American Reacts to the Canadian National Exhibition
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- Опубліковано 29 сер 2024
- As an American I have never seen or heard about the Canadian National Exhibition. Today I am very excited to learn all about the Canadian National Exhibition and all of the food and attractions that it has to offer. If you enjoyed the video feel free to leave a comment, like, or subscribe for more!
Here's a * partial * list of bands and singers that performed at CNE Stadium: The Rolling Stones, Eagles, U2, Pink Floyd, Guns N' Roses, The Allman Brothers Band, Aerosmith, Metallica, Foreigner, The Who, Alice Cooper, The Beach Boys, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Phil Colins, Michael Jackson, Meatloaf, Joan Jett, Tina Turner, Elton John, David Bowie, Cher, Janis Joplin (just several months before she died alone in Hollywood from a heroin overdose. My date and I were somber as we watched Janis shuffle around on stage and listened to her slur and botch the lyrics to her most famous songs. When she spoke, sometimes in the middle of her songs. she long-windedly rambled incoherent nonsense. From our angle, we could see Janis shuffling to behind the enormous amps where some guy hit her up with more drugs (probably heroin). It was so sad to watch Janis Joplin slowly losing her life. My date (a lovely young lady) and I were still together the next year and went to The Ex. But we decided to pass on seeing that year's act(s) at CNE Stadium. The feeling of watching Janis suffer still lingered. P.S. On a more positive note: My date and I married and are still happily together all these years later. I'm 70 years old and she is a beauty of 67 years.🙂
Thank you for sharing Janis Joplin story! and congrats on a long and happy marriage...only in Canada eh.
@@rosered103 Thanks rosered103. I appreciate your congrats on my long and happy marriage ...very kind and Canadian of you eh.🙂
Even if she was suffering, I think in that moment of performing for you two even (if she was on drugs) she was probably (hopefully) having fun. You two got to experience her having some fun before she died which can be a gift in itself. Thank you for all the info and I hope you and your wife continue to have a long life full of love and happiness together! :D
I'm actually going to the Capital Fair this afternoon.
@@buttnugget2900 Thanks for your well wishes about my marriage.
I'm sorry to say that Janis did not look like she was having any fun at all. She seemed very disoriented and lost. At times Janis looked frightened. My date/future wife and I sat on angled seats ; so we could see behind the giant amps. We clearly saw that grungy-looking guy injected her over and over. Janis was struggling so badly that she could no longer shuffle towards the amps. So the guy came out from behind them and brazenly hit up Janis in plain sight of the tens of thousands in CNE stadium. People who understood what was happening shouted things like, ""No! Don't!" and a few-thousand-or-so others booed loudly. Uncommon behaviour for Canadian kids, back then. But they, and all of us, were feeling protective of a clearly stoned, and suffering, Janis Joplin.
The " Ex " is the grandaddy of all fall fairs. As a kid, it was right up there with Christmas. There are several dedicated buildings on the site. There are livestock shows, horticultural displays, an entire building just for food. Plus a huge Midway carnival. Think of a typical county fall fair on steroids. I always went on the last weekend for the Canadian International Air Show.
Doesn't beat the Calgary Stampede
@@user-xj9vf4xb9p They show horses at the Ex, and very seldom have to shoot any. When I lived in Calgary, most native Albertans avoided it because of the cruelty to the animals.
The food building has FREEBIES!
The International building was always my favourite. Booths from nearly every country in the world. Amazing!
@@user-xj9vf4xb9p actually, more people attend the CNE than the Stampede. Back in the day, they use to get 2-3 million attendees. No where near that now.
What makes the CNE so special is that it's held on a purpose built plot of land with permanent buildings that were all originally built for the CNE. During the rest of the year, Exhibition place is used for other events such as the Royal Winter Fair and the Toronto Grand Prix
Exactly, yet he keeps calling it a Street Fair
North Americas largest carnival Mardi Gras style is actually Caribana which is also in Toronto every summer.
Tyler should definitely cover this event! It’s really incredible.
Tyler, your review of "The Ex" doesn't even scratch the surface of what the Ex is about. It is 192 achres of fun, in a dedicated district of the city. All Torontonians know about it and it is a big end of summer draw for kids of all ages. There are concerts, rides, and events. I noticed you had an interest in food, well there is an entire building called "Food" where you can eat just about anything you can think of. There is a horse pavilion, a dog show, endless crafts booths, games, a horticulture building, and so much more. It is not possible to see and do it all in one day.
Exactly.
Plus buildings where new products and innovations are showcased, tons of shopping. MANY visitors are from the U.S. that live near the border.
It sucks now compared to 40 years ago
Agreed
You are right he forgot to mention how OUTdated it was.
The Ex means summer is almost over. It can mean your first job- it did for me. It means bugging your parents about when you are going when you are really little and then talking them into your first trip alone with your friends when you are older It's rides and crazy food. It's an oasis that happens for less than 3 weeks every year so it's a perfect punctuation mark for the year. It has gone through many phases and is back in fashion again. Live music, live stock, midways and lumberjack shows. Buildings to take a break in and do some international shopping and a band shell with live music every night. I love the Ex. Thanks for visiting. Your videos are just the best part of my day.
You are providing an invaluable service to the Canadian tourism industry and should be compensated mightily by the Canadian government for doing so.
Bill c-18 reversed lol
Don't draw the attention of the Trudeau government. It's a death sentence.
They will just ask for it back tho lol
@@LassDream The Canadian government does not tax non-residents.
@@samielkhayri9272 I was just making a joke about the government giving us money and taking it back. I wasn't too clear though sorry
On the West coast here in Vancouver, we have the Pacific National Exhibition. But everyone just calls it the PNE.
It's only open in late August, as a massive exhibit with food carts and bbq and a petting zoo. But it's attached to what's called Playland, which is Vancouver amusement park and that's open from spring till fall.
Playland also has FrightNight during October which I've always wanted to go to but never could because of other events.
@@somebodykares1 I went for Fright Nights back when I was a teenager in the early 2000s. It was pretty wild haha
I’m from Nova Scotia and went to the PNE in 1979,biggest exhibition that I’ve ever seen.Also my first and last ride on a roller coaster lol
love the Super Dogs at PNE.
I worked there for that 2 weeks, just before my grade 12 year in highschool.
I worked patrol, wore a polo shirt and carried a radio. I guarded access areas, and called first aid, helped with the rope-drop countdown upon opening in the morning. It was a pretty cool gig. 😊😎
The Ex/CNE is the start of the fall season of fairs. After the Ex many small towns and communities have fall fairs on the weekends throughout September and the beginning of October. The final one is held on Canadian Thanksgiving weekend (the final main one is the Erin Fall Fair) and these are all a lead up to the Royal Winter Fair. Its held in November in Toronto is an agricultural fair. Winners of the animal and vegetable competitions as well as the fair queen competition at the smaller fairs will usually then attend the Royal Winter Far to compete against those from across the country. The RWF is the largest agricultural fair in the world.
I loved going to The Ex and the Royal Winter Fair when I was young.
The Ex is still good to go to, in the 70,s you would walk into the Food Building they would give you a shopping bag with handles, as you walk through people at stands would drop things in your bag. You would stop to eat then walk around some more. Once you got home empty the bag to see what they gave you. Chocolate bars, box of cookies big bags of chips, gum and much more incredible.
I could care less for the rides, it was all about the Food Building for me.
like trick or treating, but not necessarily candy? cool!
Those were the days ❤
i remember those days fondly
The Ex was the last chance to enjoy the summer break before returning to school for everyone in the GTA, a family tradition when kids are too young to go by themself, and a friend activity once you were old enough to go with friends rather than parents. Always wasted money on games, rides and over priced food, but didn’t care. Very different from theme parks, would always go for the air show during Labour Day weekend and the waterfront shows, exploring the exhibits in the buildings during the day and the rides after dark, concluding with fireworks.
Is there fireworks every night?
yes, it is veiwable from outside the CNE grounds so you can enjoy the nightly display without attending CNE@@vee5315
yes, it is veiwable from outside the CNE grounds so you can enjoy the nightly display without attending CNE
As a teenager we would go as often as possible. Back in the day your weekly allowance covered rides and food for the day. As a student we were given tickets for free entrance so everyone was there. The local newspaper used to put tickets daily in the paper but you had to search for it. lol These tickets gave you discounts on food and rides. This was the most exciting event of the year in Toronto. Grandstand shows with headliner entertainers, food, candy, toys to be won, rides to scream on, rides to rest on, games to play, BINGO, music filled the air along with the smells of candy floss and hamburgers. It's a must do every August.
Don't forget tempting your life on the Flyer!! lol Sounds like we had the same youth... Go-trained in from Rouge Hill even before they had double-deckers!! Best times of my life were at the Ex...
How about the Wizbang, Wild Mouse, The Arctic ride that went backwards, the fastest merry go round with race horses. Great memories. @@aerialarboreal9005
Doggy Doggy😊
"Canadian Mounties, hockey players and moose battle to the death"...oh god my sides are hurting!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
It's roughly a two-week event. On the average they get 1.5 million people through the gates to attend this. Famous for the rides and also all the other exhibits they have the food building most particular. And then on Labor Day weekend they have the air show over the lake
The Ex takes up 192 acres and is one a good time. I'm Canadian and my wife is American. We are planning to go next summer with our kids. Good memories of going to the ex as a kid and want to share that with my family.
So happy that you constantly want to learn about my home country. Keep up with the great content.
As a kid in Toronto during the 70's my entire summer revolved around going to the Ex.. We would save up coupon books from Loblaws and Domonion (grocery stores) that would get us in for free and on a ton of rides, plus endless trips into the Food Building... Great memories from a great childhood in a great city...
I loved the commercials for the CNE, that jingle, “Let’s go to the Ex…” It was always a trip destination before school started back up.
The CNE is the eastern Canada big-time fair, runs about a fortnight and attracts about 1.5 visitors. The PNE (Pacific National Exhibition) is western Canada's equivalent, runs a bit longer, and is held in Vancouver. It attract around a million visitors, and also holds a 10-day fair in the winter.
Dang, a whole 1.5 visitors? 😂
Many people who live in Atlantic Canada don't consider Ontario to be eastern, its referred to as being upper Canada ,
@@callak_9974 Yea, I was just 1,499,998.5 people out. I ran out of fingers, as I was typing with one hand and holding a double double in the other. 🤭🇨🇦
CNE has it's own grounds. Believe me we have have street fairs every weekend..... Different areas, different nationalities ...has been going on forever
When I was a kid/teen (in the 60s and 70s), my mom would have her eye on the Living Building because if she needed an appliance, there were major deals to be had there. There were so many interesting exhibits, fun concerts, etc.
Hey Tyler, think of the Ex as a state fair. I just paused the video while you were looking at BMO Field. That is the stadium that happens to be in Exhibition Place. The primary sponsor of the stadium (name sake) is Bank of Montreal (BMO), it is the home of the MLS Toronto FC and the CFL Toronto Argonauts.
There was a previous stadium that stood very near where BMO is that was simply called Exhibition Stadium, it was the original home of the Toronto Argos (Argonauts) until 1989. And from 1977 to 1989, the Toronto Blue Jays, until both relocated to then Skydome (now Rogers Centre)
Toronto FC (owned by Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment - Toronto Maple Hockey club) commissioned the construction of BMO for the soccer team and the Argos relocated there a few years ago.
We called the Exhibition Stand the Grand Stand when I was a kid.
"was simply called Exhibition Stadium,"' Also known at the time as 'the mistake by the lake' since it was such a god awful compromise between a baseball and football venue.
Exhibition Place also includes Exhibition Stadium (now BMO Field), which was the home stadium of the Toronto Blue Jays until 1989 when they opened the SkyDome (now Rogers Centre).
The Exhibition Stadium was demolished in 1999 and the site is now the location of BMO Field
Isn’t this where the argo’s play?
@@robclarkson3697 yup and Toronto FC
The CNE is now 144 years old. The purpose of the CNE is to highlight new technology and agriculture. As a kid, I marvelled at all the new types of washing machines, the new cars and Ontario's largest pumpkin. I remember farmers bringing in horses, pigs, cattle to show off. Now it has all changed, but this is a Toronto tradition. My favourite is the Superdogs, food building and nightly entertainment.
reminds me of when i lived in Edmonton, we had Klondike Days. my fav was always the Superdogs show too! :)
I grew up in Toronto. My brother and I looked forward to the Ex every year. It was very exciting but also kinda sad because we knew that summer holidays were soon over and school was just around the corner. The Ex has gotten bigger in terms of the variety of things see and do but the amount of space is still pretty much the same. Therefore instead of the wide open paths, everything is crowded together. I stopped going ever since my children grew out of accompanying us to events.
Calgary Stampede, biggest outdoor show in the world, and the Royal International Tattoo in Halifax (usually one or two American performers as well performers from Europe) would be fun to see.
Stampede is the Ex with chuck wagon races.
As an Ontarian the Stampede is well known but I need to learn more about The Tattoo.
I still want to go to that coming from Toronto, Ontario
The PNE (Pacific National Exhibition) is in Vancouver for 17 days. Largest wood frame Roller Coaster still runs. A concert every night, and a FOOD building, and booths from around the world food choices. More rides than the CNE, as Playland operates the ride section for five plus months of the year and on special Halloween week. Farm animals play a BIG part of the PNE.
The Snowbirds are incredible, love watching them perform ❤
Your reactions are so genuine and nice to see and you're a great presenter. As a Canadian who loves his country, I am thrilled to re-explore it through your eyes. Thanks so much for a wonderful experience.
You just saw the outside attractions. There are several large buildings that house a huge food court, another has various vendors selling stuff, another has a horse show and other indoor events. BMO Field is the pro soccer teams home field. The CFL team also plays there. It was also used as an outdoor hockey game for the Leafs. When I went as a kid you also had access to Ontario Place which was a entertainment venue. My last trip was before Covid. I took the GO train in that has a stop adjacent to the Ex. So super easy to get to. I just went for a few hours over lunch, so I bought a ticket, but because I only stayed for lunch you can get a full refund when you leave! For food I had a charcoal funnel cake! A grey/black donut with ice cream of the same colour! I think some of the infrastructure like the towers for the ski lift ride stay there permanently.
I miss the days growing up and going to the EX every summer. I've seen some of my favourite concerts there and some of the biggest acts would.perform at the
grandstand but I don't believe that is there anymore. Good times and great memories.
They do have the grandstand it's been rebuilt but it is included in the price now and a lot of unknown groups or young kids groups. I saw Amanda Marshal and Jann Arden were coming & a couple others but definitely not the big names there used to be.
@@tiggerwigger9135 Are you thinking of the Bandshell? Because that was always there. The grandstand shows are no more but the big acts play across the Lakeshore at that abomination that replaced the Forum.
Check out the Canadian snowbirds….they are a jet so worth watching!
Hi Tyler, BMO field was once called Exhibition Stadium. It was the first home of the Toronto Blue Jays. It was used for many top artists to play as well. I saw Michael Jackson there, Madonna, David Bowie, Pink Floyd and the Eagles. Kiss did play there in 1990. Not all these shows play during the 18 days of the Ex, but during the warmer weather months as it is an open-air stadium. Keep up the good work.
The Ex. Listen to the jingle. Iconic and a real earworm
I just came to comment that. “🎼Let’s go to the Ex. (Oh, baby) Let’s go the Ex.”
@@crystalmurray351 Come and celebrate toronna and do everything you wanna at the EX!
This yr, at the PNE (Vancouver) performers are Billy Idol, Walk Off The Earth, Blue Rodeo, Billy Talent, Boney M, Aqua, Doug and The Slugs, BoyZtoMen, Pat Benatar, Jason Derulo. We have wandering the grounds...comedians, magicians, acrobats. We have a huge market, many different food experiences, bbq cookoff by award-winning groups. World reknown Superdogs Show. We have a permanent midway area and another traveling midway that sets up. A spectacular night fire show. Then, there is a tree park with manmade lake to get away from crowd for awhile.
I'm in Toronto, sounds better than the Ex
Every Canadian province has an annual exhibition that is 2-weeks long. They all have their own names and attractions; Manitoba has the Red River Ex, Alberta has Klondike days, BC has the PNE. Each one features agricultural displays, music concerts, a midway, and other displays and exhibitions. And one day is alwas reserved to allow free admission to the low-income. We look forward to it every year.
CNE in the east PNE in the west. 😊😊
What a coincidence! I’m going here today! In about 3-4 hours.
much of the "big stuff" at the CNE uses permanent structures: the coliseum, automotive building, pure foods building, BMO field (formerly exhibition stadium). Many years ago one of the major displays in the pure foods building one year was a life-sized sculpture of the Beatles...crafted in butter. The permanent buildings in Exhibition Place are used year-round for events of all kinds from bicycle shows to woodworking shows to agricultural shows. One of the major agricultural shows is the Royal Canadian Winter Fair (my favorite event at "the Royal" is the four-horse team and wagon competition...teams of draught horses with loaded wagons show of their skills. The Budweiser Team and Wagon are usually in attendance, as well as the Carlsberg Team).
We would go to the Cow Palace every year to see Elsie the cow (Borden Dairies mascot) My mom's name was Elsie. And they always had her carved in butter, in a glass fronted refrigerator.
My family’s been going to the Ex for years. Matter of fact my Grandfather years ago claimed to be the Mayor of Kitchener to get special treatment. He wasn’t Mayor but got away with it!!! 😂 The Skating Show and Dog Show are great ❤ The food 😋😋It definitely is a fun place to go!!!
I live close by to the CNE and plan to go soon. The Princess Gates are also gorgeous, wish we had more landmarks like that
Princes Gate, not Princess.
I had a friend whose dad used have a booth every year. She used to get paid by most of the vendors to carry around large prizes and tell people that she won it at so and so's booth1 She made a fortune every years!
I worked with a gal who called in sick for a couple of days off, guess who showed up on the TV talking the praises of the food booth she worked at.
That's so funny 😅🤣😆
The part of the Ex in that video is called the Midway where all the rides and games are. The majority of the “crazy” food is in the Food Building. There are buildings with shows, such as the horse shows and buildings with flea markets where people can rent a space to sell their wares.
There are also food buildings that have food from around the world and an arts building with different arts and crafts.
In Vancouver, we have the PNE (Pacific National Exhibition. A midway with food, games and rides including an old wooden roller coaster. Lots of concerts by famous entertainers, Superdogs, 4H barns, Marketplace for shopping all the gadgets you could ever want and horseracing with a casino. In the past they’ve had logging shows, demolition derby’s, Chinese Acrobats, and always “Win a house, Win a car”. A prize home is the big draw but they also give away cars and trips. This also happens the same time the CNE is happening.
I've gone every year of my life. You completely missed the shopping. Tons of international booths with goods from countries all over the world. The ice show features top Canadian figure skaters this year Elvis Styoko returned. He was a hugely popular figure skater in the 90s and 2000s
I love Elvis! He was very aptly named since he's definitely the rock star of figure skating. He even helped me discover Van Halen. I hope I can make it there this year to see him again. And yeah it's for sure a shop til you drop experience there. So many booths in at least 2 different gigantic buildings not to mention the vendor tents outside.
PS. Elvis Stoyko is not an Elvis impersonator, or anything! He is a Canadian/ World/ Olympic Champion figure skater. I wish I'd seen him in the 90s.
(His father's idol was Elvis Presley)
The CNE is pretty big physically. The building behind the Kiss cover band is huge and filled with international markets. Last year I bought an alpaca sweater and a variety of professional medical tools, for sculpting, there for less than $100 total. The arts and crafts market can be great. There is a big agricultural section where livestock is auctioned off and horse shows happen. The food building is a must when I go but probably the busiest part of the EX.
A lot happens in those 2 weeks each year.
There are other similar events across Canada. Vancouver has the PNE, Calgary has the Stampede , Edmonton has Klondike Days and there are other regional Ex
I used to love The Ex for concerts! Springsteen and the E Street Band and Bowie’s Glass Spider tour were my favourites… such good memories.
Best time to go is on a weekday, during the day or early evening before the crowds hit. I avoid the weekends, except if want to see the air show
Here in BC, we have the Pacific National Exhibition in Vancouver.
The CNE started out as an agricultural exhibition. It has its own set location where its been since the beginning. There are/were all kinds of buildings to visit: Arts and Crafts, Better Living, Horticultural, Music Building, Automotive, Ontario Govt, the Horse Palace (?) and of course the FOOD Building and the Midway. There was the Grandstand, Shell Tower and Shopsy's.
Of course we had to get a Canada's Wonderland too which nearly destroyed the EX. CW, a US theme park plunked down in a northern suburb which could be anywhere USA. Total waste of land, materials and $$$$. You could plough it under and no one would miss it.
The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair still takes place at the Ex
As a child in Toronto my brother and I would go to the EX it was the last hurrah of summer before school started. In those days you could get free food from the food building, we were pretty excited to go there. Wonderful memories.
The band in the video was a KISS cover band, but KISS actually did play there in 1990 (in the stadium, not a small stage). BMO Stadium is where Toronto's soccer and football clubs play. It looks like there was a football game in the video, the banners hanging there were for the Toronto Argonauts.
Klondike days in Edmonton,. Stampede in Calgary
Pacific national ex or PNE in Vancouver
Same company from city to city
The midway is North American Midway.
The CNE The 197-acre (80 ha) site includes exhibit, trade, and banquet centres, theatre and music buildings, monuments, parkland, sports facilities, and a number of civic, provincial, and national historic sites. The district's facilities are used year-round for exhibitions, trade shows, public and private functions, and sporting events.
We use to go every summer as a kid to the Ex. I took my son there too when he was younger. I would get an all day ride pass for him. The lineups were not long. He got his money’s worth. Lots to see and do and eat. Great place to go. 🇨🇦
First starting on Sept 5th 1879, it occurs annually late August to Labour Day(same date as USA). Of course it has changed and evolved over the years it takes place in a dedicated area called the Exhibition grounds along the Toronto lakeshore, with permanent buildings used year round for many other events and also encompasses BMO Field where Pro soccer and the CFL are played. It includes midway rides and carnival games, foods of the world, indoor market places, product demos/sales, live indoor and outdoor entertainment performances and stadium concerts. At onetime it was THE place to see the newest cars at the Automotive Building and housewares/appliances etc at the Better Living building. The Horse Colliseum and building centers on general performances, equestrian events and agriculture and is also the center of the annual Royal Winter agricultural Fair in November since 1922!
I'm glad you did a video on the EX. I haven't been for many years, but it still holds a special place in my heart. Great childhood memories. You should also do a video reaction on the PNE (pacific National Exhibition) in Vancouver , and the Calgary Stampede.
The CNE runs for 3 weeks at Exhibition Place, on a 192 acre site. The CNE attracts 1.4 million people per years, but during the entire year, Exhibition Place is host to 5.3 million people for sporting events, conferences and other exhibitions. With about 16 permanent buildings which include the BMO Field, home to The Toronto FC, Toronto's Major League Soccer Team and the Toronto Argonauts Football Team, with a stadium capacity of 46,000. The Coca Cola Coliseum is home to the Toronto Marlies, the Toronto based professional hockey team that competes in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a member of the North Division of the Eastern Conference. At other times of the year, Exhibition Place is home to The Royal Winter Fair, The International Boat Show, The National Home Show, Canada Blooms and the One-Of-A-Kind Craft Show. The first Saturday of the Ex is Warrior's Day, with the Warrior's Day Parade and all military, past and present, along with their families, have free admission to the CNE. There are various concerts at CNE venues during the Ex, but less than there used to be when Exhibition Stadium was replace by the BMO field. During the CNE, Exhibition Statium had hosted; Pink Floyd, The Who, U2, David Bowie, Chicago, New Order, Depeche Mode, Iron Maiden, Rush, Van Halen, Guns N' Roses, Kim Mitchell, Bruce Springsteen, The Beach Boys, INXS, Bon Jovi, AC/DC, Elton John, Whitney Houston, Janis Joplin and others.
Almost insulted you not knowing the Snowbirds !! 👍✌🖖🍁🌻
And the Ottawa Ex as well - remember that so well as a kid growing up in a nearby town! The biggest event of the summer. And the grandstand shows were great back then. And the fireworks afterwards!
The site for the Ex is right on Lake Ontario which adds some cool breezes on a hot summer day. I've been going my whole life but it is so big now you have to map out what you're going to do and see because you can't see it all. When I was 12 or 13, my girlfriend and I would take a bus down to Toronto right to the Ex. I grew up 2 hours north or TO. We would take in all as much as we could. We saw Wham, one year. The bus would always wait for the Grand Stand Concert to let out before it shuttled us home. Now its BMO Field. Yes that was Kiss. The roller coasters and other rides were up all year. The Flyer, which was a huge wooden coaster is gone now but was totally amazing. The midway rides aren't as good as the old days, but there are still some pretty amazing rides. New and weird food is a theme and they come up with new creations to try every year. You should definitely give the Ex a try. Lots to do in Toronto.
BMO field hosts lots of big name concerts. During the EX, there have been everyone from Frank Sinatra to Fleetwood Mac.
I live in Vancouver and love going to the PNE. This year there are the SuperDogs, Knights of Valour jousting show, The Flying Fools High Dive Show, Duelling Pianos, Monet art exhibit, agricultural displays, drag shows, cooking demonstrations, a pyro musical, exhibits and summer night concerts. This year Boyz to Men and TLC, Billy Idol, and Pat Benatar are some of the musical attractions. One of the things that the PNE has is the wooden roller coaster. It was built board by board in 1958 and gets to 45 mph on the steepest drop. You haven't lived until you've ridden a wooden coaster! It is also 2 weeks until Labour Day and the amusement park area goes from spring until fall. There is also a winter fair. Thanks for your fun videos! There are a lot of Americans in Vancouver right now, I see a lot of Washington plates especially. Tons of Americans go to Whistler year round. Love your videos!
When I was a child my family competed in the horse show there. Lots of agricultural shows going on.
It's been a while since I was at the Ex for a day. When I was a kid, we used to go every year. The grounds have changed over the years. The Hockey Hall of Fame and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame used to be on the site back in the day. And when Ontario Place across the highway was running, with your admission, you could take the walkway and go over there as well. Food building was the place to be! lol It was a lot of fun and you could get worn out for sure. It's had it's ups and downs, like any other event, but it's great people are still attending.
Has permanent building. Food Building, Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, National Trade Centre (now the Enercare Centre) trade show, Automotive, Coca-Cola Coliseum is an arena at The EX, used for agricultural displays, ice hockey, and trade shows. It was built for the Canadian National Exhibition and the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in 1921. Since 1997 it has been part of the Enercare Centre exhibition complex...
I worked at the CNE every summer as a highschooler and We normally just refer to it as the CNE or the Ex
The CNE is in Toronto...the PNE is in Vancouver ....Red Rier Ex is in Winnipeg, Manitoba.....Carnivale is in Montreal.....The morning of the day before Opening Day there is usually a Parade through down town.....Our fairs like in the USA are typically designed towards Family breaks before our children return to school and signal the end of summer.....
When I was a child/teenager, ( I'm 66 now ) we could walk through the huge Food building and pretty much fill up with all the free samples vendors gave out. Living in the west now, one last visit while I'm able is def on my bucket list!
I'm in my 40s and remember that as well. We used to come home with heaps of honey and chocolate. The freebies are few and far between now, but the food building has much better food vendors now than then... unfortunately you just have to pay handsomely for things.
I grew up in Toronto, and The Ex was always a fun way to end the summer. I live out west now and wasn't able to get back this year, but I still love The Ex in all it's tacky, crazy food glory. ❤❤
Vancouver does something similar but a little bit smaller called the PNE
Exhibition Place is just under 200 acres , it is HUGE , there is an insane amount of food stands offering countless different foods and treats . Top headline concerts happen every night in the stadium . YES that was KISS. .
If you would read your comments, you just might learn so much more! There is the PNE, ( Pacific National Ex), in Vancouver at the same time!
The PNE - Pacific Ex Is also at this time of year in Vancouver British Columbia. Now on .
Back in the day, the EX lived up to its name Exhibition. People used to compete for ribbons and prizes for best handicrafts and the like. Things like quilts, children's clothing and dresses for 16" dolls. My mother was a competitor for the later two I mentioned in the 70s to 1984 and placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd every year.
You should think of it more like a state fair than a street fair, with amusement park rides, carnival and food booths, a football stadium where they have top music acts in the summer, and some permanent buildings which have actual exhibits and restaurants.
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In the 50's they gave local elementary school children free tickets. On one Saturday each year they gave veterans free admission.
Not a street event but a fall fair at the CNE grounds. I used to go to the CNE every year as a kid. It was going on before I was born - 1932. In 1967 a new feature was added, as a Centennial event called Ontario Place, at the Lake Ontario waterfront. (This is where Marilyn Bell completed her swim from Niagara on the Lake across Lake Ontario - first swimmer to do it.) It runs from mid-August until just after Labour Day (or maybe it is Warrior's Day), first Monday in September I think - it's been a while.
We have a smaller but pretty much exactly the same thing here in Vancouver. Ours is the PNE. Pacific National Exhibition. Attendance is around 750,000 on 105 hectares (theirs is 192) It’s 2 weeks just like the CNE and I happens at the same time. Great bands, food, games, rides, exhibits, casinos, beer gardens, etc etc. My fav is the Superdogs!! So much fun!
If you want to explore more of Canadian culture, in Edmonton right now we have Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival. It is one of the biggest fringe festivals in the world. In fact, it is North America’s largest, longest-running Fringe Theatre Festival. This is their 42nd year doing this. It has over 200 plays, lots of street performers, street food, vendors lots of multicultural things to buy such as art, jewelry, clothes, etc and it is a festival I attend every year. It is free to enter. There are outdoor shows with street performers who perform throughout the festival and indoor plays (for which you need to buy a ticket which range in price from $13 to $18). The indoor shows are diverse and range from puppetry, stand up comedy, plays, even magic shows, concerts and dance performances. Performers come to Edmonton from all around the world. I'm not kidding. There are lots from Canada and US but I've seen shows from Iran, Australia, Germany, Denmark, just to name a few. It is always a great time going fringing :D
Many of the rides stay there. The ride over the Ex has been there forever. BMO - Bank of Montreal - Field. Soccer. Many bands go there. I am biased - it is a big deal. It is the last show of the summer. I have spent several Labour Day evenings in my youth. I believe the rides charge but I don't know how much. Thanks for the great video!
the fair is in the BMO field parking lot, just happened to have a Toronto Argonauts (CFL) game in there as they filmed it.
FYI The Toronto Blue Jays used to play from 76 until the dome opened in 89 at the old Exhibition Stadium BMO Field is the replacement stadium
You're completely correct about The Ex having way too many lines and people. My 3yr old is great in crowds, but I could never fathom actually TAKING HER there! It would be too much for ME! Haha
Pacific National Exhibition!!! P.N.E. Here in Vancouver!!! Gonna go watch some of the concerts!! Great line-up this year!
There is a similar fair that happens in Vancouver at the same time as the CNE. Ours is called the PNE and is held at Vancouver's Pacific National Fair grounds specifically built for the fair.
There are other smaller fairs in other cities. Calgary has The Calgary Stampede. Edmonton has Klondike Days, Vancouver has the PNE which is the Pacific National. The rides are not the ones that move around. They just close down at the end of the season. What you were looking at was just the midway. I’m sure that was a Kiss Tribute band. They have the bandshell which has some pretty goo singers. BMO field is our soccer field. BMO is Bank of Montreal. The food you saw was on the midway. There is a food building that has just food. For some of us it’s pretty disappointing because it’s just a giant food court. When I was a kid (I’m 65 now) the whole food building was all good companies & the gave out tons of free samples. There are all kinds of buildings to go in & see. Even if you don’t go on rides you can spend a whole day having fun there.
Every time I watch one of your videos. I talk you all along & usually write you a log like this at the end. It’s so fun watching you watching these things with fresh eyes.
And on the west coast, Vancouver is holding the PNE (the Pacific National Exhibition) from Aug 19 to Sept 4.
There is a whole building called the Food Building. There are also food booths throughout the fair grounds.
Also!! When I was older, in my teen, on up through the 80's the Ex played host some of Rock's best acts EVER!! April Wine, Aerosmith, Cheep Trick, Triumph, ELO, Neil Young, Alice Cooper etc... The list goes on and those are just the ones I went to!!!
It would be a long trip to travel from the west coast for the CNE. Vancouver also has a 2 week fair held at the end of August called the PNE (Pacific National Exhibition). Its an amusement park called Playland the rest of the year.
It's so much FUN. Something for everyone. Commuter trains stop there so you don't have the gory drive in. When I was a little kid my teenage cousins tool me with them. There is a food building, a craft building, a building with the latest electronics at good prices...
The CNE is a very large & more historic (buildings & land created for this purpose only) version of a state fair. All states have them, I’ve been to quite a few. The second largest in Canada, the PNE here in Vancouver is similar but space wise not as big. I grew up 90 mins from Toronto & every year got to experience the Western Fair (London, Ont - 2nd largest in the province) & the exciting trip by train into the CNE. Only during the fair Via Rail opened the CNE station & you could come from all over arriving & leaving from your train at the grounds. That stadium you saw is a magical & history filled place. Before Skydome The Jays placed there and the biggest bands in the world played, many during the CNE. We often attended several times if there were multiple concerts we got tickets for. Over my London & Toronto living years here’s a small sample of the shows I saw there: Queen (2x, one was the legendary ‘81 tour), Simon & Garfunkel Reunion Tour, The Who (3x), The Police, Guns n’ Roses/Metallica, The Beach Boys, U2 (3x), David Bowie, The Pretenders, Eurythmics/Depeche Mode, Rod Stewart, Blondie, Steve Winwood, Genesis, Buddy Guy/Stevie Ray Vaughan & The Guess Who. Never missed the air show (my uncle was a Snow Bird - CDN airforce version of Blue Angels). The fair is divided into sections - children’s midway (rides) & games, adult midway, several food & carnival game sections areas throughout, the stadium, the crafts & food building, the agricultural building and the equestrian arena where some of the biggest international dressage & show jumping competitions of the year take place. When I was riding competitively I was there almost daily as I rode for several owners in different events. It was always a highlight of the year and in that giant open air stadium on a beautiful Toronto summer night I had some of the greatest concert experiences of my life. They will never be anything like Queen live again & the night of the Simon & Garfunkle Reunion was unforgettable. They had refused to play The Sounds of Silence through the whole tour but in a very polite & Canadian way Toronto wasn’t taking no. When they left the stage people started singing & before long the entire stadium was singing Sound of Silence together over and over. Strangers joining hands & swaying in the warm night under the stars. It took 30 minutes but they came back to the stage, said we’d sounded great and if they were going to break the tour rule then Toronto earned it. It was a very emotional performance for all. Music can truly unify & bring serenity and beauty.
Big area for Food is in the Food Building. The "chair lift" is permanent and folks can easily travel from one end of the Ex to the other for a small fee. Ambulance and Fire are on the grounds. Lots of innovation etc., art etc. in one building which is used all year round for major events such as One of a Kind art show as well as a couple major Home Shows.
While in the Toronto area, it is worth trying to get to Canada's Wonderland for some of the greatest ride events available anywhere in North America.
Best to arrive early at the CNE to get a good parking spot or travel by public transit.
Hopefully at sometime the currently closed Ontario Place across the street from the Ex will re-open as it used to be and made a great addition to the experience of the Ex. provided one had time.
Glad you enjoyed the Ex and get out to enjoy the rest of the great City of Toronto.
The “Ex” was one of my favourite fair to go to when it came to ottawa every summer.
Over in the western part we have the PNE or Pacific National Exhibition
The Ex is kind of a culmination of the weekly street fairs taking place around the city over the course of the summer. Examples are: Taste of the Danforth in Greektown; Taste of Italy in the west end; India Bazaar in the east end. These correspond to the culture of the various neighbourhoods. There are festivals for China, Vietnam, the MIddle East, Manila, Poland, Afro Carib, Brazil, Korea, Ukraine, Polynesia, and so on. This doesn't include all the other festivals like the Beer Festival. the night market, arts, concerts, Pride Month, and the Toronto International Film Festival. Similar kinds of festivals happen in Montreal and Vancouver.
I really miss all those festivals. They don’t have many out here.
I worked with the carnival back in 1980s and the "Ex" was a month long at the time. We had so much fun there and this was also when Conklin had the Double loop roller coaster that travelled with us but it only did two cities on the canadian route.
The CNE was never a month long, always only 2 weeks. Maybe you’re thinking of somewhere else.
The CNE has always been 18 days. Two weeks, three weekends.
There is a commercial made in the 70s aired on eithere the CTV or CBC stations called "lets go to the EX" it will explain how much fun the "CNE" is
Vancouver has something similar called the pacific national Ex (PNE)