Ex-treme adventures
Angenia Papineau said she hasn't smiled this much in weeks.
The 20-year-old from Cross Lake spent a thrilling evening with her sister and friend at the Red River Exhibition in Winnipeg after a nomadic few weeks caused by wildfires near her hometown.
'It's been very stressful because we've wanted to go home for a while. We came out here for a break, and it's been a lot of fun,' Papineau told the Free Press on Tuesday. 'It feels a lot better getting out of the Airbnb after being stuck there and not really doing much.'
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
Hailey Papineau, Angenia Papineau and Kayleigh Ross enjoy the Crazy Mouse ride at the Red River Ex Tuesday.
More than three weeks ago, Papineau was preparing to return home to surprise her family after wrapping up her university studies this spring. She said her plans got derailed once her community was ordered to evacuate.
'It totally sucked. People left and had to find places to sleep. They were either going to community centres or arenas,' said Papineau.
She and her parents, three brothers, sister, and dog are staying at an Airbnb since nobody in their family lives in Winnipeg. She said they are expected to return to Cross Lake, 500 kilometres north of Winnipeg, on Friday after the province lifted the evacuation order June 16.
Thanks to the Canadian Red Cross, Papineau said she got free tickets to the Red River Ex this week. She rode the Ex's popular 'crazy mouse' and 'mega drop' roller-coasters and rode in the classic bumper cars.
'It's gotten our minds off what has been happening with the evacuation and being away from home and things like that. It's been nice,' she said.
Shane Farberman, better known as 'Doo Doo the International Clown,' helped to bring ear-to-ear smiles to fair-goers, including evacuees.
'Everywhere I go, when I'm driving from a hotel and I see a busload of people walking in the park or having lunch, I've been jumping out, doing videos, taking pictures, and doing magic, and just getting families out,' said Farberman. 'I just feel it's good for my heart, and it's good for their heart.'
The clown from Ontario, who appeared in Adam Sandler's Billy Madison and has performed at the Ex for more than 30 years, also entertains people across North America and Europe. Whether it's walk-around parties, pop-up shows, or being on stage, Farberman said Winnipeggers are an unmatched audience.
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
Doo Doo The Clown, who has been clowning for 30 years, entertains at the Red River Ex Tuesday.
'The love that I get in Winnipeg is just amazing. Everybody is so warm and loving, and the people I've met have actually become lifetime friends of mine,' he said. 'I always have hundreds of families that come up to me, and the parents tell their kids, 'This is the clown when I was little at the fair.''
It's no surprise, during Doo Doo's 31st year at the Ex, he was seen drawing in a crowd of younger folks with his comedic magic tricks and balloon animals. He said being a clown will never get old for him.
'What other job in the world do you get paid to make people smile and laugh? To have this longevity, you need to love it,' he said.
Although Doo Doo has been a longtime staple at the largest travelling carnival in North America, Garth Rogerson, CEO of the Red River Exhibition Association, said there are new features this year.
Some of the latest concepts include a pro wrestling show, a chainsaw-carving demo area, the 'haunted carnival'— a 6,000-square-foot walk-through haunted house attraction — and a lumberjack show, which includes an axe-throwing and log-rolling competition.
There's a theme each day, including Indigenous Peoples Day on Saturday and Filipino Day and Kids Day on Sunday.
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Rogerson said more than 4,000 people entered the park within the first hour on Sunday. The Ex's revenues are trending up at around 12 per cent to start this year's tour in Winnipeg.
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
Imrose Dhaliwal, front left, Sirat Sran, front right, Sahipbep Dhaliwal, back left, and Simrandeep Dhaliwal, back right, enjoy the Outlaw ride at the Red River Ex Tuesday.
Safety measures have been beefed up this year, including a mile of new fencing, more lit-up areas to prohibit outsiders from throwing objects over the fence, additional cameras, and enough security officers to ensure there is at least one guard for every 250 guests.
'We want to make sure that everybody feels safe at all times and doesn't have to worry,' Rogerson said. 'Let us worry about those bad guys, and we'll take care of that.'
The Ex concludes on Sunday.
massimo.deluca-taronno@freepress.mb.ca
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