Photo Credit: Trevor Jones

A new chapter in NBEXAG34 history unfolded in front of a captive audience of supporters as the organization announced the comeback of the naming rights to the nearly 200 year old provincial exhibition. The event, held every September long weekend has gone through a variety of names over the decades, most recently known as the “New Brunswick, Provincial Exhibition”. A group of volunteers along with NBEX staff have made the bold move to officially brand the event as “The Frex”, which sets to celebrate agriculture across the province of New Brunswick. The feedback, simply amazing.

“Anyone under the age of 50 knows the event as the Frex so it feels right to bring it back” NBEX 3rd generation supporter said during a quick feedback session on the evening. Live music, magician, great food, games and an overall vibe of community togetherness played out on April 2nd in the CEC packed from wall to wall with supporters. “I want to make everyone part of our next chapter in this 200 year old organization” NBEX Executive Director led the crowd as he invited all 300 dinner guests to join him and staff on stage for a ribbon cutting ceremony and photo.

The event was set to raise funds for the fall event as well as give light to the recent news around the city of Fredericton’s expropriation filing. The NBEX operates as a Not for Profit organization and has been in negotiations with city hall for months attempting to resolve the argument.

Executive Director Rae Tretiak has commented that an offer was put forth which allowed everyone around the table to win. The deal included room for the school project, housing and a decreased footprint that allows NBEX to continue to operate in the current address. The deal further illustrated how all parties could work together as friendly neighbors, boosting community moral and re-investing city funds back into the facilities to better serve the greater population. Those proposals were sent back for review as they were deemed “not acceptable” by city officials and the two groups remain at the drawing board.

With over 100 events on the books for 2026, NBEX is poised to work with city officials. “It is the only way” Rae Tretiak says that will see a positive resolution that is met with progress for all parties. The current attempt to take all 30 acres of land for eventual development is not a successful outcome. The grounds host over 200,000 visitors annually, are an economic stimulus to New Brunswickers and is vital in keeping community based events alive and well in the downtown core. The programming held on NBEX grounds are agricultural in nature, event centric like roller derby and wrestling, concerts, car shows, tradeshows and more and act as the key economic driver that props up agriculture based programming.