CNE adding more attractions, eight bars, live art and music
· Toronto Sun
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The Canadian National Exhibition is about to become even more EX-ceptional (see what we did there?), thanks to art meeting craft beverages along with a new immersive space exhibit and a high-diving show that will send the fair to new heights this year.
Collective Arts, known for its signature blend of craft beverages and work with emerging artists, will serve as the official beer and cocktail partner of this year’s EX.
Their lager and ready-to-drink cocktails will be available across eight bars throughout the grounds.
Piece de resistance
Visitors can also expect to see a 40-foot shipping container transformed into a live art installation where artists Bruno Smoky and Shalak will lead live spray-painting workshops that will serve as an evolving piece of art throughout the exhibition’s 18 days.
“The CNE is one of Canada’s most beloved end-of-summer traditions, and we’re excited to bring our own creative take to this year’s Exhibition as the official beer and cocktail partner,” Matt Johnston, CEO and co-founder of Collective Arts, said in a press release.
“We’re celebrating the things that inspire us — refreshing craft beverages, live art and music, and giving CNE visitors a chance to engage with the creativity behind our brand.”
Three limited-edition CNE-inspired designs for its flagship Collective Lager, created by Toronto artist Tim Singleton, will also be available.
“For me, the CNE has always been a vibrant, colourful, and indulgent toast to everything I love about summer in Toronto. I wanted these designs to capture the exciting, dynamic and magical energy that going to the CNE has always filled me with,” Singleton said.
“By combining a technicolour palette with iconic CNE locations and signifiers, I created three distinct pieces that evoke this truly legendary Canadian institution.”
Other new attractions
New on tap for the exhibition is the CNE Space EXperience, where visitors can learn more about Canada’s vital role in the Artemis II mission, the future of space exploration, and step into the life of an astronaut.
Presented in collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency and funded by the Ontario government, Canada’s largest immersive space exhibit also features extraordinary images from one of the most significant chapters in modern space exploration. Space-themed games have also been added to the CNE Gaming Garage.
The Big Dip High Dive Show is set to make a huge splash, as a team of elite performers go even higher, climbing platform heights of up to 80 feet, and plummet into a 40,000 gallon pool.
The attraction gets even more daring at night when the divers are engulfed in flames before their heart-pounding plunges.
Also new is the NXNE Stage, where the CNE and North by Northeast (NXNE) have partnered to bring the next wave of music stars to Canada’s largest fair, while the kids will get their own fun with an immersive Enchanted Forest and can dance along to the K-POP Tribute Cirque Show.
Some returning favourites include the Ice Skating & Acrobatics Show with seven-time Canadian champion Elvis Stojko, the beloved SuperDogs, and, of course, the 77th edition of the Canadian International Air Show featuring the CNE debut of The Pink Jet and the Jack Aces Aerobatic Formations Team.
It’s the iconic Canadian Armed Forces Snowbirds’ final performance before the sky show’s years-long hiatus .
The 2026 CNE kicks off on Aug. 21 through to Sept. 7.