The Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) is a 
nonprofit organization that operates an annual 15-day summer fair, a 
seasonal amusement park, and indoor arenas in Vancouver, British 
Columbia, Canada. The PNE fair is held at Hastings Park, beginning in 
mid-to-late August and ending in early September, usually Labour Day.
The organization was established in 1907 as the Vancouver Exhibition Association, and organized its first fair at Hastings Park in 1910. The organization was renamed to the Pacific National Exhibition
 in 1946. During the mid-20th century, a number of facilities were built
 on the PNE grounds, including Pacific Coliseum and the PNE Agrodome. In
 1993, the amusement park adjacent to the PNE, Playland, became a 
division of the PNE.
The Vancouver Exhibition Association (VEA), the predecessor to the Pacific National Exhibition
 organization was first formed in 1907; although the association was not
 incorporated until 18 June 1908. The VEA had petitioned Vancouver City 
Council to host a fair at Hastings Park; although faced early opposition
 from the city council and the local jockey club that used the park for 
horse races. However, the city council eventually conceded to the VEA's 
request and granted the association a 5-year lease to host a fair at 
Hastings Park in 1909.
The VEA held its first fair at Hastings 
Park in August 1910. It was opened by then Canadian Prime Minister Sir 
Wilfrid Laurier as the Vancouver Exhibition. The biggest attractions of the two-week fair are its numerous shops, stalls, performances, a nightly fireworks show, and the exhibition's Prize Home. From its beginnings, the exhibition was used as a showcase for the region's agriculture and economy.
In the initial years of the Second World War, the fairgrounds saw an increased military presence. However, the exhibition itself was not cancelled until 1942, after the Canadian declaration of war against Japan was issued. From 1942 to 1946 the exhibition
 and fair was closed, and like the Canadian National Exhibition in 
Toronto, served as a military training facility for the duration of 
World War II. During this time, the exhibition barns that were used to 
house livestock, were used as processing centres for interned Japanese 
Canadians from all over British Columbia. The interned Japanese 
Canadians were later shipped away to other internment camps throughout 
British Columbia, and Alberta. The Momiji (Japanese word for Maple) 
Gardens on the PNE's grounds serves as a memorial for the event. The 
barns used for the internment of Japanese Canadians are still used to 
house livestock during the annual fair, and serve as storage area to 
house some of the PNE's property the rest of the year.
On 7 
February 1946, the Vancouver Exhibition Association changed its name to 
its current moniker, the Pacific National Exhibition; and later reopened
 the fair to the public under that name in 1947. The organization was 
formally reincorporated as the Pacific National Exhibition in 1955.
The
 highest attendance at the fair was recorded in 1986, with 1.1 million 
guests visiting the PNE, most likely due to Expo 86 that was occurring 
at the time. In 1993, the amusement park adjacent to the PNE, Playland, 
became a division of the PNE organization.
During 1997-1998, the 
PNE grounds was transformed with the demolition of a number of buildings
 including the Food Building, Showmart and the Poultry Building. This 
gave way to the Sanctuary, a parkland setting with a pond. The pond 
restored part of a stream that once flowed in the park out to the 
Burrard Inlet. The city restored a large portion of the park. Many old 
fair buildings have been demolished and replaced by a more natural 
character. Although land was purchased in Surrey that was to become the 
fair's new home, the PNE has since transferred ownership from the 
province to the City of Vancouver and will remain at Hastings Park. The 
PNE is a registered charity.
Two attractions at the PNE were 
named as heritage sites by the City of Vancouver in August 2013. The 
Pacific Coliseum and the Wooden Roller Coaster were added to the list.
In
 2020, the fair went on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, alongside 
other agricultural and county fairs across Canada, including the Calgary
 Stampede, the Canadian National Exhibition, and K-Days.
In the 
early hours of February 20, 2022, a major fire broke out on PNE grounds,
 where multiple vehicles, tools and equipment, and buildings were 
destroyed as a result.
The PNE grounds contains several buildings
 and exhibition halls. The PNE Forum is a 4,200 square metres (45,000 sq
 ft) exhibition facility that is used for large displays and trade 
shows. Rollerland is a 1,840 square metres (19,800 sq ft) exhibition, 
banquet hall and venue for the Terminal City Roller Derby.
Two 
buildings on the PNE grounds are indoor arenas. The Pacific Coliseum is 
multi-purpose arena that holds 15,713 permanent seats, with provisions 
for 2,000 temporary seats for concerts and certain sports. The PNE 
Agrodome is a smaller indoor arena with 3,000 permanent seats, with 
provisions to expand up to 5,000 seats. Entertainment facilities 
includes the Garden Auditorium, a building that features a built-in 
stage and dance hall. The PNE grounds also feature amphitheatre with 
bench-style seating for 4,500 visitors.
Other buildings on the 
PNE grounds includes the Livestock Barns, a large multi-use facility, 
and the organization's administrative offices.
Saturday, December 14, 2024
At the Pacific National Exhibition in Vancouver. Summer of 2018.
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