Ajax families looking for affordable weekend activities can head to Ajax Downs on Sunday, August 30, 2026, for the annual Family Fun Day, a community event with free admission supporting the Ajax Pickering Hospital. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and offers activities for children, with the first 1,000 kids receiving a special goodie bag, according to the Ajax Pickering Hospital Foundation.
Hosted by the Ajax Pickering Hospital Foundation, the day includes kids’ crafts, face painting, games, a jumping maze, a children’s music show, and a Zoo To You experience. A highlight is “Try the Track” from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., giving kids a chance to walk the famous Ajax Downs racetrack. Live quarter horse racing will also take place in the afternoon.
Food items such as cotton candy, popcorn, and a barbecue lunch will be available for a minimum donation, with all proceeds going toward equipment and programs at Ajax Pickering Hospital, part of the Lakeridge Health network. “Our family has been proud to give back to Ajax for generations, and Family Fun Day is a tradition that brings our community together in support of the hospital here at Ajax Downs,” said Barry and Robin Picov, whose family owns and operates Ajax Downs.
Since starting in 2010, Family Fun Day has raised over $320,000 for the hospital, excluding the two pandemic years when the event was not held. This year marks the first time the event will be led by Steven Cook, who became the foundation’s new chief executive officer in late January 2026, succeeding Tracy Paterson after her long-serving tenure.
The Ajax Pickering Hospital serves more than 75,000 patient visits annually in its emergency department, making it one of the busiest community ERs in Durham Region. Ajax Downs, located in Ajax, Ontario, was founded in 1969 by Alexander Picov as Picov Downs and remains a family-operated quarter horse racetrack.
