Outdoor Farm Show grows in scale and scope

It’s been three years since the last full-scale, in-person Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show. This year it returns to alleviate pent-up attendee demand with a greater land base, new elements and more industry support.

Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show will be held Sept. 13-15 at Discovery Farm Woodstock.

Purchasing the central farm show site from the province last fall has meant a lot to organizers and the show’s regularly returning industry attendees, according to Doug Wagner, president of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show.

More specifically, he says direct ownership by Glacier FarmMedia has provided more assurance to vendors and made it easier for them to invest in their facilities – for example, a new concrete floor in the Case IH barn. The ability for companies to sign agreements directly with Glacier FarmMedia, rather than through the province, has also simplified things. 

The show site and new adjacent land has been rebranded Discovery Farm Woodstock. 

The main farm show location is not the only acquisition, either. A northern adjacent farm was purchased too, while an additional 100 acres is being leased from the Woodstock Research Station. 

“We’re at 140, up from 40 acres with the station, so about 330 acres total land base. This is the full Discovery Farm Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show,” says Wagner. 

Along with new and upgraded facilities, the show also features ongoing research projects with both in-province and international partners. More space for companies and others to trial new research, and offer demonstrations, is being made available. 

“For some folks in the ag industry, it’s a spot which is a little more visible…We’re just getting going with Discovery Farm now. We have a pretty good land base, land where agribusiness can take advantage to show some new technologies.”

After three years of largely pandemic-induced hurdles, Wagner and his colleagues anticipate a return to 2019 levels of attendance, if perhaps higher.

“With COVID everyone has been impacted differently…We’re optimistic we’ll put a pretty good presentation this September. We’re anticipating our attendance is as good, or maybe a little higher than in past years, which is about 40,000 people,” said Wagner.