Vancouver’s PNE Fair set to open on Aug. 19

The longest-running and largest ticketed event in B.C., the annual PNE Fair, returns on Saturday.

The beloved end-of-summer Vancouver fair returns with some new features and activities and of course, some of the fan favourites.

The Summer Nights Concerts series will have some big names performing this year with TLC, BoyZ II Men, Jason Derulo, Yung Gravy, bbno$, Billy Idol, Pat Benatar, Aqua, Boney M, Billy Talent and others expected to take the stage.

PNE organizers said agriculture remains at the heart of the fair with a wide array of displays and shows including the Kids Discovery Farm, 4H Festival and the Knights of Valour jousting event.

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The fair will have new pyro music celebrations as well, such as the Remix Inferno, the Dueling Pianos and performances by For the Love of Drag.

TD Bank Group has partnered with PNE and will be providing access for 1,500 disadvantaged youth to come and engage at the fair as part of their Youth Accessibility Program. TransLink has once again partnered with the fair to provide a Friday fair promotion where the first 5,000 people, plus a guest, will receive a 2-for-1 admission when they show a valid compass card at the entrance.

Prices are $25 for adults, $16 for youth (ages 13 to 18) $9 for children (ages four to 12) and $16 for seniors.

Children three and under get in free.

The PNE took the chance to highlight two longstanding supporters of the fair on Thursday.

“Lucy Moriz and Lubomyr “Mir” Huculak, two stalwart supporters of the PNE, has embodied the spirit of community, tradition, and dedication that defines this cherished Vancouver institution,” PNE staff said in a release.

“Spanning five and seven decades respectively, their love and enthusiasm for the event perfectly encapsulate what the PNE stands for a fun, often delicious, celebration of Vancouver culture that brings together residents and visitors from all over the Lower Mainland.”

Moriz, a long-time Vancouver resident, contacted the PNE to offer to donate a treasured memento from her childhood — a 1973 PNE ticket.

“The PNE Parade was a big deal back in the day and everyone I know always has a story about the weather during the PNE Fair. I was born and raised in Vancouver, and I will always put money back into my community,” she said.

Huculak has been to every single PNE since 1949. Organizers said Huculak’s story is one of resilience and determination, having immigrated to Canada from Ukraine with his family during the Second World War, and embracing the PNE as a symbol of his new life in a new country.

“Their stories remind us all of the enduring power of tradition, community, and shared experiences that are fostered at the PNE year after year,” staff said.

The fair will run from Aug. 19 until Sept. 4 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

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