Drive-thru spudnuts, candy apples coming to Saskatoon this summer

While people won’t be riding the Tilt-A-Whirl at the Saskatoon Ex this year, they will get a chance to experience the fair with their taste buds.

It was announced on May 11 the 2020 edition of the event, which was scheduled for Aug. 4 to 9, had been cancelled for the first time ever. This year would have marked the 135th anniversary of the Ex in the city.

With the cancellation of many summertime festivals and events due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, organizers continue to find innovative ways to do business.

Open Aug. 7 to 9 from noon to 8 p.m., fair foods will be available in a new event at Prairieland Park called “Taste of the EX Drive-thru.”

Organizers assembled some food vendors to offer a drive-thru experience for customers to pick up some classics that include corndogs, caramel apples, candy floss and spudnuts.

All orders must be placed online before arriving onsite and patrons are required to remain in their vehicles for the duration that they attend the event. There will not be any parking available at Prairieland Park due to current public health measures around mass gatherings.

Bicycle, scooter, walk-up and alternative transportation modes will not be permitted, according to organizers.

The Saskatoon Ex is the province’s largest summer event with last year’s total attendance reaching 216,084. Organizers have said the estimated economic spin-off for the city and area is in the tens of millions of dollars annually.

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To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out. In situations where you can’t keep a safe distance from others, public health officials recommend the use of a non-medical face mask or covering to prevent spreading the respiratory droplets that can carry the virus. In some provinces and municipalities across the country, masks or face coverings are now mandatory in indoor public spaces.

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