Canadian National Exhibition (CNE)

The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) is a large annual event held at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Also commonly known as The Exhibition or The Ex, the CNE takes place during the last eighteen days of August leading up to Canada’s Labour Day on the first Monday in September. First held in 1879, the CNE was originally organized as a vehicle for promoting the Canadian technology and agriculture industries and as a platform for celebrating Canadian ingenuity. As the CNE has grown and evolved since that time, it has also come to be seen as a celebration of Canadian diversity and a beloved family tradition among residents of the Toronto area. The modern CNE is recognized as the largest event of its kind held in Canada and one of the largest held anywhere in North America. In addition to customary exhibits, the CNE features a wide variety of food, rides, games, music, and more.

Background

The historical roots of the CNE can be traced back to an agricultural fair that moved from town to town in what was then known as Canada West in the 1840s. In 1878, the city of Toronto leased 20 hectares of lakefront property to create a permanent exhibition space. The next year, the city held an exhibition of its own that was called the Toronto Industrial Exhibition (TIE). Attracting around one hundred thousand visitors, the inaugural TIE was almost exclusively focused on agriculture. Thanks to its success, the TIE became an annual tradition.

The early development of the TIE reached a critical turning point in 1912 when the exhibition was rebranded as the CNE. This change reflected the fact that the event’s focus had broadened to include industry. By the time the TIE became the CNE, the fairgrounds had expanded to 141 hectares. The evolution of the CNE continued in 1927 with the installation of the Princes’ Gates, an elaborate entranceway that has long been considered one of the exhibition’s most iconic and symbolic features. Officially opened by His Royal Highness (HRH) Edward, Prince of Wales, and his brother Prince George, the original incarnation of the Princes’ Gates included nine pillars that represented the nine Canadian provinces that existed at the time. These pillars flanked a central arch, upon which a figure known as the Goddess of Winged Victory perched high above the ground. In modern times, the Princes’ Gates are nationally recognized according to the Ontario Heritage Act as a historically significant landmark.

Over time, the range of exhibits and attractions hosted at the CNE continued to grow. Grandstand shows became a standard fixture of the CNE by the 1950s, as did various sporting exhibitions. In the decades that followed, the CNE’s continued development saw the annual event gradually transform into a giant consumer market, highlighting a vast array of technological innovations that promised to improve the way people across Canada lived. In the twenty-first century, the CNE began to devote an increasing amount of space and focus to climate change and emerging alternative energy sources.

Overview

A showcase of Canadian ingenuity and culture, the CNE stands as one of Canada’s oldest and proudest national traditions. Also, the North American country’s largest annual event, the CNE attracts an estimated 1.6 million people every year. The massive influx of visitors it brings means that the CNE is a key contributor to the local and provincial economy. According to a 2017 Economic Impact Assessment undertaken by Enigma Research Corporation, the CNE is responsible for generating approximately $93.1 million for the Greater Toronto Area and over $128.3 million for the province of Ontario each year. Those numbers continued to increase as the 2020s progressed. By 2023, estimates had risen to $112 million for Toronto and $142 million for Ontario.

The CNE primarily serves as a showcase for Canadian innovation in agriculture, industry, and technology. As a result, the event’s main attraction has always been its various promotional exhibits. These exhibits allow a wide range of Canadian companies to showcase and sell their products to the millions who pour through the Princes’ Gates each year. Since its earliest days, shrewd innovators and marketers have also used the CNE to unveil their latest and greatest advancements. As a result, many inventive technological breakthroughs have made their Canadian public debuts at the CNE. The concept of electric railway transportation was introduced at the CNE in 1883. Canadians learned about radio for the first time at the CNE in 1922. The first Canadian television broadcast emanated from the CNE in 1939. Virtual reality went on display at the CNE in 1992. Even as the event has broadened in scope and adopted a carnival-like atmosphere over time, such exhibits remain the CNE’s most important component.

Since the very beginning, the CNE has also been a showcase for Canadian art. CNE organizers have long worked to make the event a celebration of and introduction to the fine arts. Many notable Canadian artists have had their works displayed at the CNE. In the mid-1960s, the CNE donated a collection of more than three hundred works to the Art Gallery of Ontario, including some works by famed Group of Seven artists like A.J. Casson and A.Y. Jackson.

Sporting competitions and entertainment events have always been part of the CNE as well. Numerous sports competitions are held during the CNE. Included in the long list of sports featured at the exhibition are baseball, basketball, football, gymnastics, karate, sailing, skateboarding, swimming, and water-skiing. Similarly, the CNE’s stages have long featured an array of popular performers who audiences flock to see in concert.

For many visitors, the most exciting part of the exhibition is the traditional CNE midway. The midway hosts a menagerie of rides, games, and sideshows reminiscent of classic carnival fun. In addition, the modern CNE grounds are also home to a casino, numerous bars and restaurants, craft displays, shopping pavilions, and more. Finally, the close of the CNE is marked by a popular celebratory air show.

The forced cancellation of the 2020 and 2021 CNEs due to the COVID-19 global pandemic left organizers in a precarious financial situation. Millions of dollars were lost for the local economy. Event organizers reported it might be difficult for normal operations to resume, as revenue from previous years is typically reinvested for the event the next year. The national and provincial governments provided the funds necessary to reopen the CNE in 2022 with even more attractions. A multimedia event was added, as well as new interactive exhibits on Canadian heritage and gaming. In 2023, the CNEs continued to expand their offerings with music exhibitions, an expanded air show, and an impressive line-up of musical acts. The crowds at the 2022 and 2023 CNEs were larger than ever, and the event once again became a profitable and memorable tradition for the people of Toronto and Ontario.

Bibliography

Aguilar, Bryann. “CNE in Toronto: 2023 Attendance Set to Surpass Last Year's.” CTV News Toronto, 1 Sept. 2023, toronto.ctvnews.ca/cne-optimistic-2023-attendance-will-break-last-year-s-1-56-million-visitor-record-1.6545023. Accessed 19 May 2024.

“Canadian Nation Exhibition (CNE).” Attractions Ontario, attractionsontario.ca/attraction-listings/canadian-national-exhibition. Accessed 19 May 2024.

“CNE's 2023 Bandshell Concert Line-Up Revealed: From Bollywood to Celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop and More Pink Floyd!” Canadian National Exhibition, 17 July 2023, www.theex.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-CNE-Bandshell-Lineup‗PFE-Extension.pdf. Accessed 19 May 2024.

“History.” Canadian National Exhibition, 2021, theex.com/footer/about-the-cne/history. Accessed 4 Aug. 2021.

Marsh, James H. “Canadian National Exhibition.” The Canadian Encyclopedia, 4 Mar. 2015, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/canadian-national-exhibition. Accessed 4 Aug. 2021.

Neufeld, Abby. “The CNE Is at Risk of Permanently Closing After 142 Years in Business.” CTV News, 17 May 2021, toronto.ctvnews.ca/the-cne-is-at-risk-of-permanently-closing-after-142-years-in-business-1.5431088. Accessed 19 May 2024.

Padykula, Jessica. “Canadian National Exhibition: The Complete Guide.” Trip Savvy, 3 June 2019, www.tripsavvy.com/canadian-national-exhibition-the-complete-guide-4172921. Accessed 4 Aug. 2021.

Shimano, Lee. Treasures of the CNE: Memorabilia and Tales from the Canadian National Exhibition. Friesen P, 2017.

Tait, Carrie. “Canada’s Major Fairs Walking a Financial Tightrope as 2021 Events Cancelled.” Globe and Mail, 12 June 2021, www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alberta/article-canadas-major-fairs-walking-a-financial-tightrope-as-2021-events. Accessed 19 May 2024.