Every summer since 1879, Toronto has been hosting the ‘Canadian National Exhibition AKA the CNE’. It is starting again this Friday and I’m excited to drop by and see the cool exhibits, eat some food and people watch. It will be awesome!

Due to my love of this big fair, I have done several posts over the years on this topic and I’m excited to bring one more to all of you….Vintage Advertising, Posters & Programmes from the 1880s to the 1960s (please scroll to the end to see my other posts).

Let’s begin!

Images: CNE Heritage

1933 CNE Pamphlet –CNE Heritage

1880’s-1960’s Advertising for the CNE

Vintage Advertising, Posters & Programmes

Brief History:

The first Canadian National Exhibition took place in 1879, largely to promote agriculture and technology in Canada. Agriculturists, engineers and scientists exhibited their discoveries and inventions at the CNE to showcase the work and talent of the nation (Wikipedia). Apparently, prior to 1879, the fair had traveled throughout the province, but eventually settled where the crowds were after local stakeholders campaigned to make it a permanent city attraction (blogto.com).

1884 Prize List Front Cover featuring the Exhibition on the Toronto waterfront.

It was also called, “The Great Industrial Fair & Semi- Centennial Exposition” in those early days of the fair

From CNE Heritage:

Pictured here is the 1885 Prize List Front Cover featuring the Crystal Palace & the Lighting Tower. This colour lithograph showed the illumination of the Exhibition provided by the lighting tower. Outdoor lighting was a feature of the early exhibitions.

As announced in the 1883 Prize List: “The grounds and buildings will be illuminated each evening with Electric Lights of all kinds invented up to the present time; and the Consumers’ Gas Company, of Toronto, announce that they will make an exhibit of gas lights announce that they will make an exhibit of gas lights that will eclipse the electric lights.”

Public admission to the grounds in 1885 was 25 cents. People had to walk through turnstiles to get in and, warned the prize list sternly in bold type. Each person must be provided the proper change before entering.

1886 programme.

In 1920, the Canadian National Exhibition had a parking area for 10,000 cars as seen in this vintage postcard image.

1923 CNE Poster.

About: Featuring the Dufferin Gates & International Year. The art for this poster was created by Stanley F. Turner (1883-1953).

1927 CNE Pamphlet Cover for the Diamond Jubilee of Confederation.

1937 CNE Brochure Cover-“Coronation Year”.

The year 1937 was a challenging one for the Canadian National Exhibition Association, due to the outbreak of Polio (Source).

An excerpt from the 1937 Annual Report:

“Provincial and municipal health authorities took prompt measures to control and abate the epidemic. Indeed, the advisability of closing the Exhibition’s gates to children was seriously discussed. Railway and steamship excursions to Toronto were cancelled and tourists were warned and sometimes unduly alarmed at ports of entry. As a precautionary measure the Exhibition management cancelled the baby show which had attracted one thousand entries and notified the health departments of its eagerness to co-operate to the fullest possible extent in overcoming the menace to public health.”

“International Typewriting Content” – 1937 Typewriting Competition Pamphlet (Inside Content)

“See the newest 1940 model Street Cars at the CNE”. 1940’s vintage TTC ad (Toronto Transit Commission).

Source: BlogTO

CNE Ad in Chatelaine Magazine, 1940.

1941 Program.

The towering figure of a man rolling up his sleeves in this poster is a detail from a large oil painting by Toronto artist, Grant Macdonald (1909-1987).

The CNE commissioned Mr. Macdonald to create this painting for use in the poster and programme cover that year. The CNE’s theme in 1941 was “Canada’s Anwer” (its answer to fascism in Europe). Grant Macdonald used a soldier by the name of J.C. Cockburn of Toronto as his model. The Toronto Star sold prints at the 1941 CNE to benefit the Red Cross British Bomb Victims Fund. The painting was also offered for sale the same year also to raise money for the Bomb Victims Fund (Source-CNE Heritage)

This article from the Globe and Mail provides details about the closure of the CNE during the Second World War from 1942 to 1946. Although the war ended in 1945, it took quite a while for the military to move out, which is why the CNE was not staged in 1946. Prime Minister Mackenzie King re-opened the fair at the Bandshell in 1947 (Source: CNE Heritage).

1948 CNE Programme Cover featuring a band playing at the CNE Bandshell.

1950 General Motors Product Line. Canadian National Exhibition 2 page magazine ad.

Source: Etsy – OriginalAutoAds

Fireworks over the Princes Gates. 1950 Official CNE Souvenir Catalogue & Programme.

Source: Bertie the Brain

1954 Programme. “Canada on the March”.

Source: Pinterest

1958 program – “Canadian National Exhibition in its 80th year”.

Source: Pinterest

1958 School Competition Prize List featuring an illustration of an adorable boy and girl.

1965 CNE Programme Cover, signed! “Sights & Sounds of the Sixties” featuring an illustration of Victor Borge & Bob Hope (and Bob’s signature).

The CNE gets GROOVY! 1966 program cover.

I hope you enjoyed this fun post, even if you have never been to the CNE!

Please share in the comments section any thoughts you wish to share about this post, I love hearing from my readers.

FURTHER READING: A collection of past CNE posts I have done and a link to my Toronto archive posts….

• Canadian National Exhibition is Here! The Vintage Edition (vintage images & ads)
• Step Back in Time with The Canadian National Exhibition (vintage images & ads)
• ‘Let’s Dance’: The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) Dance Tent
• Exhibits & Displays Seen At The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) From The 1920s-1960s

Thanks for dropping by!

Liz

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