Agricultural Society District #34, York County

Fredericton Exhibition Ltd., a subsidiary of Agriculture Society District #34, York County, is a company that, through its people activities and facilities, excels in creating unique experiences that fulfill the evolving entertainment, recreational and educational interests of our customers.

The Fredericton Exhibition Grounds are located on Smythe Street in the heart of downtown Fredericton and in close proximity to Wilmot and Odell parks. The Exhibition Grounds provides facilities for the agriculture industry for education, exhibition and distribution as well as the annual fall Fair known as the FREX, which is Atlantic Canada’s largest agricultural fair. The FREX showcases events from Provincial livestock shows and sales to local and regional 4-H activities.

The primary goal of Fredericton Exhibition Ltd. is to improve the Fair’s ability to accommodate agriculture events and shows on a year round basis.

Non-agricultural events are also accommodated and possible events include a variety of trade and consumer shows, entertainment and recreational activities.

The FREX, as fair patrons know it today, owes its origin to the enthusiasm of Sir Howard Douglas. As Governor of New Brunswick from 1824 to 1831, he proved himself one of the best administrators of the Colonial period. He did much to encourage road building, agriculture and education; and he promoted New Brunswick's first exhibition.

Sir Howard called a meeting in the Province Hall in Fredericton on February 17, 1825, to stimulate agricultural effort in the Province. In addition to the elected members of the Legislature, Sir Howard also invited prominent citizens from all the Counties and in his opening address outlined a plan for the formation of a central agricultural society. This committee presented a report at the second meeting held on March 5, 1825, and from this report the New Brunswick Agricultural and Immigrant Society emerged.

At the annual meeting of the Agricultural & Immigrant Society held in Province Hall on February 19, 1827, the members voted in favor of holding a Provincial Cattle Show on the grounds of the Fredericton Race Course on October 9, 1827. This was the first of what was to become known as the FREX. By mid-century the Exhibition was a well-established event in the life of the Capital City.

The Agricultural Society for District No. 34, York County, was incorporated by Letters-Patent passed on the 25th day of March 1889, under provision of the Agricultural Act 1888.

At a meeting on January 12, 1922, proposed changes were outlined in the by-laws: it was "Resolved that the Agricultural Society No. 34 transfer its assets to a company to be known as the Fredericton Exhibition Ltd., a charter for the latter Company to be obtained under the New Brunswick Joint Stock Companies Act of 1916". Letters-Patent incorporating the Company were approved and adopted as the charter of the Company and the necessary transfers and conveyances were carried out. Among the many covenants of the patent were “To hold Exhibitions and to exhibit any and every variety of thing and being found in animal and vegetable life; to exhibit wares, goods, merchandise, machinery, mechanical inventions and improvements of every nature, name and kind and industrial, agricultural, horticultural, domestic and other products, either manufactured or grown…”

To this day, over 180 years later, Fredericton Exhibition Ltd. still operates under its original patent and is governed by the Agricultural Associations Act. Any citizen of York County may be a member of Agricultural Society District #34, York County.