The Fair

When I arrived in Toronto in July 1957, the first thing my new polish landlord said: "You came just in time for the Ex"! I had no idea what the "Ex" was, but it did not take me long to find out. Needless to say that my wife and I just had to visit the CNE. It was one of the most memorable events – other than finding a job right away – during this memorable year.

I found a job with JUNO of Canada who was selling floor polishers and vacuum cleaners at the incredible salary of $50 per week. This was the year when Butter was only 39 cents a pound and margarine was a lot cheaper. It had a dab of dark-yellow color in the package and when you kneaded it into the Margarine it turned it to the colour of butter. Some of you old-timers may remember this!

A few years later there was a demo in the agricultural section of the Royal Winter Fair that showed what margarine was made of – eeeeww – that was the last of margarine for us - ever!

We lived in the west end, close to the fairgrounds and entered by the Dufferin Gate. It looked pretty dismal and a bit chaotic at the time. There was no great arch over the entrance – that came later and I photographed it during its construction – but that is another story.

Play and Learn at the CNE

The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) is an 18-day fair taking place every August concluding on Labour Day. Over its 129-year history, the CNE has grown to be the largest annual fair in Canada and the fifth largest in North America attracting approximately 1.25 million visitors each year.

The programs and exhibits of the CNE encompass the 192 acres of Exhibition Place in Toronto including eight buildings and structures designated as historical sites under the Ontario Heritage Act.

The CNE’s roots are in agriculture and this continues to be a strong component of the Fair, which features a working farm, and the Horse Show, something that impressed me greatly since I grew up with horses during parts of my childhood and still love to ride. However, the CNE has grown to include the highest level of Canadian and international performers.

Central to any fair is its midway. The CNE features two midways with a total of over 50 rides and 80 games. The large main midway, situated in the heart of the grounds, is not for the faint of heart. Adjacent to Kids’ World is the Kiddie Midway with rides and games catering to the youngest of our visitors. What impressed me greatly was the aerial tramway that travelled from the west end all the way to the Dufferin gate and provided a fantastic view of the midway and the rest of the fair from above. Unfortunately it no longer exists but it was great for photography – another one of my vices.

Each midway also presents a variety of foods unique to the fair. The CNE Food Building is one of a kind in North America with over 90 vendors featuring foods from around the world.

Each year the CNE hosts the Canadian International Air Show. This was a highlight of the fair, and one of its main attractions for me as pilot. This 3-day air show takes place on Labour Day Weekend. It is the largest over-the-water air show in the world and features Canada’s top precision flying team, The Snowbirds. It also features guest appearances such as the Concorde once and Oskar Boesch’s glider demonstration for many years.

The CNE is Toronto’s unofficial "Summer Celebration". With its unique variety of entertainment, the CNE offers something for everyone. For many families including mine, it was a tradition that has lasted generations.

The CNE also takes an active role in supporting community events such as It’s Your Festival in Hamilton, the East York Canada Day Parade in Toronto and the Streetsville Bread and Honey Festival in Mississauga.　I thought this was worth mentioning.
The Ex is proud to offer donations to non-profit groups raising funds for medical research, libraries and schools to name a few. The CNE also distributes 1.1 million free admission passes to schoolchildren 13 and under within its region, a tradition that has lasted more for more than 80 years.

The CNE has a long history of supporting the artistic community in Canada. It even had its own art galleries on site between 1902 and 1972. In 1965 and 1966, the CNE donated a total 340 pieces from its collection to the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO). This donation included works by such well known artists as J.E.H. MacDonald, Lawren Harris, A.Y. Jackson, A.J. Casson, Stanley E. Turner and Jean Gauguin and formed the base of what is now the AGO’s Canadian Collection. MacDonald, Harris, Jackson and Casson were all members of the famed ‘Group of Seven’.

The CNE continues to include artistic exhibits in its annual programming with such exhibits as Celebration of Women by Canadian artist Larisa Sembaliuk Cheladyn & the International Stone Sculpture Symposium, both features of the 2005 CNE, and the "From Fine Art to Kitsch: A Celebration of CNE Art since 1879" exhibit in 2006. I think I should mention the CNE is not only active in and important to Toronto and surrounding areas, we are also a leader in the fair/event industry. The CNE is the largest and one of the longest running annual events in Canada and the fifth largest fair in North America.

Founded in 1879 on a community need to encourage the development of agriculture, manufacturing, industry and commerce and the arts, the CNE has very long and very rich history. Learn more about their history or take a virtual walking tour of the grounds by visiting the Internet. Especially if you want to know what is going on and when, before you go in order to plan ahead. But even if you don’t, your visit will be electrifying and memorable guaranteed. It always is for me and here is a piece of advice: wear sturdy shoes; there is a lot of walking to be done!      r.k.a.