Beyond the Rhetoric

After getting my ducks in a row a few days prior, I decided to take a day off earlier this week to take in the festivities at the PNE. The Pacific National Exhibition is currently celebrating its 100th anniversary here in Vancouver and, while I don’t think it’s quite as epic as it may have been during my childhood, it’s still very much worthwhile to see.

The PNE, for those of you who don’t know, is an annual fair where you can find an assortment of live entertainment, midway games, thrill rides, and other attractions. There’s also a small casino on site if you want to try your luck with the money wheel or a game of blackjack. Just like the Summer Night Market, the PNE is just one of those things that you have to do if you happen to be in Vancouver when it’s happening.

Each day of the Pacific National Exhibition, there is a free concert with a big name. Among the artists are Cyndi Lauper, Spirit of the West, and Joan Jett. On the night that I happened to be there, the headlining act was Michael Bolton. While it wasn’t nearly as big a production as a real concert, you do have to realize that the concert is free with fair admission. Sure beats paying the usual $100 for a concert these days.

I took several photos while there, just as I did when I visited the Calgary Stampede during the Nokia N97 mini tour last month. You can find more pictures in my Flickr photostream, should you feel so inclined.

Check out the video below for some quick highlights, including the Superdogs, Michael Bolton, and the Peking Acrobats. Not depicted are those delectable mini donuts. No visit to PNE is complete without a tummy full of mini donuts.

         

Tags: concert, pne, vancouver

Filed under Arts and Entertainment.