FERGUS, Ont. — If there weren’t already a community named Woodstock, Ont., that’s what we’d call this south-central Ontario town.

Because this summer, Fergus is hosting one seriously big four-day-long outdoor concert. Just like the town of Woodstock, N.Y., did exactly 40 years earlier.

But this time, instead of lazy hippies lined up for admission, it’ll be truckers, wannabe truckers and their families. Lots of them.

In the 24 years since its inception, the Fergus Truck Show has grown to be the biggest show of its kind in North America.

Fergus organizers announced the musical lineup for the show this week and it includes top-liners Terri Clark, Doc Walker, George Canyon and — if you can believe it — old-timers The Stampeders, Trooper, and Loverboy. That’s right, Loverboy!

These names will be joined by no less than 13 other acts, spread over the four days of the show. For a complete list at the lineup, check out the fergustruckshow.com.

Terri Clark

The stellar musical lineup is only one excuse organizers have to celebrate this year’s show.

In December, there was considerable speculation that the end was nigh because of a logjam between the fair organizers and the people who rented some neighboring acreage to the event.

In January, though, the chief operating office of the fair, Wayne Billings, announced that an agreement had been reached, so the 2009 show will proceed, even though there will be 20 fewer acres of showground and visitor parking will be offsite.

Shuttle buses will operate between the Centre Wellington Sportxplex and the parking sites throughout the show.
The tractor-pull track will also be moved to a new area, but Billings said the changes will be hardly noticeable by the average attendee.