From Plows to Plates - The 2025 International Plowing Match Returns to Niagara

From Plows to Plates - The 2025 International Plowing Match Returns to Niagara
Sep 12, 2025
By Denise Faguy
Assistant Editor, North American Content, Farms.com

West Lincoln to Host the 106th IPM with a Celebration of Agriculture and Rural Community

For the first time since 1926, the International Plowing Match & Rural Expo (IPM) is returning to the Niagara Region Setpember 16 to 20. Set to take place in West Lincoln, the 106th edition of this iconic event will run under the theme “From our Farm to your Table,” celebrating the deep roots and fresh flavours of Ontario’s agricultural heartland.

This year’s IPM is more than just a plowing competition — it’s a full-scale rural expo that showcases the best of local agriculture, tourism, talent, and community spirit.

Visitors will be welcomed into the bustling Tented City, where they can explore a wide range of exhibits, vendors, and interactive displays focused on rural living and innovation.  Be sure to drop by the Farms.com | Better Farming Small Farm Canada Booth in the Ritchie Brothers Farming for the Future tent for your chance to win a $250 Home Hardware Gift Card.  

In a unique twist, the 2025 IPM will be held in part on the West Niagara Agricultural Fairgrounds — only the second time in IPM history that a fairground has been leased for the event. The fairgrounds, operated by one of Ontario’s youngest agricultural associations, sit on land rich with history. The property was originally purchased in 1909 by Albert Blanchard, whose family farmed it for over a century.

A Festival of Food, Fun, and Farming
Attendees can look forward to a packed entertainment lineup, including:

  • RAM Rodeo
  • The Great Canadian Lumberjacks
  • Canadian Cowgirl Precision Drill Team
  • Fiddlestix
  • Knights of Valour
  • The Mudmen
  • George Fox
  • The Superdogs™
  • Jessie Treneer

And of course, no visit would be complete without sampling the local bounty — from fresh fruits and vegetables to dairy, poultry, beef, pork, and even Niagara’s renowned wine, spirits, and craft beer.

The Heart of the Event: The Plowing Competition
While the entertainment and exhibits are sure to draw crowds, the plowing competition remains the soul of the IPM. It’s a tribute to the skill, tradition, and innovation that continue to drive Ontario’s farming communities forward.

For a copy of the complete schedule, please refer to the online 2025 IPM Show Guide.

A Community Effort Years in the Making
“The Local Committee has been working behind the scenes for several years with the help of past IPM committee members, OPA volunteers, OPA directors, OPA staff and local volunteers,” says Renate McGillivray, Chair of the Local Committee for the 2025 IPM. “We thank you for all the support and guidance and many hours it took to prepare for this one-of-a-kind event.”

Special thanks go out to the Townships of Grimsby, Lincoln, and West Lincoln, the Region of Niagara, surrounding municipalities,sponsors, and grant providers — all of whom have played a vital role in bringing this event to life.

 

Photo Credit: IPM

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