Spruce Grove & District Agricultural Society - Spruce Grove

The Ag Society, a group of dedicated volunteer members, has been instrumental in contributing to the community, beginning with the construction of the Spruce Grove "Agrena" in 1972 (now a hockey and curling rink) and subsequently hosting an annual Agra Fair for 25 years. This event grew to become Western Canada’s largest Agricultural Fair.  In 1995, Honorary Lifetime Member and one of the Founding Fathers of the Society, George Sewell had the vision to save the last surviving Grain Elevator in Spruce Grove from demolition (there had been three on-site originally) a project the Society embraced with enthusiasm. They saw it as an opportunity to showcase the Agricultural roots of Spruce Grove and the heritage of the area by turning it into a tourist destination.

The 1958 Alberta Wheat Pool Elevator,  the last remaining wooden elevator to be seen traveling west on Highway 16A to the Pacific Coast, is preserved in full working condition. More than 1800 wooden grain elevators dotted the Alberta landscape at one time. Now it is closer to 100.

Several years later, the Ag. Society, with the outstanding outpouring of support, both financial and otherwise, from local business, sponsors, volunteers, and members, rescued the Old Town Water Tower from a nearby Farmer's Field, had it fully restored and erected at the Grain elevator site on a brand new set of legs!

Since that time, the Grain Elevator site has become a very busy venue hosting "old fashioned" carnivals and fairs, specifically tailored towards children, adults, and families. Each year, thousands of visitors from Canada and around the world stop by to visit the Grain Elevator Museum, Archives, and Farmers' Market. The Agricultural Society supports the Spruce Grove Archives, which preserves the documented history of the district, and the Spruce Grove Community Garden. 

Several annual summer fund-raising events such as Flapjacks at the Tracks Community Pancake Breakfast, the Farm & Heritage Carnival, and the Harvest Fair are hosted by the Ag Society and are very popular among community members and visitors. Events hosted at the Elevator Museum site are for the purpose of raising funds to support ongoing maintenance and preservation of the Grain Elevator and restored Water Tower, educational programs, and the proposed new building on site.