Staff and students at U of T are preparing feverishly for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s upcoming visit to Toronto.

Prince Philip will visit the college he opened 40 years ago, while the Queen will visit an indoor fair featuring exhibits about U of T.

The Queen will attend the Festival of Ontario, a series of exhibits at the National Trade Centre in the C.N.E. on Oct. 9. Designed to show off the diversity of the province, the festival will feature exhibits and presentations by cultural groups, institutions, cities and towns.

“It’s kind of like a trade show that’s been organized for the Queen,” said Shelley Romoff, who is organizing the Festival of Ontario’s U of T contingent.

The festival will include “a lot of charities, the National Ballet, historic sites, some towns, the Girl Guides, and educational institutions,” Romoff added.

The Queen and Prince Philip will join the festival for about an hour, Romoff said. The Royal Family will walk around the exhibit hall, stopping to chat with the exhibitors.

“It’s a great picture of Ontario,” Romoff said.

U of T’s contribution will attempt to show the Royal Family the many faces of the university. “We’re showcasing innovation, as well as tradition,” Romoff said.

The U of T display will include a PowerPoint presentation on the history of the university.

The recently-damaged solar car will also be on display. Jessica van Vliet, a member of the Solar Car team, said she was unable to comment, as she was moving the car in preparation for the event.

Prince Philip will visit the U of T campus on Oct. 10 to visit Massey College, which he inaugurated 40 years ago. He laid the cornerstone in 1962.

“He’s just here for 40 minutes,” said John Fraser, the master of Massey College.

Fraser added that the Prince will be celebrating three anniversaries with his visit. “Vincent Massey became the first Canadian Governor-General 50 years ago. And 10 years later, Massey College was founded. It’s also the Golden Jubilee of the Queen,” Fraser said.

At Massey, the Prince will meet the Fellows of the college. He will be made an honorary senior Fellow during a ceremony where he will be presented with a Massey College academic gown.

The Prince will then “unveil a plaque and make a speech,” Fraser said.