The PNE kicks off today (Saturday August 17) and runs until September 2.
In 1992, I worked at the Vancouver Sun and that year I spent most of my August shifts at the PNE.
One day I’d write about the rodeo clown who had broken every bone in his body at least once. The next day I’d write about the Demolition Derby.
For more stories like this one, check out Vancouver Exposed: Searching for the City’s Hidden History
Demolition Derby:
Glenn Richards, 31 told me that racing is perfectly safe; he’s only been taken away by ambulance once. “The throttle stuck. It rang my bell pretty quick.”
Sadly, the daily exploding car attraction was cancelled that year after officials received too many noise complaints.
That year I got to tour the PNE prize home without having to line up.
Up until 1991, the PNE had beauty Queens—43 in fact. And while they were replaced by the Youth Ambassador Contest in 1992, the last Miss PNE, Kim Van Der Perre was here riding a PNE float.
That’s right, the first parade was in 1910 along Georgia, Granville and Hastings Streets—and the last wouldn’t be until 1995.
Back then it cost $9.50 to get in the gate and it was free for kids 12 and under. You paid $4 for cotton candy and a root beer, bought 18 mini doughnuts for $2 or spent a $1 a minute at the Laser Zone tent.
Rides:
Fortunately for me, I was seven months pregnant and not even the most world-weary editor would force me to go on the wooden roller-coaster, the fair’s most popular ride since 1958.
The hot new attraction at the PNE this year is the Thundervolt coaster from Italy which “blasts off with 1.3 Gs of acceleration through an illuminated tunnel, up a steep incline before an 18-meter drop.” Yikes, it makes the Pirate Ship look like a merry-go-round.
“The lady with her prizes is one of my favourite photos,” says Bruce. “I was so fortunate that she was back-lit which make her feather stand out. The velvet painting of the semi was so bizarrely amazing, I was inspired to do an oil painting of this image.”
“The Wall of Death is a good lesson in the understanding of how gravity works,” says Bruce, adding that the ride master was trying to get the audience to donate money, because as he told them, the act was so dangerous they couldn’t get insurance.
“The Midway Quarterback’s job was to entice participants to toss a football into a hoop held by members of Kiss riding motorcycles,” says Bruce. “I couldn’t make this stuff up.”
Related:
- The 1972 Dollarton Pleasure Faire
- The 1981 PNE Prize Home
- The PNE Prize Home: Party like it’s 1957
- 10 Things You Won’t See at the PNE This Year
- The Livestock Building at the PNE
- Kitsilano in the ’70s
- The Nanaimo to Vancouver Bathtub Race
- Walks with Fred Herzog
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