By Sean Delaney
The crown jewel of the Toronto summer is the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE).
The “Ex” has delighted droves of Torontonians for generations.
The CNE first opened its doors to the masses in 1879 (then called the Toronto Industrial Exhibition) and continues to this day to be a celebration of Canadian culture and innovation.
The history of the Ex is certainly an interesting one. In the mid 19th century, the city of Toronto and the Canadian government organized a number of agricultural festivals, including the Provincial Agricultural Fair, to showcase and share information on farming practices. The fairs all achieved relative success, leading to an effort by local businesses, the Toronto city council and the Exhibition committee to establish a permanent festival on the Exhibition Grounds in Toronto. When Ottawa was chosen as the site for the 1879 provincial fair, Toronto decided to hold its own. The Toronto Industrial Exhibition, the predecessor to the Ex, saw more than 100,000 Torontonians and others during its three week run in 1879.
The annual event would soon grow a reputation as a showcase for new technology. In 1883, visitors to the Ex were introduced to the electric railroad for the first time. Over the years, Edison’s phonograph, Radio, Television, Plastic and Virtual reality, would all make their Canadian public debuts at the CNE.
In 1912, as the festival grew, the Toronto Industrial Exhibition would take the current name of the Canadian National Exhibition to reflect its role as a national event. The CNE would never abandon its original vision as an agricultural fair however, a building is still dedicated to showcasing farming technology today.
When Canada entered the Great War in 1914, the Exhibition grounds were quickly transformed to a military base. Despite military training undertaken at the site, the CNE would remain open. Military demonstrations could be witnessed alongside the traditional fair activities during the war period.
In 1927, the monumental entrance to the CNE, the Prince’s gate (often mistakenly called the Princess Gates), was opened to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Canadian Confederation. Many, including the Royal Family, were in attendance.
During WWII, the CNE would cease operations for the first time as Canadians prepared for a larger military engagement.
Today, the CNE remains an important summertime event for Toronto. 1.6 million people visit the CNE annually. The CNE employs more than 3,000 people including vendors, security services and exhibitors and contributes to about $58.6 million to the economy.
So if you live in Emery, you owe it to yourself to check out the CNE. One of Toronto’s truly most exciting festivals