The Fair at the PNE (Aug 16 - Sept 1)

The Fair at the PNE is back in Vancouver this Saturday! With tons of new performances and exhibits, the PNE is definitely the best part of the summer! Playland will also be open, with over 50 rides to choose from, and don't forget about the food! Some of the new exhibits this year include the Game of Thrones Exhibition, Internet Cat Video Festival, Jigu! Thunder Drums of China and more.As always, the Summer Night Concerts will be happening every evening with musical stars like LeAnn Rimes, Phillip Phillips, Plain White T's and Boyz II Men.

There will be a special opening day Game of Thrones Q&A with actress Sibel Kekilli who plays Shae on the hit HBO show. She will be interviewed by Todd Talbot from Love It or List It Vancouver on August 16 at 3pm on the Chevrolet Performance Stage.

Tickets start at $16 ($13 if you purchase online) but there are several special days to save even more:

Saturday, August 16 – Sunday, August 17 - Heroes’ Opening Weekend
Tuesday, August 19 – FREE Gate admission from 11am-1pm
Wednesday, August 20 - 2 for 1 Rides More Info
Thursday, August 21 - Seniors’ Day More Info
Wednesday, August 27 - Vancity Member Day

Find out show schedules, exhibit information and purchase your tickets here.

Free Admission to the PNE - August 20

The Fair at the PNE is back, and they are once again offering free admission tomorrow, Tuesday, August 20th, from 11am to 1pm. It's a great time to bring the family down to check out what the Fair has to offer! Make sure to go early - it is always very busy on the free admission day, and there will be definitely be crowds and long line ups.

A Day at The Fair

The Fair at the PNE is something I look forward to every year. It's been a tradition to go at least once a year for as long as I can remember! The Peking Acrobats and Superdogs are some of my favorite shows, and I went to see those first. The Evolution of Extreme was also an exciting show to watch, with motobike riders who ride off a ramp and do tricks in mid-air.

Walking through the carnival games area is always fun - I used to play a lot of the games when I was younger, but now I have to hold myself back from throwing all my money away on toys I don't have room for (though I couldn't resist playing just one - I only came in second place.). And of course, the food. Oooh, the delicious greasy foods! I went for a Ukranian breakfast combo because the perogies looked delicious! Afterwards, I shared a pineapple and strawberry Dole Whip ice cream and a lemonade. As a snack, we all bought a corn-dog.

New this year was the Star Trek exhibition, and the line was never ending. We went later on in the day so though the line was long, it moved fast. There were plenty of props from the Star Trek shows and you can get your picture taken in the Captain's chair, the bridge and the transporter. It was actually a lot of fun! To end the day, we walked through the Marketplace. Once again, I was salivating over the Vitamix blender. I will buy it one day...

This is always nerve-wracking to watch!

So many people on one bike!

The Peking Acrobats showcase strength, finesse and amazing acrobatics.

A new exhibit this year showcased playgrounds. This airplane was one of my favorites.

I also really liked this ship!

The sculptures for the sand sculpture competition are always amazing, with lots of detail.

This one, titled "Box" was very cool. The hand makes it really eerie.

The Superdogs are very cute!

A pair of puppies who will eventually become Superdogs!

New this year is rabbit hopping - a miniature race course built for rabbits!

A hare looks towards the bars he has to jump over.

Don't have a cow!

The Evolution of Extreme

Wheelie!

One guy even rode an ATV!

No pictures were allowed inside!

The Fair at the PNE will be open daily until September 3, 2012. Gate tickets are $20 at the door, or $15 if you purchase online here.