Today The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair opens its doors with special 90th anniversary pricing - $9 admission

- The Royal's opening weekend boasts one of the most entertaining lineups yet, sure to dazzle fairgoers from day to night -

TORONTO, Nov. 2, 2012 /CNW/ - Today, The Royal Agricultural Fair kicks off its 90^th year of connecting people with agriculture and animals. The lineup for opening weekend is sure to impress, including The Royal Chef Challenge, The Royal Horse Show and the Ontario Toyota Dealers Royal Rodeo. The Royal will feature special 90^th anniversary pricing, with $9 admission for today only - one dollar for every decade of agricultural excellence and competition.

New this year, The Royal will extend the Royal Chef Challenge over multiple days with tonight's host at 6:00 p.m., Emmy Nominated host and award winning cookbook author Food Network's Top Chef, Padma Lakshmi. Later in the evening, Padma will attend the reception portion of the WineAlign Tasting Dinner.

The Royal Chef Challenge will continue with Bob Blumer of Food Network Canada's World's Weirdest Restaurants hosting the competition on Sunday, while Australian chef and host of Food Network's Top Chef Masters, Curtis Stone will host the Royal Chef Challenge Finale on Saturday, November 10^th.

The Royal also welcomes local culinary talent including Chef Robert Mills of The Thompson Hotel, Chef Colin Thornton of The Royal York Hotel, Chef Duff Lampard of The Westin Harbour Castle Hotel, Chef Roberto Fracchioni of The Templar Hotel, Chef Bruno Lopez of the Ritz Carlton Hotel, and Chef Kevin Prendergast of The Hilton Hotel, all of whom will participate in the Royal Chef Challenge, creating dishes using ingredients from The Royal's prize-winning list of local products.

This Saturday night The Royal Pub Crawl, in conjunction with Virgin Radio, will take fairgoers on an exciting tour of The Royal's signature bars and restaurants hosted by the Thirsty Traveler Kevin Brauch.

Friday and Saturday evenings will feature The Royal Horse Show, amazing audiences with the Greenhawk Canadian Show Jumping Championships and the Good Crop Services Indoor Eventing Challenge, featuring two rounds of fierce competition.

On Sunday, Amber Marshall, star of CBC's Heartland will host the crowd-favourite Ontario Toyota Dealers Royal Rodeo.  The Rodeo features barrel racing, bronc riding, bareback riding, bull riding and more.

Taking place at Exhibition Place in Toronto, The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair is the world's largest combined indoor agricultural and equestrian show, which brings thousands of livestock animals to the city each November.  This year, The 90^th Royal Agricultural Winter Fair runs November 2-11, 2012.

TO OBTAIN MEDIA CREDENTIALS FOR THE ROYAL
Please visit www.RoyalFair.org / MEDIA

Image with caption: "Mayor Rob Ford attends The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair's 90th Anniversary Opening Ceremonies on Friday, November 2, 2012 in Toronto at Exhibition Place, and connects with animals and agriculture. The Royal runs until Sunday, November 11, 2012. Photo: Ben Radvanyi Photography (CNW Group/The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20121102_C4452_PHOTO_EN_20126.jpg

SOURCE: The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair

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Tiffany Fisher
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Robbyn Walsh
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