MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - The second annual Aggie Days agriculture awareness and educational extravaganza will be held in Cremona June 9 and 10, officials said.
At its regularly scheduled meeting on Feb. 27, members of Mountain View County’s agricultural service board (ASB) were updated on planning now underway for the 2023 event.
The ASB is made up of county councillors and appointed members of the agriculture community. It advises the county and province on agricultural issues and concerns, as well as promoting the district’s agriculture and agri-food industry.
Lorelee Grattidge, the county’s sustainable agricultural specialist, outlined work already underway for 2023 Aggie Days.
The first Aggie Days was held in May 2022 at the Heritage Centre just east of Cremona. The first day saw students from across the region attend and take in demonstrations and information displays; Day 2 was open to the public, with hundreds and hundreds of area and outside visitors attending.
“It was quite successful,” said Grattidge. “We estimated about 2,350 attendees over the two days.”
Aggie Days 2022 featured displays by local and provincial agriculture and agribusiness organizations, area farmers and ranchers, Olds College, the University of Calgary School of Veterinary Medicine, ag societies, ag-related businesses, safety organizations, forage associations, entertainers, energy producers and providers, scientists and many others. Similar participation is expected in 2023, members heard.
The 2023 Aggie Days will be held at the Cremona Ag Society Community Arena and in other facilities. The two-day event will be hosted by the Cremona & District Agricultural Society, supported by Carstairs, Didsbury and Sundre ag societies and Mountain View County.
“The goal when this got started was that the ag societies in the county would be involved, and potentially it would be an event that would move around the county (from year to year),” she said. “So Cremona has stepped up this year and it is going to be hosted right in Cremona.
June 9 will be open to all schools in Mountain View County for students in Grade 4, 5 and 6, while June 10 will be open to the general public.
“The invitations have already been sent out to the schools and we are just waiting for that to come back. The invitations have also been sent out to all the vendors and those are starting to come in,” he said.
The county’s ASB had an information table at last year’s Aggie Days.
“It was well received so we would be looking to do similar again this year,” she said, noting ASB members also assisted at the pancake breakfast in 2022. “So potentially on the Saturday, if you are available, that would be appreciated this year.”
County councillor and ASB board member Alan Miller said, “It was a great event (in 2022). I started off the day there serving pancakes and it was great.”
Miller asked if all schools in the district will be invited to have their respective students attend. Grattidge said yes.
“Each of the ag societies are following up with their schools,” she said. “I think that will help. I think we are going to see more (students) this year.”
The ASB received Grattidge’s report as information.
