The Fair at the PNE Unveils Their 2017 Line Up!
photo: Dan Rickard / Flickr
The Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) has unveiled its line-up for the 2017 Fair at the PNE, British Columbia’s most iconic event and beloved tradition for thousands of families from across the province. Featuring special shows to celebrate Canada 150th birthday, internationally acclaimed musical acts, entertainment, rides and food, this year’s Fair at the PNE is looking to be the most exciting yet.
“Every Summer British Columbians come together to celebrate the season at The Fair at the PNE,” said Mike McDaniel, President and CEO of the Pacific National Exhibition. “This year’s Fair is celebrating Canada’s 150th by featuring special acts, new attractions and shows that are here for this year only. With the best ticket value in BC and tons of family fun attractions, we are excited for visitors to experience this year’s Fair.”
Highlights of this year’s Fair at the PNE include Canada 150th celebrations with the RCMP Musical Ride, family-fun events in Festival Park, entertainment for families including ToonCity, Xtreme Bugs (featuring 19 animatronic larger than life bugs), the Toytopia Exhibit, the Hockey Hall of Fame – Legends of Hockey Exhibit, and of course the Summer Night Concert series.
photo: ZZ TOP
Summer Night Concerts
Every night at the PNE Amphitheatre music lovers will enjoy the electrifying performances of the PNE’s most exciting lineup yet. With all-star performances from world renowned Canadian and international artists in Pop, Flamenco, Rock ‘N’ Roll, RB, Country and more, music fans will be wowed every night of The Fair.
The Summer Night Concerts will run every evening starting on Saturday August 19 in the PNE Amphitheatre, and are FREE with admission to the Fair. For super fans, the PNE is offering a limited number of reserved seating at each of the shows. Starting at just $20, tickets will be available at 10am on May 31. Fans should visit pne.ca for details.
Vancouver Craft Beer Week
2017 Entertainment and Attractions
Northern Light Sky
Nightly at 10:30pm
Festival Park
| FREE with admission
As a nightly finale, the skies above the Fair at the PNE will come to life through innovative drone technology! Join us in Festival Park nightly at 10:30pm as we present Northern Light Sky – the electric experience invites guests to look up to the sky and celebrate Canada’s northern lights!
Community Spotlight
Daily from 11am-6pm, Festival Park
| FREE with admission
Enjoy a mixture of cultural festivals, summer pop-up markets and community showcases.
Hockey Hall of Fame- New and only this year!
Daily from 11am – 10pm, Garden Auditorium
| FREE with admission
This is an opportunity to explore the largest Hockey Hall of Fame exhibition outside the walls of the Hockey Hall of Fame itself. With more than 5,000 square feet of artifacts, artwork, photography and video, this unique retrospective will take both young and old for a walk down memory lane. Featuring content from some of the game’s greatest players to ever lace up skates, the colourful array of artifacts and video reminiscing from their careers will be sure to trigger nostalgic feelings and inspire future generations of young athletes.
Toytopia
Daily from 11am – 11pm, Rollerland Building |
FREE with admission
Visitors can explore and play with some of the world’s biggest and most beloved toys and retro video arcade games inside Toytopia! Featuring multiple play zones, a larger-than-life Jack in The Box, the science of toys from Furby, a Toytopia exclusive LEGO Train Layout, LEGO Play Area and LEGO Building Wall with dozens of LEGO pop culture figures on display, the World’s Largest Etch A Sketch and the world’s Smallest G-Scale figure 8-train layout, a retro arcade zone featuring working, classic games, a life-size doll house, a life-size Monopoly car photo op, Zoltar and so much more including a new Star Wars themed area!
Xtreme Bugs
Daily from 11am-11pm, Miller Drive
| FREE with admission
Families that enjoyed Dinosaurs Alive at The Fair, are going to LOVE Xtreme Bugs! This new outdoor imaginative immersive experience features 19 giant animatronic models along with over 100 static creatures. Learn about how these insects live and travel, experience their movement, appearances and behaviours, and understand their role in the environment. These impressive models are so true to real life that visitors will be able to clearly see their exaggerated features and texture.
Craft Beer Fest – Now featuring local wineries, and a new reduced admission rate!
Daily from 2pm-8pm, Italian Gardens
$5 online, $7 onsite during The Fair
Craft Beer Fest will feature up to 30 craft breweries along with local wineries for guests to sample the diverse craft drafts and wines being developed within the Lower Mainland’s backdoor. Visitors can purchase tickets online to save $2 plus receive access to a pre-purchased ticketholder line! Admission includes a 4-oz collector’s sampling cup. $2 per drink token, available for purchase onsite. If the venue is at capacity, a pre-purchased ticket will not guarantee immediate access. Craft Beer Fest is a 19+ event. Two pieces of ID will be required for entry.
PNE Prize Home
Tours Daily 11 am- 10 pm
British Columbia’s most affordable home lottery is back. One of British Columbia’s most iconic events, the PNE Prize Home Lottery will feature a gorgeous 3,100 sq. foot ‘West Coast modern’ style Prize Home that will be relocated for the lucky winner to Naramata, B.C. following the 2017 Fair at the PNE. Within its three bedrooms, 2.5 baths and floor-to-ceiling living space, this ENERGY STAR certified home designed by Freeport Industries, includes an entertainment lounge and home theatre room and comes fully furnished with the latest appliances and furniture, designed by Lane Home Furnishings, a division of Yaletown Interiors, and Coast Appliances. This year’s lottery is seeing some exciting changes with a new $100 ticket option and new ticket packages. This year they are offering, two tickets for $25, six tickets for $50, and 15 tickets for $100. The 2017 Grand Prize Home Package is valued at $2 million.
Kaleidoscope on Parade
Daily at 1:00pm, 3:00pm 6:00pm
A daily on-site parade celebrating Canada 150! Kaleidoscope on Parade is Canadian, whimsical fun, sure to delight the whole family as we dive into a world of imagination, where the colours of Canada bloom!
2017 PNE Donut Dash 5K Run-NEW for 2017, Kids pricing!
9am–11 am August 20, 2017, Empire Fields and PNE Fairgrounds
Vancouver’s tastiest 5k run where runners will be energized with tasty Fair treats throughout the course including mini donuts and more! Run registration includes a PNE Donut Dash buff, race bib, finisher’s medal and Fair gate admission to The Fair at the PNE on Sunday, August 20, 2017. Fees are per person, and exclude GST and service fees. Early Bird: (first 500 registrants) Regular: $35 Kids: $20. June 1: Regular $40 Kids:25. June 1-July 15: Regular $45 Kids $30. July 16-August 13: Regular $50 Kids $35. Online registration ends on Sunday, August 13, 2017. All entries are non-refundable, non-transferable and non-deferrable to a future event. For more information please visit pne.ca.
Kidz Discovery Farm – In partnership with Safeway
Daily from 11am-10pm, Livestock Barns
| FREE with admission
The Kidz Discovery Farm allows children to become a farmer for a short time while learning about 10 exciting agriculture sectors and how their food gets from the farm to their local grocery store! Kids are tasked with various pretend play farm chores such as milking a cow, pedaling a tractor, collecting eggs and harvesting apples while moving from farm to farm! This fun-filled activity has received rave reviews and continues to entertain and educate kids each year!
Farm Country
Daily from 11am-10pm, Livestock Barns
| FREE with admission
For a break from the hustle and bustle of the midway, visitors can stop by Farm Country to see all the baby animals they love! The Big Red Barns play host to the largest variety of barn animals found in Vancouver as well as many unique demonstrations and displays of new urban agriculture awareness, education and engagement so visitors can learn what can easily be done from their own homes. There’s tons of barn fun for kids and the whole family at Farm Country.
BCAA ToonCity
Daily from 11am-Dusk | FREE with admission
It’s time to laugh out loud and stretch a smile from ear-to-ear in ToonCity! Play, dance and paint in The Fair’s family pit stop! Families can join in at Art in the Park, Princess Jubilation, and Safari Adventure with Action Austin. PLUS, visit the playhouses and take a break in the Reading Corner. For more information on the action in ToonCity visit pne.ca
Learn to Fish at The Fair
Daily from 12pm-4pm, Sanctuary Pond Dock | FREE with admission
Learn how to fish in Sanctuary Pond from Freshwater Fisheries Society of B.C. staff! Participants of all ages can learn the basics of fishing including: hatchery roles, local conservation concerns, fishing equipment, casting, and how to rig a rod. Youth under 16 and participants 16 and older with a valid freshwater fishing license can also try their luck fishing off the dock on Sanctuary Pond.
Dueling Pianos
Nightly 7:00 9:45pm, Celebration Plaza Beer Garden | FREE with admission
Ladies and gentlemen, back by popular demand, it’s Dueling Pianos! Every night, two piano players go head-to-head and raise the roof with great music. Visitors can request their favourite tunes, sing-a-long, raise-a-glass and hit the dance floor – it’s a stompin’ good time every night at the Plaza Beer Garden!
Canada Showcase
Daily at 12, 2 5pm, Festival Park
| FREE with admission
Canada Showcase presents a cultural mosaic of dynamic dancers, exhilarating music and special guests, delighting fairgoers of all ages with a showcase of Canadian talent!
Presidents Choice SuperDogs
Daily at 12:30pm, 2:30pm 5pm, Pacific Coliseum | FREE with admission
The President’s Choice SuperDogs are back! They’re throwing a birthday party for Canada and everyone’s invited! An all-Canadian cast, all-Canadian music and even some Canadian breeds come together for this fun-and-furry celebration that will have visitors laughing and cheering for the world’s most amazing dogs! Catch them celebrating their home and native land in this brand-new show, CanaDogs.
UNBELIEVABLE: A Magical Experience
Nightly at 7:30pm, Pacific Coliseum
| FREE with admission or reserve premium seats.
Back by popular demand! A world-class magical showcase not to be missed! Watch in amazement and witness grand illusions. Reserve a premium seat to a magical experience visitors will simply describe as UNBELIEVABLE. $12 per person or $40 per family of four. Reserve Online starting May 31 at 10am or at the Pacific Coliseum box office during The Fair.
2017 Fair Dates, Times and Passes
The 2017 Fair will run from Saturday August 19, until Monday September 4, 2017, and will be closed on Monday August 21 and Monday August 28. Open 11 am until late (weather permitting).
Visit the PNE’s website for more information on admission rates.
Ways to Save
Take advantage of the following days or ways to save during this year’s Fair:
Celebrate Canada 150 on Opening Weekend | 11am- 1pm
Saturday August 19 – Sunday, August 20
Show your Canadian pride by visibly wearing red or a maple leaf and receive Fair Gate admission for just $1.50!
Heroes’ Opening Weekend | 11am- Late
Saturday, August 19- Sunday August 20
FREE gate admission for First Responders and a guest.
Promotion is valid for current and retired police, RCMP, ambulance workers and firefighters plus one guest. First Responder must present a valid First Responders service card at the gates. Guest does not require a service card.
FREE Gate Admission for all guests | 11am- 1pm
Tuesdays, AUGUST 22 29
Re-entrance hand stamps will only be given after 1pm. Guests are welcome to re-enter the gates prior to 1pm without hand stamp.
Wild Ride Wednesdays | 11am- 1pm
Wednesdays, August 23 30
Purchase 2 Ride Passes for the price of 1!
Only available onsite on the day of the promotion. Does not apply to ride coupons or complimentary passes.
Seniors’ Day | 11am- Late
Thursday, August 24
Seniors 65+ receive FREE gate admission.
Vancity Member Special | 11am- Late
NEW extended special! Offer valid EVERYDAY of The Fair!
Vancity members receive $5 gate admission.
BCAA “Membership is Rewarding” rate
BCAA members can visit bcaa.com for special discounts on gate and ride passes for the 2017 Fair at the PNE.
Photo: Harris Hui / Flickr
Special Offers:
Pinwheel Deals
A Fair-wide coupon book offering over $350 in savings
$2 at any Guest Services location, or purchase any Fair Pass online by July 31st and receive a voucher for a free Pinwheel Deals Coupon Book with every order!
After Dark Gate Pass
After 9pm nightly, purchase a Fair Gate Pass for just $5. * That’s a savings of $12!
Twilight Ride Pass
Presented by 94.5 Virgin Radio – After 5pm Tuesday through Thursday, purchase a Fair Ride Pass for just $29.75. * That’s a savings of $15!
Online/Retailer Savings
Save up to $9 when visitors purchase their Fair Gate or Ride passes online or at certain Lower Mainland retailers the following Lower Mainland retailers: Retail passes will be available in August. For more information visit pne.ca.
Contests and promotions
A list of 2017 Fair contests and promotions will be posted by July 2017.
For more information about The Fair at the PNE visit pne.ca.
Article source: http://www.insidevancouver.ca/2017/05/29/the-fair-at-the-pne-unveils-their-2017-line-up/
