Gypsies, and cover bands for Tom Petty and Taylor Swift, among others.
Other entertainment throughout the week include the Great Canadian Lumberjacks Competition, Amber Marshall reading from her own children’s book Where’d Turkey Go? (which follows the amazing real-life journey of Sweetpea the Turkey, who was born on Amber’s farm and found a wonderful forever home with Amber’s friend Katie), and the Canadian Cowgirls — a renowned precision equestrian drill team.
“It’s a really unique group that does formations and it’s quite colourful,” says Armstrong. “It’s a neat thing that you might not get a chance to see very often.”
Armstrong notes that while there is plenty of fun to be had at the IPM, there is also ample opportunity to engage young people in learning about farming and agriculture. Schools can sign up to have classes bused in for the day to explore the Education Centre with activities, demonstrations on cooking and machinery, animal meet and greets, and teachings about farming and agriculture over the years.
“The educational format allows students to learn more about modern rural life, modern farming, and the many changes and challenges,” he says. “Usually, Kawartha Dairy has a scavenger hunt, so kids can have added element of fun and competition while they learn.”
In Tented City, visitors can find exhibitors ranging from equipment and vehicle dealers and manufacturers, agricultural and rural service providers, community non-profits, food vendors, artisans, and more. There will also be tents designated for beautification and quilting competitions.
“Our goal is to showcase the best the Kawartha Lakes has to offer and not just on the agricultural side,” says Armstrong. “Hopefully that will make people come back and visit us again.”
Visitors can even pick up the 2024 IPM cookbook, featuring favourite recipes collected from local foodies.
“Each year, the recipes depend on where the match is happening and the community contributes their recipes,” says Armstrong, noting some visitors look forward to it each year. “Someone came up to me and said this will be her 60th cookbook from the competition.”
High school students from Lindsay Collegiate Vocational Institute, I.E. Weldon, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Fenelon Falls Secondary School have already been hard at work in preparation for the IPM. With supplies donated by Lindsay Home Building Centre, the students built benches to be sold off for a $500 sponsorship.
“It’s quite a quite a nice program to have local high school kids involved,” says Armstrong. “I’m quite proud of that.”
The benches will include an engraved plaque with the sponsor’s name, will be located around Tented City, and will given to the sponsor following the event. Bench sponsorships are still available, and sponsors interested in purchasing a bench can email localchair2024ipm@gmail.com.
With students building benches, community members sharing recipes, farmers donating land and tractors, and the City of Kawartha Lakes supporting the local committee, it’s evident that bringing the IPM to Kawartha Lakes has been an all-out community effort.
Armstrong notes that effort includes the assistance of hundreds of volunteers who work tirelessly to make the annual event a success. Volunteers are required for managing health and safety requirements, running information booths, assisting in competitions, and setting up and tearing down the event, among other roles.
“Many volunteers just want to be part of such a big and exciting local event,” says Armstrong of their motivation. “They work just four hours and can spend the rest of the day at the plowing match. We want to have enough hands to ensure everyone has a great time.”
Those interested in volunteering their time and skills are welcome to attend a volunteer orientation meeting on Saturday, September 14th at the RV Park (located at the north end of the Lindsay Exhibition Fairgrounds). Registration begins at 8:15 a.m., with the meeting running from 9 a.m. til noon.
New volunteers can sign up by completing the application form at www.plowingmatch.org/ipm2024/become-a-volunteer/.
For more information about the 2024 International Plowing Match and Rural Expo, including schedules and the official show guide, and to purchase advance tickets, visit www.plowingmatch.org/ipm2024/. You can also follow the International Plowing Match on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).
This branded editorial was created in partnership with the IPM 2024 Local Organizing Committee. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
