New Programming, Beloved Favourites and Marquee Musical Acts Will Celebrate the PNE Fair’s Return!
Vancouver, B.C. — The Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) is thrilled to announce its 2022 Fair programming. The annual Fair, which will be held from August 20 to September 5, is British Columbia’s longest running and largest ticketed event.
“We are so happy to be able to present an entertainment program which truly signals the return of the annual Fair as we knew it prior to the COVID-19 pandemic,” says President and CEO Shelley Frost. “This will be a year of incredible celebration.”
One key change from previous years will be the carry over of daily attendance capacity limits, with date-specific tickets for Fair entrance, Playland ride passes and daily concerts which go on sale Friday, May 27. Guests will still be able to purchase at the gate if tickets are still available, but the PNE is encouraging advance ticket purchases to avoid disappointment.
“As we transition past the pandemic, one of the elements of the 2021 Fair that was very popular was daily attendance caps for each aspect of the Fair, including Playland rides,” says Frost. “We heard very clearly that our guests enjoyed the personal space that daily ticketing limits allowed and for 2022 we will continue this program.”
The 2022 Fair will continue with its tradition of showcasing a diverse entertainment lineup featuring appearances by internationally acclaimed musicians and performers as well as custom designed programming created specifically for the PNE Fair.
Summer Night Concerts
PNE Fair guests will enjoy sensational performances this year featuring some of music history’s biggest names in Pop, Rock, and R&B.
“We are pleased to present a concert series that reflects the wide variety of musical tastes of the PNE fairgoers,” says PNE Creative Director Patrick Roberge. “This year’s line up really has something for everyone, and we know the artists are excited to perform at this year’s Fair.”
The Summer Night Concerts will run every evening the Fair is open, starting on Saturday August 20th on the GMC Stage in the PNE Amphitheatre. New for 2022 is fully reserved seating throughout the venue at all performances, and tickets will be going on sale starting May 27th at www.ticketleader.ca. NOTE: New this year is 100% reserved seating throughout the PNE Amphitheatre.
Highlights of the 2022 Summer Night Concerts include: The B-52s Farewell Tour. With 20 million albums worldwide, The B-52s 1979 self titled album The B-52’s is included as one of Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.
Another highlight will be the legendary Canadian countrified rock band Blue Rodeo, who sold out their PNE Fair performance in 2019!
The PNE is also pleased to welcome the Barenaked Ladies with Special Guest Kim Mitchell. Over the course of their remarkable career, Barenaked Ladies have sold over 15 million albums, written multiple top 20 hits, garnered 2 Grammy nominations, won eight JUNO Awards, had Ben & Jerry’s name an ice cream after them (“If I Had 1,000,000 Flavours”).
What will undoubtably be one of the most anticipated 2022 Fair performances will be Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Chicago! Hailed as one of the “most important bands in music since the dawn of the rock and roll era, the legendary rock and roll band with horns, Chicago, came in as the highest charting American band in Billboard Magazine’s Top 125 Artists Of All Time. And Chicago is the first American rock band to chart Top 40 albums in six consecutive decades.
The PNE is thrilled to welcome the Steve Miller Band to the 2022 Fair lineup.
Guitarist, multi-platinum-selling singer-songwriter, bandleader, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and Songwriters Hall of Fame electee Steve Miller is beyond excited to finally get back on the road.
For 90’s fans, the PNE is proud to present TLC and Shaggy on a special double bill evening event. TLC’s influence transcends genres from pop, hip-hop, R&B to fashion and female empowerment. To date, TLC has sold 85 million Records Worldwide, had 4 Number One singles in the US, 10 Top Ten singles in the US, won 4 Grammy Awards, 5 MTV Awards, 5 Soul Train Awards, and 4 Multi-Platinum selling albums.
As the only diamond-selling dancehall artist in music history, Shaggy has sold more than 40 million album units to date, in addition to landing eight singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and seven albums on the Billboard 200 (including four in the top 40). He has received 2 Grammy Awards and is among the top 3 streamed reggae artists of all time on Spotify.
Country fans will be excited to learn that the Brothers Osborne will be a featured act at the 2022 Fair on Friday September 2nd and Canadian legends Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings will perform on the Saturday night of the Labour Day Weekend! In the past 50 years Bachman Cummings (Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings) have written some of the greatest songs of the past five decades. Together theirs is undoubtedly the Great Canadian Songbook.
And, on Sunday, September 4 the PNE is thrilled to welcome The Beach Boys – Sixty Years of the Sounds of Summer.
As The Beach Boys mark more than a half century of making music, the group continues to ride the crest of a wave unequalled in America’s musical history. The Beach Boys – who have become synonymous with the California lifestyle and an American icon, are bringing their “Sixty Years of the Sounds of Summer” tour to fans around the world.
The Beach Boys are led by Mike Love, who, along with long-time member Bruce Johnston, musical director Scott Totten, Brian Eichenberger, Christian Love, Tim Bonhomme, John Cowsill, Keith Hubacher and Randy Leago continue the legacy of the iconic band. This concert will not feature Brian Wilson, Al Jardine or David Marks.
The PNE is also proud to present for the first time as part of the Summer Night Concert series, the Stars of Drag. Featuring the superstars of drag, including Eureka, Ginger Minj, Plastique Tiara, Trinity The Tuck and Vancouver’s own Kendall Gender, this Night of True Colours is billed as an all-ages eleganza extravaganza.
Complete listing of the 2022 Summer Night Concert Series:
- Saturday, August 20 – The B-52s Farewell Tour
- Sunday, August 21 – Blue Rodeo
- Tuesday, August 23 – Barenaked Ladies with Special Guest Kim Mitchell
- Wednesday, August 24 – CAKE
- Thursday, August 25 – Vancouver Symphony Orchestra – Classical Mystery Tour: A Tribute to the Beatles
- Friday, August 26 – Stars of Drag – “A Night of True Colours”
- Saturday, August 27 – Gipsy Kings Feat. Nicolas Reyes
- Sunday, August 28 – Chicago
- Tuesday, August 30 – Steve Miller Band
- Wednesday, August 31 – TLC & Shaggy
- Thursday, September 1 – Brothers Osborne
- Friday, September 2 – Nelly
- Saturday, September 3 – BACHMAN CUMMINGS
- Sunday, September 4 – The Beach Boys – Sixty Years of the Sounds of Summer
- Monday, September 5 – Chaka Khan & Patti LaBelle
New 2022 Entertainment and Attractions
The Stars of the Peking Acrobats
For the last thirty-two years, THE STARS OF THE PEKING ACROBATS® have redefined audience perceptions of Chinese acrobatics. They perform daring manoeuvres atop a precarious pagoda of chairs and display their technical prowess at such arts as trick-cycling, precision tumbling, juggling, somersaulting, and gymnastics. They push the limits of human ability, defying gravity with amazing displays of contortion, flexibility, and control, creating an exuberant entertainment event with the festive pageantry of a Chinese Carnival.
Daily: 4:00pm & 7:30pm
Free with admission
The Flying Fools High Dive Show
Fun for all ages! These incredible world class divers will make you laugh and make you gasp as they dive from incredible heights. Don’t close your eyes and hold your breath as you watch acrobats plunge from 80 feet in the air.
Daily: 2:00pm, 3:30pm & 7:00pm
Free with admission
Returning Fair Favourites
The SuperDogs™️ presents Pawvengers
The SuperDogs™️ unleash their super in a whole new way as they celebrate the world’s greatest superheroes AND foil a supervillain of their own! It’s a mystery wrapped in an adventure wrapped in the high-flying fun of a SuperDogs show!
Daily in the Pacific Coliseum: 12:30pm, 2:30pm, 6:00pm
Free with admission
Blue’s Dance Party
Come sing and dance with Blue the Bear and his friends in this interactive multimedia dance party!
Daily at the BCAA TOON CITY stage: 1:30pm & 4:00pm
Free with admission
Action Austin – A Safari Adventure
Join Action Austin, together with the help of his friends, on a deep safari in search of the missing pink star diamond! This musical stage show is perfect for the whole family – if you’re ready for an adventure, come sing along, join the fun and help Action Austin find the missing gem.
Daily at the BCAA TOON CITY stage: 12:30pm, 2:30pm & 5:00pm
Free with admission
Family Flix
When the sun goes down, join us for your favourite family movies on the big screen nightly at Toon City. Bring a blanket and enjoy an outdoor movie night for the entire family.
Nightly at the BCAA TOON CITY stage: 7:30pm
Free with admission
Electric Fire – A Nightly Pyro Musical
Join us for a nightly pyro musical where the skies will erupt with flying rockets, exploding fire, live performers, and high-voltage intensity. It’s a live immersive show experience.
Two Shows Nightly at Festival Park: 9:15pm and 10:15pm
Free with admission
Cultural Showcase
On the Stage at Festival Park, join us for a cultural mosaic of dynamic dancers, exhilarating musical performers and other special guests! This celebration of British Columbia’s diverse cultural landscape will delight fairgoers of all ages and backgrounds.
Daily at Festival Park: 1:00pm, 3:00pm, 4:00pm & 5:30pm
Free with admission
Dueling Pianos
Returning to the Fair is Dueling Pianos. New for 2022 are two new talented piano players going head-to-head. Come request your favourite tune, raise a glass and sing along – it’s a roaring good time every night at Dueling Pianos.
Nightly at Festival Park: 7:00pm, 8:15pm, 9:30pm & 10:30pm
Free with admission
Revel District
Welcome to the Revel District – Indulge your wild! Come enjoy the entertainment zone at the PNE Fair. Get ready to revel in fun, food and entertainment.
For the Love of Drag
A tribute show of legendary icons. This 30-minute energetic show features a cast of superstar drag queens who not only recreate but duplicate the likenesses of stars ranging from Cher, Tina Turner, Lady Gaga, Madonna and more. Come join us and celebrate drag artistry and world-class DRAG celebrity impersonations.
Daily at the Coca-Cola Stage: 4:30pm / 6:00pm
Free with admission
Coca-Cola Stage
Grab a bite or your favourite beverage and sit back for Live music, as the entertainment never stops in the Revel District! Stay late and party the night away with nightly live music.
Free with admission
On-The-Street
Watch for music, comedy and street celebrations throughout the Fairgrounds daily including:
• The Checkerboard Guy
• PNE Pep Band
• Los Dorados Mariachi, Canada’s premier mariachi ensemble
• Chinese Lion Dance
Free with admission
For more information on dates and pricing, visit www.pne.ca.