Canadian National Exhibition (CNE)
The Ex — Toronto's end-of-summer ritual since 1879.
When
2026: August 21 – September 7, 2026
2027: TBD
2025: August 15 – September 1, 2025
Where
Exhibition Place
Area
Exhibition Place
Cost
Paid · $26.55 adult + rides/food extra
Format
Indoor & Outdoor
Attendance
1.5M+ visitors
Running Since
1879 (147 years)
Family Friendly
Yes
VT Insider Tip
Go on a weekday before 2pm for the shortest ride lines and smallest crowds. The Food Building is best tackled systematically — go early, split portions, and bring napkins. The air show (Labour Day weekend) is free to watch from the waterfront.
The Ex is open now through Labour Day: Friday, August 21 to Monday, September 7, 2026 at Exhibition Place. Eighteen days. Grounds admission covers the buildings, SuperDogs, the farm, and the Bell SOUNDSTAGE concerts. Rides, games, and food are extra.
Buy on theex.com/tickets. Prices below are the CNE’s listed amounts before HST. Online adds a $2.99 processing fee.
Tickets
| Pass | Listed price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Adult (14–64) | $26.55 | Grounds + shows + exhibits, one day |
| 65+ or child (5–13) | $22.12 | Same access |
| Family | $84.07 | 2 adults + 2 kids, or 1 adult + 3 kids (kids 5–13) |
| Kids 4 and under | Free | With a paying adult |
| Ride All Day | $75.22 | Admission + unlimited midway, one day |
| Ride All Day (13 and under or 65+) | $70.80 | Same, cheaper band |
PRESTO, starting August 21: up to 12% off regular admission and up to 31% off Ride All Day. Details on Metrolinx and GO’s CNE page.
A BMO Field or RBC Amphitheatre ticket gets you onto the grounds for free that day.
Deals still live
- Opening Day (Fri Aug 21 only): $15 admission, gates or online.
- $13 Nights: Aug 24–27 and Aug 31–Sep 3. Online link turns on at 4:45 p.m. Valid that night only. Price includes HST.
- Kid’s Toonie Monday: Aug 24 and Aug 31. Ages 13 and under, $2 at the gate only, with a paying adult.
- EXcelunch: $30, Monday–Wednesday (not Labour Day), 11 a.m.–1 p.m. at Saskatchewan, TTC/GO, or Princes’ Gates. Refund at the same gate if you leave by 2 p.m.
Ride All Day is the value play if you will be on rides for more than about two hours. Single-ride coupons are only at North American Midway booths on site.
VIP add-ons for the bandshell are sold out for the announced headliners. General admission standing room at the stage is still free with your gate ticket.
Hours
From the official hours page.
| Regular (Aug 21–Sep 6) | Labour Day (Sep 7) | |
|---|---|---|
| Gates | 10 a.m.–10 p.m. | 10 a.m.–5 p.m. (online sales stop at 2 p.m.) |
| Grounds | 10 a.m.–midnight | 10 a.m.–9 p.m. |
| Buildings | 10 a.m.–10 p.m. | 10 a.m.–7 p.m. |
| Adult Midway | Weekdays 11 a.m.–midnight; weekends 10 a.m.–midnight | 10 a.m.–9 p.m. |
| Kiddie Midway | Weekdays 11 a.m.–10 p.m.; weekends 10 a.m.–11 p.m. | 10 a.m.–9 p.m. |
| Kids’ World | 10 a.m.–8 p.m. | 10 a.m.–8 p.m. |
| Casino | Noon–6 a.m. | Doors 8 p.m.; runs until 10 p.m. |
Labour Day is the trap. No entry or re-entry after 5 p.m. No re-entry stamps after 3 p.m. Do not show up at 6.
Hand stamp for same-day re-entry the rest of the run.
Weekday vs weekend
Go weekday morning if you want the Food Building and the midway without the crush. Crowds build after work and explode at night.
Weekends are the Ex people complain about and still attend. The last weekend (Sep 5–7) is the Air Show. That is the loud, packed version on purpose.
After-work weekdays still work: gates stay open, the adult midway starts at 11 a.m., and $13 Nights exist for a reason.
Food Building
This is the eat-your-way-through building, not a restaurant row. Lines are the point. Use the Food Building map and decide on the day. Novelty items move. The official featured-food list lags.
Food Truck Frenzy sits inside Princes’ Gates. Midway staples (dogs, funnel cake, anything on a stick) are scattered under the Sky Ride. You cannot walk alcohol off a patio.
Hit the Food Building at open or late, not 6 p.m. on Saturday.
Bandshell
Bell SOUNDSTAGE is free with admission. West side, Bandshell Park. GA at the front of the stage is first come, first served. The last two headliners were still TBA on the official page.
Announced nights:
- Fri Aug 21 — Lupe Fiasco
- Sat Aug 22 — Lights
- Sun Aug 23 — Shaggy
- Mon Aug 24 — Virginia to Vegas
- Tue Aug 25 — Glass Tiger
- Wed Aug 26 — Bif Naked and Bran Van 3000
- Thu Aug 27 — The Trews
- Fri Aug 28 — Billboard Canada surprise headliner
- Sat Aug 29 — JoJo
- Sun Aug 30 — Matthew Good and His Band
- Mon Aug 31 — Dallas Smith (plus a Rolling Stone Canada co-headliner)
- Tue Sep 1 — Charlotte Day Wilson
- Wed Sep 2 — Finger Eleven
- Thu Sep 3 — Silverstein
- Fri Sep 4 — Raf-Saperra
- Sat Sep 5 — Tom Cochrane
- Sun Sep 6 — Dr. Jay’s Soca Night (Alison Hinds, Edwin Yearwood, Rupee, DJ Puffy)
- Mon Sep 7 — no concert (gates close at 5 p.m.)
Confirm the night on the official page before you go. Front Row VIP is a separate ticket and does not include gate entry.
Air Show
Canadian International Air Show, Sep 5–7, noon–3:40 p.m. along Lakeshore. CF-18, USAF F-16, Jack Aces, and the Snowbirds are on the 2026 bill. More on cias.org.
You can watch from the grounds. You can also watch from the waterfront without a CNE ticket. The grounds will be the crowded version.
Getting there
Do not drive unless you like paying for Exhibition Place parking and sitting on the Gardiner.
- GO: Exhibition Station is on the grounds. Extra Lakeshore service for the fair. Kids 12 and under ride GO free. gotransit.com/CNE
- TTC: 509 Harbourfront and 511 Bathurst to Exhibition Loop, at the gates. Construction moves. Check before you leave.
- Bike: racks at Saskatchewan Gate (Dufferin) and Princes’ Gates (Strachan).
Lockers take a toonie at Princes’ Gates, Kids’ World, and the south end of the Adult Midway.
Official
Prices and hours move. If the CNE site disagrees with this page, trust the CNE site.