114 years on, the BCNE is still big business for Prince George

Layzell said the crowd is not just local. “We’ve got people from across Canada. We’ve got people from Europe. There are people who plan their annual vacations around the BCNE,” she said.

The exhibition has a long history. It began in 1912, three years before Prince George became a city, when about 200 people attended the first fair downtown. The fair moved to different downtown spots until 1964, when the city and the exhibition association agreed to use the fairgrounds that the BCNE still uses today.

Agriculture has always been central to the fair. The Boys and Girls Club, now called 4-H, joined as early as the 1930s. This year, 4-H youth will again host their annual auction, and organizers are encouraging buyers to support local growers and producers.

The Home Arts and Horticulture divisions are the oldest parts of the fair, with baking, woodworking, spinning and weaving, quilting, cut flowers, and more. Organizers are asking people to enter at least three classes and to invite three friends to join as well.

For Layzell, this work means a lot. “I’ve been doing this personally for 41 years,” she said. “I love fairs and exhibitions. It’s my passion.” She says the best part is watching families. “Seeing everybody having fun, the kids creating memories, it’s magical.”

Local organizations also benefit from the fair. Huble Homestead has run its general store in Heritage Lane for about 20 years, ever since the lane started. Executive director Krystal Leason says the fair is the place to be.

“On exhibition weekend, everyone is at the exhibition. This is the main attraction,” Leason said. “So it makes sense for us to be here where people are.”

The crowds can be large. “Depending on the day, we would see between 500 and 1,000 people in our store over the four-day fair,” Leason said. She explained that turnout can change with the weather and the economy, but recently it has been strong.

Leason said the benefit is more than just sales. “It’s certainly worth it for us to be here, not just for sales, but for exposure,” she said. Many visitors learn about Huble Homestead for the first time at the booth. “It’s a good spot to reach the community.”

The gates open at 10 a.m. and close between 10 p.m. and midnight. The fair features horse and dog events, Heritage Lane, a food court, arts and crafts, vendors, and the midway. For Layzell, the midway is what brings her back each year. “I got my start travelling with the midway,” she said. “At night when the lights come on, it draws me in again. Then I see those lights, and I sign up for another year.”

by Dave Branco

114 years on, the BCNE is still big business for Prince George

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