A guide to this year’s CNE highlights from CEO Darrell Brown

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The CNE is a big numbers game.

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And this year’s exhibition, which kicked off last Friday and runs until Sept. 2 (daily from 10 a.m. until midnight), is no different.

It drew 1.6 million visitors in 2023, which topped the last record of 1.5 million in 2015, and CNE CEO Darrell Brown said that translated to people spending $210 million in the GTA.

“It was the largest (crowd) that we’ve had since we took the CNE back in 2013,” said Brown.

Logistically, the CNE encompasses 60 rides, 800 vendors, 12 bars, eight stages and 1,000 entertainers on 192 acres of land.

It’s no wonder someone might get overwhelmed by the sheer size of the Ex.

So who better to ask for advice than Brown on how to navigate the CNE as he offered up this year’s highlights and his personal faves:

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FOOD

“The food building is the No. 1 attraction at the Ex,” said Brown.

So go big or go home. There’s always an interest in oversized products, so this year there’s the metre-long donut, which is the equivalent of four dozen donuts, or the 12-inch giant samosa.

Otherwise, the emphasis is always on the unusual.

“I think the wasabi ice cream is an interesting one,” said Brown. “There’s lots of focus on butter chicken dishes (both a butter chicken corndog and deep-fried butter chicken lasagna are available this year), which is always interesting. There’s an avocado ice cream (served in a coconut bowl) and people are raving about the deep-fried pickled Oreos.”

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CNE BANDSHELL

From OutKast’s Big Boi (Aug. 25), with the only Canadian date on his 2023-24 tour, to Canadian rock vets April Wine (Aug. 31), there’s something for everyone, musically speaking, at the Bandshell, whose daily programming goes until Sept. 1.

“Down With Webster (Wednesday) probably generated the most buzz,” said Brown. “And also the classic voices of rock at the end of this (Sept. 1) with the Chicago lead singer (Jason Scheff), Journey (Steve Augeri), Asia (John Payne) and Boston (Fran Cosmo). They’re all on stage together, so I think that’s going to attract a lot of interest. I’m a bandshell guy. I try to (go) every night.”

HALFPIPE

This year’s CNE has a 12-foot halfpipe set up at the Prince’s Gates for demonstrations by pro skaters, in-line skaters and BMX bikers including, on the heels of the Paris Olympics, the oldest competing skateboarder this year, 51-year-old Andy Macdonald of Great Britain, who makes his CNE debut.

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“I think certainly the younger generation are going to be interested in BMX and the in-line skating,” said Brown.

OTHER PERFORMERS

Wrestling icons will be ringside to sign autographs and put on a show at Classic Championship Wrestling east of BMO Field with three performances daily at 2:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Three-time world champion skater Elvis Stojko is back with an all-new Aerial and Acrobatic Ice-Skating Show ACTION! and the 75th anniversary of the Canadian International Air Show will feature the beloved Canadian Forces Snowbirds, Royal Air Force Red Arrows and the U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor, among many other offerings.

“I think the (waterskiing show) Aquarama is a great thing to do along the lake to cool off and see that happening,” said Brown of the event, which happens on the West Channel of Lake Ontario and includes incredible flips, spins, flyboarding and human pyramids on the water.

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ART/TV EXHIBITS

“We’ve got some very interesting art exhibitions, the AGO retrospective at our Withrow Common Gallery and some poignant photography from the Ukraine. So there’s lots of different things to see,” said Brown.

Then there’s the ZTV Museum of Television Exhibit, “which is the history of television exhibition which we’ve taken over from Zoomer and put here. It has the 1939 television that was actually exhibited here in 1939, so that’ll be interesting.”

BUDGET CONSCIOUS

“It’s one of the few events in the city that allows you to bring your own food in,” said Brown. “If people don’t have the money to spend at all the vendors, then bring your own stuff and all of the entertainment is free once you pay admission.”

TRANSPORTATION

Metrolinx is also increasing GO Train services from now until Sept. 2 along the Lakeshore West and East lines to ensure customers can go to the CNE with ease.

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