Print

E-mail

Text

1879 - Opening of the Toronto Industrial Exhibition - admission price was just 25 cents.

1882 - The Toronto Industrial Exhibition became the first fair ground in the world to be lit by electricity.

1912 - The year the Toronto Industrial Exhibition was officially named the Canadian National Exhibition.

1921 - The inaugural Warriors' Day Parade was held to honour Canadian veterans. This year marks the 87th anniversary, making it the longest running veterans' parade in North America.

1927 - The year the Princes' Gates were opened in honour of Price Edward and Prince George (Albert), who visited the CNE that summer. The gates were originally built to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Confederation and were to be named the Diamond Jubilee of Confederation Gates.

1949 - Following Toronto's single worst marine disaster, the burning of the SS Noronic, the Horticultural Building was turned into an emergency morgue and temporarily housed as many as 104 casualties. Rumour has it that ghosts still haunt the grounds.

1950 - Canada's first underground subway car was displayed at the CNE, four years before the opening of the subway in Toronto. Fast forward to 2008, the TTC will showcase its subway train of the future, built by Bombardier, at the CNE.

1956 - The inaugural Pee Wee Baseball Tournament was held, attracting community teams from across Ontario. Now in its 52nd year, the competition has grown to become one of the most prestigious tournaments in the province.

1971 - Year of the first CNE Ambassador of the Fairs Competition. More than three decades later, it has grown to attract nearly 80 candidates from across rural Ontario.

2008 - The Canadian National Exhibition celebrates its 130th anniversary. Also, the Princess Margaret Fountain celebrates its 50th anniversary.

~ Information courtesy of the Canadian National Exhibition