100 Years of the PNE & Playland Contest
byThe Pacific National Exhibition or PNE will be celebrating 100 years this summer. From livestock, pig races, demolition derbies, and the “As Seen on TV” marketplace, to cotton candy, fried onions, mini donuts and The Mousetrap, it’s a Vancouver tradition. While the PNE won’t be around for its limited engagement until summer is in full swing, Playland is now open on weekends.
1910 – Procession for the opening of the first Vancouver Exhibition, Granville & Dunsmuir
ITEM #: CVA 7-105, Photographer: Quiney, James L.
(Left) 1918 Exhibit ITEM #: CVA 99-646 (Right) 1925 Exhibit ITEM #: CVA 99-3556
Photographer: Stuart Thomson
(Left) 1918 – Women’s Building (Right) 1925 – Inside Women’s Building
ITEM #: CVA 99-645, ITEM #: CVA 99-3560
Photographer: Stuart Thomson
1929 – Entrance gate to the Vancouver Exhibition and Happyland on Renfrew
VPL Accession Number: 7925
Photographer / Studio: Frank, Leonard
1931 – Pure Foods Building
ITEM #: Bu N508, Photographer: Moore, W.J.
1940s – Line up at the Giant Dipper, Happyland
ITEM #: CVA 1184-1219, Photographer: Jack Lindsay
1950s – VPL Accession Number: 41011
Photographer / Studio: Province Newspaper
For updates and information about this year’s attractions at Playland or the 100th anniversary celebrations at the PNE you can follow them on Twitter or Facebook.
If you would like to check out Playland, I have a couple of passes to give away. Playland is currently open Saturday, Sundays, & Holidays (10:00am – 6:00pm) until it expands its summer hours in June.
Here’s how to enter to win one of two 4-packs of passes:
The passes are good for any full day at Playland during the 2010 season.
Update May 18th My first winner is Sharon. I’ll draw another next week in a few days, thanks for entering!
Update May 20th The final winner is Ashley – thanks for all the great comments!
Fine print: I’ll do the draw for one of the 4-packs on May 18th, and I’ll do the other one week later on the 25th 20th (sorry, I’ll be leaving town on Friday and want to mail the passes before I go). Comment entries will be duplicated during the draw process in order to count them as two entries. Approximate value is $29.95 per ticket ($120 per 4-pack). Please note: the Playland day-passes are NOT valid during the week of the PNE.
164 Comments — Comments Are Closed
Our family loves Playland! Happy 100th!
Wouldn’t pass on a free trip to Playland! Weeeee!
I love Playland! I cant wait to take my son there so he can enjoy it too!
Playland rocks! I remember when I would go with 5 of my cousins (ranging in age from 6-15, me included) and one of my aunts and would spend all day, on multiple occasions, at Playland during summer break. We’d hit all of the big rides first, then take a break in the arcade, then hit the rides again. We would always save the water log ride for the end so that it didn’t matter how soaked we got. Fun times, great memories!
A summer tradition, count me in
Never been, would love to go!
Good article and interesting facts. Count me in!
always a good time there and haven’t been in years!
Always my highlight of summer, thanks for all the history:)
love the rides!
Very neat to see all the old photos in this post. I would love to enter…..my son would love to visit Playland!!!
The coaster is the best!
Have been going there for the last 6-7 years every year. Always have awesome time. I am in 🙂
Sweet, I would happily accept free tickets to Playland!
would love to check out playland for free this summer.
I love all the old photos!
We took our 2 year olds last year and they loved it! We can’t wait to go again.
I want to go to Happyland!
Make sure to ride on a full stomach!
Haven’t been yet!
Haven’t been to Playland for 5 years. Hands-free on the wooden roller coaster would be just awesome.
I would love passes to Playland! Haven’t been there for a while!
Would love to win those tickets, we go several times a year, one of my favourite places in Vancouver
That’d be sweet! I love playland!
I love playland, and its not just the rides…it is the memories, we used to go every year at the end of the school year and then again for my birthday 🙂 I still try to go at least once a year to keep my inner child happy <3
I’d love to win this, the PNE is one of my favorite parts of summer.
Count me in, thanks!
Haven’t been to Playland or PNE in a few years. Keep meaning to and with this momentus anniversary, I guess I’ll make the extra effort.
Thanks for the opportunity of free passes. You rock!
Free trip to PlayLand, awesome
I can’t wait to take my 3 yo son
I’d love love love to go to playland with friends.
I took my kids (now 5 & 3) to Playland for the first time last year and they had such a blast!! I can’t wait to take them again this summer and start making a tradition out of it. We would love to win tickets!
count me in!
I’m planning on going to the PNE this year anyways, cause I missed last years, but I can’t pass up an opportunity to go to playland too!
Playland rules!!! The big wooden roller coaster vanquished my rollercoaster fears in grade 11 at physics day! 8)
I would love to win this prize!!!
The kids would love this!!!
My kids are still little and they love going every year!!
I didn’t go last two years and I’d love to go for the centennial celebration!
I’m sure my nephew would love it there!
Sounds so awesome! 100 years! WOW!
can’t wait till it’s open soon!
count me in for the draw, thanks!
I haven’t been to playland in a few years…. I’m not going to be in Vancouver next summer, would love to get a last crack at that wooden roller coaster!!
Haven’t been in a while. Would love to go this year!
Can’t wait to go back, would love to go.
Can’t wait to take my little girl this year! So much fun to be had!
We haven’t been in a few years, but I know the girls would love to go this year.
Haven’t laughed harder than during my first ride on the mousetrap. Can’t wait to go again!
I would love know PNE.Since we moved for Vancouver we had no chance to go there yet…
thanks for the contest and for all the good information you share with us in this cool space.
My husband and I rode the Playland Coaster on our wedding day, after the ceremony and before the reception. We rode in the front, in our formal wear, my veil swaying, with our guests taking up the rest of the cars behind us. Playland’s Laura Ballance rocks!
Gotta love Playland 🙂
I love the archival photos. Thanks for the contest.
The thing I love most about the P.N.E is the precious time I get to spend with my family. We have so much fun, even though we go every year!
Kids would love to go. Thanks! 😀
although i’ve grown up so much now i still go with my family each year. it’s tradition!
I love Playland! I can never decide if I prefer the food or the rides…
What a fun prize!
I have always loved Playland and the PNE, lots of good memories!
The PNE will be fantastic!
its been years since i’ve been there.
Thanks for the history and info. What a great opportunity!
I’d love a pair of passes!
awesome contest… i’d love to take my kids!
My family of 4 would love it!
Bring on the rollercoaster and the mini donuts!
Thank you for yet another sweet contest give-away on your blog! Will def tweet about it as well! 🙂
Would love a set of tickets for my family to go 🙂
The musical and dance fireworks show at PNE is awesome, love it
Too much fun!
My kids would love it.
Yeah Playland!!
Love going to Playland! Summer tradition =)
I would like to go to there.
Here’a a piece of PNE history that wasn’t on your list.
The Challenger map is the world’s largest relief map. BC lumberman George Challenger spent 7 years, individually cutting nearly a million pieces of wood which were then assembled into an approx. 6000 sq. feet scale map of British Columbia. The map was officially introduced to the public at the PNE, in 1954.
A large section of the giant Challenger map, mothballed for 10 years, became the centerpiece of the Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
It would be great to see it all in one piece again!
Great read about the history of PNE!
Minidonuts, Rollercoasters, and Superdogs! Wahooo!
Fun!
Its going to be like the best day ever!!
Love Playland and the PNE! Bought an unlimited pass one year in high school and I still have memories of that as my favourite summer ever! Go at least once a year, and will be there this year as well!
great article (love the history at this site) and fun amusement park!
Great to see the history behind PNE!
I’d love to win this!
mini-donuts and crazy spinning art
Playland is always the high point of summer!
The best ride @ Playland: the rickety old wooden Coaster. LOVE that ride!
I’ve never been to Playland, but would love to go!! I hear the roller coasters are awesome!
a great contest!
Great post Rebecca!
Love the nostalgia/history.
I’m so glad the new park wasn’t named “Happyland” in honor of the old one. That’s just asking for trouble!
I haven’t been to playland for ages, not since I graduated from high school:( It’ll be nice to go and check it out again.
Wooden roller coaster and ye olde Waveswinger– timeless classics.
I’m dreaming about going to play land, I have to win.
It’s a great place to have fun and enjoy summer !!
I’m looking forward to the 100th anniversary this summer!
Had a great time out there last year, would love to have some passes this year.
I <3 PNE and Playland! Happ Birthday 🙂
Sounds like it’ll be fun. 🙂
my favourite ride is definitely the wooden coaster (:
i’ve never been-would love to go!
Last year we got a seasons pass and had an absolute hoot. One of the best part of moving to the city!
I’d like to try all the rides! I really like exciting rides!
Love the trivia and photos! Hope to win the 4pack. Can’t believe the first home was worth $5000. Wonder where the lot was located. Does anyone know?
Thanks for putting the history and pics together! I had no idea there was so much story behind it. Will appreciate it much more.
A good contest!
Playland is so much fun.
Love the pics..nice post. I remember my first date at playland.
great contest! count me in!
My Grand Daughter, Kaylee, will freek out at Playland. She’s 5!
I love all the black and white pictures you’ve put up.
I haven’t been to playland since I was a kid. Now its my 3 kids turn this summer.
I’d love to win as it’s been so long since we’ve gone! Thank you!
playland passes? yes please! 🙂 thanks for the contest!
omg yesssss. i haven’t gone in two years since going back to ontario 🙁
congrats to 100 years and hopefully another 100 more years lol
The PNE is a yearly must do for our family!! Thx.
My little girls love Playland! Can’t wait!
Would love these passes for the fam!
i would love to visit playland or pne havent been there a while. need to try all the food again – whale tails.
Sounds like a fun Saturday!
Love Playland and what a great history. 100 years and counting. The best part is the rollercoaster, mini donuts and well the mini donuts.
love the old pics!
Many good memories of PNE. Fun for the whole family!
What great photos! Love some passes for the family!
It’s been a while since I’ve been to Playland, but I plan on returning soon.
My son and I have been going every year with my friend and her son since the boys were little and we all still have a blast!
Excellent! Didn’t know about its WWII history.
(And the pond area is a beautiful retreat late afternoon when the pressures of the day start to get to you & you need 15 minutes to recharge & refresh ready for the evening)
great photos
INTERESTING!
Looking forward to PNE and Playland.
What fun — would love to go!
great contest!
I would love to take my daughter (4 years old) and her friend to Playland this year. Thanks for sharing the photos too! Love it!
Oh, that would be awesome. Especially since the draw in on my birthday. 😉
Awesome info on the history of the PNE! Playland is great!
Mini donuts, bbq chicken, lemonade, sham-wows…aahh… good times at the PNE!
I love the PNE!
I use to live around there, brings back memories. I use to be able to see the fireworks from my room on the third floor of my house. My childhood memories.
Happy 100th and many more!
Haven’t been going in the last few years. But would love to go this year.
Wonder if there is still survivors from the first pne?
the pne is one of the best parts of living in vancouver <3
Puppy love happens at the PNE.
love playland!
I love Playland!
I love Playland. When I get there I go on as many rides as I possibly can as quickly as I can. I have been doing it for years. My favourte recent memory was going with my teenage step daughter and going on about 10+ rides. We both walked off the last one and did not feel very well. We went to the race track to chill out and sadly the thing that finally calmed my tummy was a cider 🙂
Would love to go to Playland! Thanks for all the great info!
The kids are counting the days……
kids are ready……….
I can’t wait for mini donuts!
Coaster, mini-donuts… Win a House! Win a Car!
You know the fall is coming when the PNE is happening!
happy birthday PNE/playland! would love to go 🙂
Oh would love to win this.
LOVE “Happyland!” 🙂
Thanks again for the opportunity! Excellent site!
I love Playland!!! I haven’t been there for 2 years. I would definitely want to go this year!
Playland’s almost as old as Purdy’s (whom I work for). What great history Vancity has 🙂
What a great contest!! I would love to take my niece and nephew if I won, they have never been before.
This contest is now closed. Thank you for the entries and I hope to have another contest of this nature running sometime this summer.
wow does playland suck even in the 40’s they had more roller coasters
Playland is basicly a broken down dump of a park which is a shame because Vancouver would go a lot more if they added real rides nt dumpy little rides that they get for basicly for free and the removal of the WILDMOUSE was a crime and who ever is ruining this park should be fired as to remove that piece of history saying they couldnt get parts (bull sh%t) as parks all over the world have this still of ride which many are way older
what is the parks attendance? I know it is very low based on the population scale of the city size.PLEASE LEASE THE PARK THE CEDAR POINT OR 6 FLAGS NOW BEFORE YOU DESTORY A BIG PIECE OF VANCOUVERS HISTORY!!!!!!!!!! AS GOVERNMENT WORKERS ARE CLUELESS ON HOW TO RUN A PROPER BUSINESS.
playland is so lame change is needed NEW COASTERS NOW!!!!!!!!
Would LOVE to take the family to the PNE!! 🙂
My Grandma (Lily Curnew) wond second prize at the PNE in either 1940 or 1941. I think it was either $500.00 or $1500.00. I was only four at the time. I still remember seeing the poor Japanese people taken from their homes and imprisoned at the PNE. You would see the poor people loooking through the fence. It left a lasting impression on me as a child. I also remember the little dipper and giant dipper and the shoot the chutes. Too bad they had to tear these down for gamblers. Have not been for several years because of all the walking.
My Grandma (Lily Curnew) won second prize at the PNE in either 1940 or 1941. I think it was either $500.00 or $1500.00. I was only four at the time. I still remember seeing the poor Japanese people taken from their homes and imprisoned at the PNE. You would see the poor people loooking through the fence. It left a lasting impression on me as a child. I also remember the little dipper and giant dipper and the shoot the chutes. Too bad they had to demolish these for gambling. Have not been for several years because of all the walking.
I have gone there alot and just recently my dad made me go on the wooden roller coaster and I LOVED IT!!! brings back so many memories from when i was rally young,thx for the history