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Vancouver’s PNE Fair

The PNE Fair

The PNE Fair is one of the biggest summer events in Vancouver with concerts, rides and all sorts of entertainment options. Read below for all the 2023 details.

For the fair’s official website, visit pne.ca.

 

The PNE Fair in Vancouver

The PNE Fair is a big end-of-summer event each year. There are PNE events in other seasons, but the summer fair is by far the biggest. It runs for a couple of weeks at the end of August and into the beginning of September.

In 2023 the fair ran from August 19th to September 4th. For full details on every part of the PNE, check out our Pacific National Exhibition article or visit the official pne.ca website. For details specifically about the 2023 summer fair, continue reading below.

 

Food Trucks at the PNE

 

Location and Admission

The PNE takes place in Hastings Park at 2901 East Hastings Street. The fair was open from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm daily from August 19th to September 4th in 2023. The only two days it was closed were the Mondays of August 21st and 28th.

Admission price at the gate in 2023 was $25 for adults (19+), $16 for seniors and teenagers, and $9 for children between the ages of 4 and 12. To go on the Playland rides guests also had to buy a ride pass which was either $44 or $55 depending on which rides they wanted to go on.

Tickets purchased online in advance cost a few dollars less than ones purchased at the gate. That was the case for both general fair admission and the ride passes.

 

Safeway Cooking Stage at the PNE

 

Live Entertainment

One of the highlights of the PNE Fair each year is the Summer Concert Series. Tickets for the special night concerts are separate from general admission and can range from around $25 to close to $100 depending on the artist and seat location.

Below was the concert schedule for 2023.

 

Revel District Concerts

In addition to the main stage, there are other live musicians who play throughout the day. These concerts feature more local bands and are included with general fair admission. Below were the artists who performed in the Revel District in 2023.

  • For the Love of Drag – every day of the fair at 4:30 pm and 6:00 pm
  • John Welsh & Los Valientes – August 19th, 20th and 22nd at 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm
  • Trilojay – August 19th, 20th and 22nd at 7:30 pm and 10:00 pm
  • Coco Jafro – August 23rd to 25th at 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm
  • Rain City 6 – August 23rd to 25th at 7:30 pm and 10:00 pm
  • Warren Dean Flandez – August 26th, 27th and 29th at 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm
  • Tanner Olsen Band – August 26th, 27th and 29th at 7:30 pm and 10:00 pm
  • The Whiskeydicks – August 30th to September 1st at 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm
  • Side One – August 30th to September 1st at 7:30 pm and 10:00 pm
  • The Paperboys 30th Anniversary – September 2nd to 4th at 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm
  • Phonix Dance Band – September 2nd to 4th at 7:30 pm and 10:00 pm

 

The PNE Fair

 

Other Fair Events

The PNE has a lot to offer each year. There are daily exhibits and attractions throughout the park to enjoy. 2023’s list included a public market with close to 100 vendors, canoe carving demonstrations from Indigenous artists, an Indigenous artisan market, cooking demonstrations, a huge number of baby farm animals, the Beyond Monet multimedia art exhibit and much more.

There are other special events during the fair as well. The schedule for those in 2023 was as follows:

  • 4-H Festival – a chance to learn a lot about agriculture, geared especially towards children and teenagers (August 19th to 22nd).
  • Camp Cue Musical Theatre Camp – theatre workshops for youth that ended with a performance on the Festival Park Stage (August 20th).
  • The Best of the West Archery Competition – the top archers from five qualifying tours across the province competed for glory (August 26th & 27th).
  • CircusWest at the PNE – anyone between the ages of 8 and 18 could participate in these circus act workshops (August 29th).
  • Choir Choir Choir – a very interactive concert where the audience sang along with the performers (August 30th).
  • Red Robinson’s Day – a celebration of the iconic local broadcaster Red Robinson (August 31st).
  • Gotta Sing Gotta Dance Alumni Celebration – a reunion event for all those who had participated in GSGD camps over the last three decades (September 1st).

 

Beyond Monet at the PNE
Beyond Monet at the PNE in 2023

 

PNE Prize Home Lottery

One of the big events each year at the fair is the PNE Prize Home Lottery. Tickets for the lottery are purchased online and there are multiple draws. Prizes that could be won in 2023 included cars, cruise trips and thousands of dollars in cash. The grand prize was a $2.3 million home in Langley.

The last chance to buy tickets for the prize home was on September 4th. There are multiple draws for smaller prizes done in the build-up to the finale. There is also a 50/50 draw with tickets that are sold separately. In 2023, the 50/50 draw winner walked away with $891,425!

 

PNE Rides

There were nearly 30 rides available in the amusement park section of the PNE in 2023. They included old favourites like the Wooden Roller Coaster, the Hellevator and the Log Flume.

For guests who wanted to go on all the rides, the Thrill Pass was the must-purchase item. Those looking for the more kid-friendly rides could choose the Fun Pass which was around $10 cheaper.

For more details about all the rides, check out our Playland Rides article.

 

Flags and Roller Coaster at the PNE

 

Other Information

For more information about the annual event, see our article about the Pacific National Exhibition or go to the PNE website.

Other events hosted by the Pacific National Exhibition include the following:

Other articles that might be of interest include the following: