Mark your calendars for Tuesday, September 16 to Saturday, September 20.
PREPARED BY: Anne Thompson
The International Plowing Match and Rural Expo (IPM) is coming to the Niagara Region this fall offering a unique opportunity to showcase the community’s agricultural diversity and natural beauty.
The annual event is hosted in a different community each year and this year’s edition marks the first time in almost 100-years the Niagara communities will play host.
Renate McGillivray is one of the two local co-chairs for the event and she says the community is very excited to be having this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to invite visitors to their Region.
“We have a lot to offer in this part of the province and we couldn’t be happier to be hosting this year’s event” says McGillivray.
The IPM was created by the OPA in 1913 to showcase farmers' passion for the soil, agriculture and rural living and today is the largest event of its kind in Canada, attracting people from all over the world. Historical attendance numbers exceed 70,000 people over the five-day event.
Plowing—whether by the old-fashioned horse-drawn plows or tractors using both traditional and modern, high-tech plows—remains a key feature of the fiveday event, but in its over 100-year history the overall experience has evolved into a massive rural expo where the main goals continue to be agriculture education and an entertaining experience.
From Tuesday, September 16 to Saturday, September 20 the West Niagara Fairgrounds and neighbouring host farmers will open their fields, transforming them into a large rural expo which includes a tented city, daily entertainment, animal exhibits, demonstrations, local artisans, farm and rural goods and services, a rodeo and of course, the plowing—featuring both tractor and horseplowing competitions.
Plans are well underway in anticipation of the mid-September event but local organizers say there are still lots of opportunities to get involved whether as a participant, sponsor or volunteer. “This is a once-in-a-generation event for our community and we want to make sure everyone who wants to be involved is,” says McGillivray.
Mark your calendars for Tuesday, September 16 to Saturday, September 20 and plan to attend.
To find out how you can get involved as a volunteer, sponsor or exhibitor be sure to visit the website at https://www.plowingmatch.org/ipm2025/ or follow on Facebook (2025 International Plowing Match & Rural Expo).
Quick Facts
• The International Plowing Match and Rural Expo is held in a different Ontario community each year, highlighting the many great things the area has to offer and attracting on average over 70,000 people from across the province, throughout Canada, the United States and beyond;
• Tourism industry figures put the economic impact of the IPM at about $25 million annually (not including the long-term benefits this exposure provides to communities) and it spurs tourism in the surrounding area for years to come;
• The Provincial Legislature traditionally adjourns for the day on Opening Day so MPPs can attend The International Plowing Match and Rural Expo (IPM) The International Plowing Match will take place from September 16 to September 20 at the West Niagara Fairgrounds and neighbouring farms in Grassie, part of the West Lincoln township in the Niagara Region, Ontario. The IPM is a five-day celebration of agriculture and rural living. There will be plowing competitions, a range of activities for people of all ages, numerous opportunities to learn about agriculture, daily live entertainment in multiple match venues, vendors and exhibits, a wide variety of food, an RV park and more. The event has an expected attendance of approximately 70,000 people. For more information: https://www.plowingmatch.org/ipm2025/.
The Ontario Plowmen’s Association (OPA)
The Ontario Plowmen’s Association is the parent host of the International Plowing Match. Each year the OPA partners with a community to organize and host the International Plowing Match and Rural Expo. For more information please visit https://www.plowingmatch.org/ipm2025/.