Events at Vancouver's PNE

The Pacific National Exhibition is not only home to Playland, the PNE Fair and Fright Nights, but also to dozens of concerts and other events every year.

In this article we list events happening at the PNE in different months of the year. Playland takes place from June 3rd until August 18th in 2023, and the PNE Fair runs from August 19th until September 4th. The PNE Winter Fair, meanwhile, takes place between December 8th and the 23rd. Lots of other events happen on the grounds of the Pacific National Exhibition at other times of the year too, including Happyland which is a LGBTQ-themed event on the BC Day Long Weekend.

For the most up-to-date details about what’s happening at the venue, see the official PNE/Playland website.

 


Click on any of the following links to skip to a specific month:

January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December


 

PNE Fright Nights

 

Vancouver’s PNE Events and Venues

So many Vancouver events take place at the PNE. Some of them are put on by the Pacific National Exhibition itself, like those mentioned above. Others are independent events and simply rent the PNE’s facilities.

Venues at the PNE include Playland (where all the rides are), Hastings Racecourse, the Pacific Coliseum, the PNE Forum, Hastings Park and the Agrodome.

To learn about the many events that take place at the PNE and its various venues each month, including things like Monster Jam, trade shows and concerts that rent the space, see below.

If you want information specifically about summer and fall events run by the Pacific National Exhibition, then see our articles about Playland, the PNE Fair, PNE Summer Night Concerts and Fright Nights at Halloween.

 

Playland at the PNE

 

Annual Events at the PNE

Below is a list of events taking place at the PNE in different months of the year. Our list doesn’t include everything. It does though include some of the best events and our favourites.

(Note: Exact details are subject to change. See official websites for exact information.)

 

The PNE Fairgrounds
The PNE Fair

 

PNE Events in JANUARY


 

January 8, 15, 22 & 29, 2023

  • Hastings Park Winter Farmers Market – a winter market that takes place on Sundays from 10 am until 2 pm in the parking lot by the Hastings Skatepark between November and April.

 

PNE Events in FEBRUARY


 

February 5, 12, 19 & 26, 2023

  • Hastings Park Winter Farmers Market – a winter market that takes place on Sundays from 10 am until 2 pm in the parking lot by the Hastings Skatepark between November and April.

 

Nisga'a Hoobiyee New Year Celebrations
Hoobiyee at the PNE Forum

 

PNE Events in MARCH


 

March 3 & 4, 2023

  • Hoobiyee – the celebration of the Nisga’a First Nation’s New Year takes place at the PNE Forum.

 

March 17 to 19, 2023

  • Monster Jam – a monster truck show and competition at the Pacific Coliseum.

 

March 24 to 26, 2023

  • Vancouver Mineral and Gem Show – a market-style show featuring vendors displaying and selling jewelry, crystals, rare fossils and more! There are also lectures, door prizes and demos.

 

Other Events

  • Hastings Park Winter Farmers Market – a winter market that takes place on Sundays from 10 am until 2 pm in the parking lot by the Hastings Skatepark between November and April.

 

Earth Shaker Monster Truck at the PNE
Monster Jam at the Pacific Coliseum

 

PNE Events in APRIL


 

April 1 & 2, 2023

  • Vancouver Comics & Toy Show – an annual event featuring close to 200 vendors selling new, used and collectible comics, toys and superhero paraphernalia at the PNE Forum.

 

April 8, 2023

  • Sabrina Carpenter – the singer, songwriter and actress visits Vancouver on her emails i can’t send Tour.

 

April 14 to 15, 2023

  • Billy Jean King Cup – a tennis tournament where Canada plays against Belgium in the World Cup of Tennis.

 

April 28, 2023

  • FKJ – French Kiwi Juice performs as a one-man band at the PNE Forum.

 

Other Events

  • Hastings Park Winter Farmers Market – a winter market that takes place on Sundays from 10 am until 2 pm in the parking lot by the Hastings Skatepark between November and April.

 

PNE Events in MAY


 

May 3 to July 23, 2023

 

May 6, 2023

  • Satinder Sartaaj – one of the most well-known artists from Punjab performs at the Pacific Coliseum.

 

May 19-21 & 26-28, 2023

  • Jurassic World Live Tour – a family-friendly show based on the Jurassic World franchise with huge dinosaurs and a brand-new story.

 

PNE Events in JUNE


 

May 3 to July 23, 2023

Other Events

  • Playland – an amusement park with over 20 rides takes place from June 3rd until August 18 this year.
  • South Asian Family Festival – a family-friendly event featuring music, culture, market vendors, amusement rides and other activities. (June 18, 2023)

 

Vancouver Craft Beer Festival
Vancouver Craft Beer & Music Festival

 

PNE Events in JULY


 

July 8, 2023

July 22, 2023

  • The Cup – a horse racing event with live music and a fashion show at Hastings Racecourse.

May 3 to July 23, 2023

Other Events

  • Playland – Vancouver’s amusement park with over 20 rides takes place on select days in July.
  • HAPPYLAND Festival – a Pride celebration at the PNE with access to Playland rides and performances by Orville Peck, Perfume Genius and more. (2023 details are TBC.)

 

Chicago Concert at the PNE
Chicago at the PNE

 

PNE Events in AUGUST


 

  • Playland – the amusement park with over 20 rides takes place during the first three or so weeks of August.

 

August 6, 2023

 

August 19-31, 2023

  • Pacific National Exhibition (i.e., the PNE Fair) – an event featuring many attractions such as food trucks, rides, a dream home lottery, live performances and agricultural exhibits. The event usually continues until the Labour Day Weekend, with the last day being the holiday Monday.

 

View of Playland from the Ferris Wheel
Playland and the PNE

 

PNE Events in SEPTEMBER


 

  • Breakout Festival – a Hip-Hop and R&B music festival that normally happens at the PNE Amphitheatre in June as well as in the fall or early winter. (2023 details are to be confirmed.)

 

September 1-4, 2023

  • Pacific National Exhibition (i.e., the PNE Fair) – an event featuring many attractions such as food trucks, rides, a dream home lottery, live performances and agricultural exhibits. This year it runs from August 19 to September 4.

 

In addition to the above, Playland, the amusement park at the PNE, is usually open on a couple of Saturdays and Sundays after the first weekend in September. Whether that’s the case in 2023, however, is to be confirmed.

 

Agrodome at the PNE
The Agrodome at the PNE

 

PNE Events in OCTOBER


 

 

October 6-31, 2023

  • Fright Nights – featuring a variety of haunted houses and amusement rides, this Halloween event is not for the faint of heart! It runs on select days between early and late October.

 

Fright Nights in 2022

 

PNE Events in NOVEMBER


 

 

PNE Events in DECEMBER


 

  • PNE Winter Fair – Christmas lights, music and magical scenes at the venue. This year’s fair runs on December 8 and 9, and then daily from December 14 to 23.
  • Hastings Park Winter Farmers Market – a winter market that takes place on Sundays in the parking lot by the Hastings Skatepark between November and April.

 

PNE WinterLights
PNE WinterLights

 

Other Information

For more details about events at the PNE and to purchase tickets check out PNE Events.

For more information about PNE activities in the summer see our article about the Pacific National Exhibition.

Other articles that might be of interest include the following: