Let's go (back in time) to the Ex! Archival photos provide a glimpse of how the annual fair has changed
Since 1879 the CNE has welcomed soldiers, celebrities, and, of course, animals
Marred by rainy days and a picket line, this year's Canadian National Exhibition may not be one for the record books.
"This is the first year in ten years that we have had a little bit of shrinkage or slippage," the Ex's CEO, Virginia Ludy, told CBC Radio's Metro Morning last week.
But despite a potential loss of some $1.5 million in revenue, the show will go on next year, building on a rich history that dates back to 1879.
Here's a look at how Canada's largest fair has changed over the years.
Alicia Cherayil, a project manager of the exhibition Snapshots of Change, has been documenting those changes.
"We have the opportunity at the CNE to educate and to showcase, in a new way, what the city needs," she told CBC Toronto.
Cherayil said her goal is to remind people of the event's educational roots, something it accomplishes by highlighting agricultural, industrial and economic advances.
According to the CNE's heritage website, the fair showcased the following industrial and agricultural advancements:
- Electric railway transportation in 1883
- Edison's phonograph in 1888
- The wireless telephone in the 1890s
- Radio in 1922
- Television in 1939
- Plastics and synthetics in the 1940s and 1950s
- Virtual Reality in 1992
"It showcases the CNE as a place to try new things right from the beginning, even before electricity could make it happen," Cherayil said.
Agricultural roots
Originally called the Toronto Industrial Exhibition, the emphasis of the fair was to reflect Toronto's agricultural society.
Cherayil said in the early years, the fair had many horse shows and showcased animals.
As the city has grown and diversified, Cherayil said, the CNE has had to adapt to educate fair-goers on urban farming and urban agriculture practices.
Bathtub race, barrel boxing
Other events haven't stuck around, including the Mayor's Bathtub Race.
"It was a great honour to win the nice little trophy of a bathtub every year," Cjerayil said.
Here are some of the other interesting attractions.
Special guests attending the fair
From political figures to musical sensations, there have been a variety of specials guests at the CNE over the past century.
The CNE's role in Canada's military history
The CNE also played a role in Canada's war history.
Canada entered the First World War on August 4, 1914. By late September, the CNE grounds were transformed into a vast military training and housing centre known as Exhibition Camp, according to CNE Heritage archives.
During the long years of war that followed, the fair continued.
However, during the Second World War, the grounds were closed so they could be used as a training and recruitment centre for Canadian troops.
With files from City of Toronto Archives, Canadian National Exhibition Archives Department