The CNE opens today. Here's everything you need to know

For many, the return of the Canadian National Exhibition traditionally heralds the end of summer. But this year it also signifies something else – a return to a life which more closely resembles normalcy.

It’s been a rough ride for the CNE over the past few years.

Even before the pandemic, the organization was dealing with change. Just weeks before the event was set to start in 2019, the CNE and its CEO suddenly parted ways without explanation. The event ran that year but has been shut down since because of COVID-19.

Current CEO Darrell Brown, who took over in 2019, said the organization has had to “scratch and claw” to make it through a difficult few years.

“I mean, we borrowed $4 million to try and make ends meet,” Brown told CP24.com at a media preview recently. “That certainly wouldn't have been enough in and of itself. Just to give you an idea, our budget for this year's fair is $37.5 million and we don't typically get funding from government. So we have to be sure that we get enough revenue to cover that and our annual operating costs.”

He said that has meant laying off over 50 per cent of the organization’s staff and salary cuts for everyone who remained.

The organization has managed to stay afloat, he said, through a combination of borrowing and grants from the federal and provincial governments. The organization has received more than $7.2 million from the federal government and $1.6 million from the Ontario government to recoup from the pandemic.

That said, Brown said the thing he is most excited for this year is to see “people coming through the gates. Just seeing the crowds, walking through the Midway, and having some fun.”

He said the vendors have been eagerly anticipating the return of The Ex as well.

“We've got 107 vendors just in the food building alone. We have over 800 businesses that rely on us. And so they're here, and they're expecting that this is going to be big. And I think they're right, because when we're looking at other fairs this year, more people have come out,” Brown said. “But also the per-person spending is way up. And so I think some people had some money socked away, maybe because they weren't going out as much during COVID, and they're spending that money when they come out.”

Jeff Broeders and Karyn Johnson are part of one vendor team happy to be making a return this year.

The couple started dating in 2009 and the CNE has been a part of their story since the beginning.

“We used to come here every single CNE on a date. We started dating in 2009, so ever since we'd come every single season for a date and then it turned into this,” Johnson said, referring to the “King of the Curds” stall the couple run in the Midway.

Their stall sells deep-fried cheese curds, a choice they came up with after Broeders — originally from Minnesota — couldn’t believe the food wasn’t on offer at the Ex as it is at the Minnesota State Fair each year.

This year the couple is offering a new twist — the cinnamon curd crunch — which takes the original and tops it with cinnamon sugar, cream cheese icing and cinnamon toast crunch. It's one of the many outrageous food creations one can find at the CNE this year.

But the couple said the real reason they keep coming to The Ex is for the special atmosphere.

“You come down and the energy down here, it’s a lot of fun being around the people,” Broeders said. “Everyone's down here to have a good time and it's just a different atmosphere. And it's fun hanging out with everyone.”

Johnson adds the two refer to the Ex as “our summer camp.”

In addition to a slew of outrageous foods and rides to try, the CNE will have a nightly drone show featuring 100 drones that will light up the night sky. There will also be a multimedia show — NEVAEH & The Northstar — which combines "cutting edge theatrical technology, pyrotechnics and augmented reality, to take audiences on an immersive odyssey through time, land, sea and galaxies.”

Gaming enthusiasts can also check out esports at the Gaming Garage Powered by AMD, where they can come play some of the hottest PC games on glowing AMD-powered computers that look more like club decorations.

Teams will also face off in a robotics competition at the Gaming Garage from Sept. 2-4.

Other attractions this year include Celebrity Kitchen Stage, Food Truck Frenzy and Craft Beer Fest, a slate of musical performances at the CNE Bandshell that will include Glass Tiger with the Spoons; Gordon Lightfoot with The Good Brothers; Tom Cochrane with Kasador and many others. And of course the 73rd Canadian International Air Show will cap things off Sept. 3-5.

While a flood of guests returning to the exhibition will no doubt be a boon for the CNE, some challenges remain. Unionized safety inspectors who work for the technical standards and safety authority (TSSA) held a loud demonstration at the CNE’s official opening Friday. They have expressed concern about how rides are being inspected during their labour action.

“When you have replacements trying to do the job of people who have been here for 10 or 20 years, I think it's a very difficult thing to do,” one picketing safety inspector, John Todorovski, told CP24 Friday.

The CNE has said that it has taken steps to ensure the strike doesn't affect safety at the event and that it has its own engineering team to carry out inspections alongside those carried out by non-unionized (TSSA) staff.

Here’s a breakdown of what you need to know if you go:

WHEN

The CNE runs from Aug. 19 – Sept. 5. The grounds open from 10 a.m. to midnight each day, except on Labour Day (Sept. 5) when the grounds close at 9 p.m.

The CNE runs rain or shine, though some outdoor events may be cancelled or postponed due to weather.

TICKETS

General admission for those 14 to 64 years old is $25, while tickets for seniors (65 and over) and kids (5-13) are $20. Kids 4 and under are free.

You can save some money if you have time to go on a weeknight. Admission after 5 p.m. Mon-Thurs is $11 for all ages.

Most passes can be purchased online to save time (a $2 processing fee is added for online purchases)  or at the CNE gates.

You can also access the CNE grounds with a ticket for Budweiser Stage or BMO Field.

There are a few other deals and combos for admission. See TheEx.com for full details.

Coupons for games and rides start at $5 for four coupons and can only be purchased on the grounds.

GETTING THERE

Those venturing down to the CNE grounds this weekend should leave themselves lots of time and plan the route as there are a number of road closures and transit adjustments that could make the commute tricky.

Brown says getting an early start will help in avoiding congestion, as crowds tend to build through the day.

Driving

Westbound Lake Shore Boulevard East, between Parliament Street and Lower Sherbourne Street, will be reduced to a single lane until 9 p.m. on Sunday, August 21 to facilitate gas main installation work by Enbridge.

There are other also a number of other road closures in effect around town over the weekend in order to accommodate construction and events. You can find a full list of the city's website and order to plan around them.

The CNE has two off-site lots and a number of on-site lots. The parking rate at onsite lots is $30 to $35, depending on the day.

TTC

Options for reaching the CNE grounds on transit include the Bathurst Streetcar to Exhibition Loop; 504B King Streetcar to the Dufferin Gate Loop; the 29 Dufferin Bus which goes to the Dufferin gate Loop, and the 509 Harbourfront Streetcar, which goes to Exhibition Loop.

There will be no subway service on Line 1 between Sheppard West and Wilson stations due to track improvement work. Shuttle buses will run, stopping at each station along the route.

Go Transit

Metrolinx says that between Aug. 20 and Sept. 5, weekend schedules for the Lakeshore East and Lakeshore West GO train lines will be adjusted for the CNE to limit any potential for crowding at Exhibition GO Station.

“Customers are encouraged to use the trip planner on gotransit.com to plan GO trips in advance,” the agency says. “Customers should give themselves extra time, as GO trains and buses will be busier than usual, as will stations, parking lots and ticket counters.”

Customers can buy a GO Weekend Pass online which covers either one day ($10) or two days ($15). Note this option can’t be purchased at stations.

Kids 12 and under ride free.

Customers can now also use a credit card to pay an adult fare by tapping if they don’t have a Presto card.

See full details on the Metrolinx website.