The Canadian National Exhibition is a festival that takes place in Toronto and marks the end of Summer. For many students, it’s one final chance to have fun before the school year starts in September. Here is some information about this festival courtesy of Destination Toronto:

Date(s): August 16 to September 2, 2024
Location: Exhibition Place

The Canadian National Exhibition, better known as ‘The Ex’ to locals, is the event that Toronto’s beloved Exhibition Place is named for. To say there’s a lot to see at the Canadian National Exhibition is an understatement—this is Canada’s biggest annual fair and dates back almost 150 years.

CNE Highlights 

Things to do at the Canadian National Exhibition include:

• Live music performances
• Exhibitions on arts and crafts, home and garden, and world cultures 
• Markets and shopping
• Special exhibitions like past displays of National Geographic photography, topiary displays and end-of-summer garden shows

Founded to showcase Canada's agricultural and scientific progress, the Exhibition is still a fantastic opportunity to see cutting-edge tech like the Vertical Hydroponics exhibit, eSports tournaments and the CNE Gaming Garage.  

There's also a lot of history throughout Exhibition Place, including an 18th-century log cabin, the oldest surviving structure in the city of Toronto, and fun traditions like the butter sculpture competition. 

Not to ignore the present, don't miss the exhibit hosted by The Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation or the delicious array of edible treats in the Toronto Star Food Building. The latter is packed with samples of Toronto's best local restaurants, complete with options for those with religious or wellness-related food restrictions.

There's also plenty of shopping and a classic carnival midway at the Canadian National Exhibition to keep you on your toes, not to mention live music, talent performances and a family-favourite Labour Day weekend air show.

If you’d like to know more about the history of the CNE, you can check out this 11-minute video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62d5pGOJ3Qw