Early indicators show CNE attendance up 10% over last year
Posted September 8, 2015 12:07 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Early estimates show attendance at Toronto’s Canadian National Exhibition in 2015 was the highest in the last decade, but far below record-high attendances set in the 1970s.
According to organizers, early returns show a total of 1.43 million visitors attended this year’s exhibition, which is a 10 per cent increase over last year.
“The EX is an end-of-summer Toronto tradition that keeps getting better with each year. We offered incredible shows, stand-out attractions, and very popular Bandshell concerts which were packed to capacity every night,” said CNE General Manager Virginia Ludy in a press release.
The last time attendance passed the 1.4 million visitor milestone was 2004.
According to CNE statistics, the highest number of visitors attending the CNE was in 1978, when a full 3.6 million visitors went through the turnstiles. That year was also CNE’s centennial year.
Key attractions at this year’s CNE were bandshell entertainers Chubby Checker, Alan Doyle, Rick Springfield, Cody Simpson and Dallas Smith.
The S&M burger, made with spaghetti and meatballs, was one of the most interesting new foods introduced at the exhibition, along with deep-fried red velvet Oreos and chicken waffles on a stick.
