The 2019 International Plowing Match & Rural Expo has secured $250,000 in funding to help host the September event.
Scheduled to take place Sept. 17-21 in Verner, located about an hour east of Sudbury, the plowing match is expected to draw roughly 80,000 people to the area.
Over five days, visitors will take in a range of events, from competitive mechanical and heavy horse plowing to a tradeshow with more than 600 vendors.
The event also boasts many cultural attractions, including cooking demonstrations, traditional Indigenous dances, live music, games, rodeo events and regional culture showcases.
Funding for the event comes from Celebrate Ontario, which supports festivals and events of all sizes to reach new audiences, improve the programs for visitors, benefit local economies and create new jobs.
“Ontario is open for business and open for jobs. By investing in festivals and events, our government is tapping into the economic potential of the tourism industry,” said Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli in a May 17 news release.
“As we develop Ontario’s new tourism strategy, we will continue to invest in programs like Celebrate Ontario that help to maximize the growth and competitiveness of the great festivals and events that take place throughout the province.”
This marks the second time in its history that Northern Ontario has hosted the International Plowing Match, and the planning committee has been working for years to return the event back to the North.
In 2009, the event was held in Earlton, about two hours north of North Bay.
