Flashback: A Look Through the Years of the PNE!

The Fair at the PNE has been a summer staple for over 100 years! Let’s go back and remember some of the years gone by, starting by throwing it back to 1910!!

It was in the early 1900s that there was a push for the city to have its own fair and exhibition to show off the city, small livestock and pet associations, as well as the booming industry.

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Creeping up on the 1930s, car racing became all the rage, and every major car manufacturer made sure to have the latest models at The Fair.

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Once the 1930s hit, so did hard times. The Great Depression meant that The Fair was a glimmer of fun and excitement, in an otherwise dark time. During the ’30s, “Mickey Mouse became a household word, jive talk was all the rage, and everyone played pinball, bingo and the new jukeboxes” – PNE.

As everyone was looking for an escape, the popularity of The Fair actually grew in the 1930s!

Here is the first Prize Home; the biggest prize ever offered at The Fair!

By the 1940s we were back at war, and The Fair proved to be a way to boost morale. Skipping ahead to the 50s, here’s a throwback to Miss. PNE, 1954. Pageants were big components of The Fair through the next several decades, with both Miss. and Mr. PNE competitions.

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The PNE turned 50 in the year 1960, and as many people became city dwellers, The Fair saw the opportunity to reintroduce residents to the farmers, and so expanded the agricultural portion of the Fair.

By the ’80s The PNE had a heavy focus on concerts. Here’s a throwback to David Bowie circa 1983.

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The lineup in 1988 looked like this: John Cougar Mellencamp, Robert Plant, Def Leppard, George Michael, Eric Clapton, Sinatra/Martin/David, Rod Stewart, Aerosmith, Prince and INXS! Concerts have been a major component of The Fair for decades.

By the ’90s, we were celebrating Vancouver as one of the best places to live, with a vibrant arts and culture scene, and known for its multiculturalism.

And even after all this time, The Fair remains a quintessential summer activity for hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.

Check out the whole history HERE.