The Canadian National Exhibition is officially open, with guests streaming into the country's largest fair on Friday morning near Toronto's waterfront.
The iconic annual event, known for carnival rides and unique foods, runs until Sept. 7 and is expected to welcome thousands of visitors, Global News reported.
This year, Grace Mangos was the first person to enter the CNE, having waited since 6:30 p.m. on Thursday to get into the annual summer festival.
"This year on my bucket list was to come and be the first one in line — and I am," Mangos told Global News.
Now in its 147th year, the fair is pushing the envelope with more unique foods and fairground rides than in years past. Among the offerings for 2026 are a Kraft Dinner smoothie, nitrogen-infused Oreo treats and pickle-flavoured coffee.
A food destination in a food city
"Toronto is one of the greatest food cities in the world and so we take our responsibility really seriously to be a big part of that," Mark Holland, CEO of the fair, said Wednesday at a preview of the event, according to Global News.
"There's so much creativity that goes into this. The folks that we work with, I love seeing what they come up with and a lot of it is actually super delicious."
Beyond the midway and the food stands, the fair will also feature musical performances, demonstrations and shopping.
For GTA residents, the exhibition grounds sit near the city's waterfront, making it a short trip for a late-summer tradition that has been running for nearly a century and a half.
