WINNIPEG — Grainfest organizers were pondering how much larger they want it to grow as the third annual event wrapped up.
The celebration of the new crop year and of agriculture’s importance to the city of Winnipeg was expanded this year to incorporate events held throughout the first week of August.
Winnipeg is touted as the headquarters of the grain industry in Canada, The industry directly employs an estimated 20,000 people in this city of 600,000.
But the event, which started as a pancake breakfast in 1992, has remained largely an industry celebration despite efforts to broaden its appeal to the general public with food demonstrations, a pasta-eating contest and daily concerts in the downtown area.
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Even the parade of farm equipment and floats from agri-business was sparsely attended. One media outlet initially mistook the parade for a farm demonstration.
“If we want to take this thing the next step, we’ve got to spend serious money on advertising,” said Bob Roehle, vice-chair of the festival.
“We have to decide whether we want it to continue to grow.”
One aspect of the event’s growth will get little argument.
A charity auction organized by the Manitoba Farm Writers and Broadcasters Association raised more than $4,700 for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank’s international relief efforts. That’s more than double the money raised by a similar auction the group held last year.
Grainfest organizers said they expect to donate about $2,000 raised at events during the week to the Winnipeg Harvest Food Bank.
