The 144th Portage Ex will begin taking shape this week at Portage la Prairie's Island Park.

It'll open Friday afternoon around 4 o'clock.

Fair Board member Dave Koroscil says they're excited, noting they're also looking ahead to their 150th anniversary 2022, so they want to keep improving the fair moving forward. He feels their decision to focus on local talent this year reflects that.

Dave Koroscil

"And everything's right on site, at the fair grounds. The one thing we're going to have is a fairly large tent set up just adjacent to the MNP Building, where most of our entertainment will be throughout the day. It gives people an opportunity to get out of the heat if it's extra warm, and enjoy some fine entertainment right at the centre of all activity, right beside the midway."

Koroscil stresses the fair's roots in agriculture remain strong, with cattle and horse shows.

"And the 4-H is a very important part of the fair. It's a wrap-up of their year's activities, and for those that are in the beef clubs, 5 o'clock Saturday afternoon they have the cattle sale, where they get to auction off their cattle that they've raised, nurtured, and shown throughout the past year."

Set-up of the Portage Ex began this afternoon.