After stumbling upon an image of her family used in a K-Days advertising campaign this year, an Edmonton mother has a message for other fairgoers: read the fine print on your ticket.

Leah Stewart says her oldest daughter noticed the image in a downtown LRT station in mid-July. The large poster shows Stewart smiling at her then-four-year-old daughter Siena, who is holding a stuffed purple unicorn.

The image is from the family's visit to K-Days last year.

But Stewart, who goes to K-Days every year, said she doesn't remember ever giving permission to a photographer to take or use the photo.

"I was shocked," she said. "I didn't think that they could do that, especially for advertising ... all over the city."

I didn't think that they could do that, especially for advertising... all over the city. - Leah Stewart

Stewart called Northlands, the organization which hosts the yearly midway on its grounds.

She said a spokeswoman told her there's a disclaimer on entry tickets to K-Days that allows Northlands to use any images taken on the fairgrounds for marketing purposes.

"It must be really small because the tickets are not very big," Stewart said. "She called me and said I must have given permission because they have pictures of my other daughter as well."

Photo policy 'industry standard,' K-Days says

Northlands spokeswoman Lori Cote confirmed the organization spoke with Stewart.

The photo policy is outlined in small red lettering on every K-Days ticket. It is also posted at the entry gates, Cote said, adding the policy is "an industry standard."

The policy grants Northlands and "their designees" the right to use any recorded video or images for broadcasting, marketing and promoting of future or similar events.

The Northlands policy isn't explicitly outlined on K-Days e-tickets. But because those are issued through Ticketmaster, Cote says they abide by Ticketmaster's overall recording, transmission and exhibition policy.

Ticketmaster's policy states that event attendees "have no expectation of privacy with regard to your own actions or conduct at the event," and ticket holders grant the event provider permission to use photos taken of attendees "for any purpose, in any manner, in any medium or context" without further authorization or compensation.

We are very open and honest... if they don't want those images used, they will not be used. - Lori Cote, Northlands spokeswoman

"If it's the up-close shots, our photographer is there and does introduce himself," Cote said about Northlands' policy. "If there are any issues at that point in time, business cards of our marketing team are provided.

"We are very open and honest. If we take a number of shots of certain subjects or certain individuals we definitely do approach those people, and if they don't want those images used, they will not be used."

Even attendees who consent to having their photo taken at the midway, but wish to have it removed from any upcoming advertising can do so by contacting Northlands, she added.

Cote said she was unsure of how long the images are kept on file, or whether Northlands employs professional models for any K-Days campaigns.

A hard copy 2016 K-Days ticket, with Northlands' photo policy in fine print on the bottom. (Supplied)

Families should be more aware of policy, Stewart says

Stewart said Northlands told her it wouldn't be using the images of her older daughter Tessa, 12, in any advertising campaigns. The current advertisements, with Stewart and her younger daughter, remain up.

Northlands also offered the family free tickets to K-Days this year, but Stewart said she doesn't know if she will go back.

Stewart said she'd like to see more transparency from the organization in how they use images taken on the midway. She's curious why Northlands didn't hire models to appear in its advertising campaign.

Families attending this year should be aware of the policy, she said.

"It's completely different if you're taking pictures of adults on rides or the beer gardens," Stewart said. "But that's a child ... there are some cases where families don't want their children to be seen, or they're keeping that child from something dangerous.

"It taught me a lesson ... read the fine print," Stewart added. "Because I never knew that they could do that, and I've been going to K-Days since I was little."