Welcome To Evergreen Park!
Evergreen Park is the largest full featured exhibition facility north of Edmonton.
The Park - while still staying true to its agriculture roots with an annual Agri-Show, Rodeos, Chuckwagon Races, Live Horse Racing and indoor and outdoor accommodations for horses and other farm-related animals – now offers a huge selections of options, and buildings, for a multitude of events.
A variety of halls, convention/conference facilities, paved parking, pavilions, riding trails, fully licensed restaurant and lounge (open 363 days a week from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m.), family restaurant and other special features, like a 2,700 seat grandstand and what is regarded as one of the best race tracks in Canada (called J.D.A. Raceway), create a unique, picturesque and versatile setting for any event - all just minutes south of downtown Grande Prairie!
If you are interested in renting one of our many facilities for a wedding, convention, company meeting, concert or planning a major outdoor event that can cater to upwards of 10,000 people we have what you need.
Please check out our website for more information and if you have any questions please give us a call at 780-532-3279.
Evergreen - Jewel In the Forest
The Grande Prairie Regional Agricultural & Exhibition Society has roots that stretch back to 1911 – four years before Grande Prairie became an official village.
Today the Society, which oversees the development and daily operations of Evergreen Park, continues as a charitable non-profit . . . but there have been a few other changes.
Back in 1910, the first agricultural fair and rodeo was held in what is now downtown Grande Prairie at a location near where the current farmer’s market is located on 101 Ave. and 101 St.
It was an outdoor experience with displays of vegetables, canned goods and needlework and livestock events held nearby. The first "official" horse race was held there in 1910 with riders racing down to Bear Creek and back.
Over the years the “fairgrounds” moved to several locations - including a permanent race track and buildings on the city’s east side - and today the Society is proud to call Evergreen Park, and its 1,200 acres on the south side of Grande Prairie, home.
The move to the southern outskirts of the city took place in 1982. Since it first opened, Evergreen Park has featured what is considered one of the best horse racing facilities in western Canada including a large covered grandstand, new barns, buildings and other amenities.
Wild Horse Casino & Lounge at the Park features 99 slots machines and VLT and includes a full service restaurant. It is part of the Gordon Badger Stadium complex that includes the grandstand overlooking the sand and loam J.D.A. Raceway oval measuring 5/8th of a mile. A family restaurant, called the Pines Family Restaurant, was added in 2017.
Canadian Professional Rodeo Association competitors as well as World Professional Chuckwagon Association - behind the reins of thoroughbreds - and All Pro Canadian Chuckwagon pony drivers compete annually on J.D.A. Raceway during Stompede in the spring – usually late May into early June. The best cowboys from Canada and many from the U.S. and other countries take part in Stompede’s rodeo.
For two months in the summer – July and August – Horse Racing Alberta takes over J.D.A. Raceway weekends giving local bettors a chance to wager on their favorite jockey or horse at The Horses At Evergreen Park.
Evergreen Park has hosted prime ministers, RCMP Musical Rides, logger competitions, county fairs, forestry shows, petroleum shows, weddings, graduations, outdoor movies, Special Olympics, Nitro Circus, powwows, archery competitions, agri-shows, volleyball tournaments, baseball tournaments, Indian Relay Racing, home shows, RV shows, sports expos, dog shows, wedding shows, roller derby, car shows, monster trucks, seminars, retreats, meetings, horse competitions, conventions, mud bogs, MMA fights, equestrian competitions, national conferences and many other shows, acts and events since the move south of the city.
With the move south from the “fairgrounds” east of the city came another change.
Evergreen Park, while certainly capable of hosting a “fair” of any size, became much, much more than a “fairground”. It is the largest multi-purpose, multi-facility and most-used major venue north of Edmonton.
With 500,000 visitors annually the road into Evergreen is well travelled year-round.
During the course of a year most city and county residents of greater Grande Prairie have taken in at least one “event” at the park whether it be Stompede, Festival of Trees, Wedding Show or one of the many trade shows held on the grounds and during that same time thousands from around the Peace Country – which encompasses northwestern Alberta and northeastern British Columbia – make the short trek to the Swan City to take advantage of Evergreen and what it has to offer.
During the winter the indoor horse stalls are usually full. It is the perfect venue to train or just pleasure ride on a daily basis in one of the two heated indoor arenas – the Drysdale Arena and Lewis Hawkes Arena in the Evergreen Park Pavilion. In November-December the Heavy Horse Pull Club’s Northern Spirit Light Show delights upwards of 40,000 annually located beside the Wild Horse Casino & Lounge.
Travellers from around North America stop by during May to October to take advantage of Neil's RV Campground at Evergreen Park – which features 75 spots, all equipped with electricity, water and a dumping station along with a general store, washrooms, showers, laundry and playground. It is just steps away from the Wild Horse Casino & Lounge, Pines Family Restaurant and the many events held during the spring and summer at the park.
The TARA Energy Services Centre has helped turn Evergreen Park into the largest full featured exhibition facility north of Edmonton.
The TARA Energy Services Centre was opened in 2008 and is 105,000 square feet. It features a 46,200 square foot main hall (Evaskevich Hall), which has hosted concerts by the likes of Dwight Yoakam, Serena Ryder, Big Wreck, Hedley, Blue Rodeo, Nelly and Paul Brandt and is used for trade shows, graduations and other events where lots of room is needed; three 6,600 square foot salons; and four meeting rooms in the 2,000 square foot range each.
There is also a huge foyer in the TARA Energy Services Centre as well as administration offices for Evergreen Park staff.
Clarkson Hall is a 9,600-square-foot building that has been part of Evergreen since Day 1. It hosts weddings and other events for up to 500 people. It has undergone a recent renovation making it one of the best wedding/banquet facilities in the area. A rustic log building, the Old Timers Cabin, is also available for use for groups of up to 50.
Evergreen Park also features an archery centre as well as an equestrian complex that includes permanent jumps and water hazards. The great expanse of Evergreen Park also allows competitive cross-country horse competitions to take place using the equestrian facility, the track and the picturesque trails through the spruce and pine trees throughout the park.
The Park is also home to the Ducks Unlimited Boreal Wetland Centre, which has won an award for its tree planting pilot project, and the hosts Grande Prairie Minor Baseball Association and its 12 diamonds. An outdoor theatre, one of the few in all of Canada, was added to the Park in 2020.
Located on the southern outskirts of the city of Grande Prairie - population 70,000 - Evergreen Park is just minutes away from hotels and shopping centres.
