The community of Virgil is ready to welcome the start of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s lively summer season this May long weekend with the return of the 57th-annual Virgil Stampede from Saturday to Monday.
Thousands are expected to come out to the Virgil Sports Park from May 17 to 19 for a weekend of carnival rides, games, family-friendly events, classic fair food and, on Monday evening, a fireworks show to celebrate Victoria Day.
The grounds at 1565 Four Mile Creek Rd. will be open on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Monday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Tickets are $5 per person and admission is free for those 10 and under. Early bird ride bracelets, valid for a single day, are $35 until Saturday, when they’ll be $45. They can be bought at Phil’s Independent at 1551 Niagara Stone Rd., or online.
Organizers have heightened the security and police presence at the Stampede over the years — security will be checking bags as guests enter the fairgrounds. Backpacks are not allowed into the park.
New this year, to help those driving to the Stampede, organizers and volunteers are introducing a free parking shuttle service, running only on Monday.
The shuttle will take people from Niagara United Mennonite Church at 1775 Niagara Stone Rd. to Lorraine Street.
From Lorraine Street, people can walk to get into the grounds. The road at Lorraine Street and Arena Road is closed to vehicles.
“Over the years, the Stampede has grown, but convenient parking for guests is very limited,” wrote Stampede organizer Sharon VanNoort via email.
Their goal is to help people who are parking further away from the Virgil Sports Park and to keep people from parking on Creek Road during the busiest day of the Stampede, for their safety. Plus, Van Noort added, the hope is it will help with traffic congestion in Virgil.
The shuttle will run from noon to 11 p.m., with a second shuttle vehicle to be added at 9 p.m. Pickup will be every 20 minutes.
There is no parking available on the Stampede grounds, except for accessible parking. Two parking lots will be open the whole weekend for Stampede attendees in the area: The NOTL Town Hall at 1593 Four Mile Creek Rd. and Cornerstone Community Church at 1570 Niagara Stone Rd.
A third lot, at Meridian Credit Union (1567 Niagara Stone Rd.), will be open Sunday and Monday online. Phil’s Independent will open on Monday to deal with parking overflow.
“At the end of the day, we hope to improve the experience for anyone attending the Virgil Stampede,” VanNoort wrote, adding that if the shuttle program is successful this year, organizers
The Virgil Business Association has pledged the net proceeds from this year’s Stampede to the Red Roof Retreat and Radiant Care’s Pleasant Manor Retirement Village, which will each get $50,000 to fund facility upgrades.
The business association hosts and funds the Stampede every year and has financially supported several sports and recreation facilities in the village over the years.
