Free admission at The Fair at the PNE on Sunday

The Fair at the PNE is hosting another free admission day in an aim to recoup some of its lost attendance following last week’s wet and windy weather.

Admission into the fairgrounds will be free on Sunday, the second last day of this year’s fair, for those who enter the gates from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

PNE staff estimate approximately 100,000 visits were lost due to last weekend’s windstorm, which caused widespread power outages and traffic disruptions, and the cold and rainy weather that has dominated most of the week that followed.

The attendance for this year’s Fair started strong, with officials claiming the Fair experienced its best five operating days in a decade. They were experiencing attendance 10 per cent above targets before the weather took a sharp turn for the worst.

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“We were tracking to have the best attendance in recent memory, but the wet weather that set in on Friday brought the coldest days in the city since spring,” PNE President and CEO Mike McDaniel said in a release.

“Of course we expect some rain during the Fair, but did not anticipate the impact that would be felt across our region after the rain hit Friday, the winds hit Saturday and the turbulent weather continued until the following Thursday.”

This is the fourth free admission day the Fair has offered to the public. Following tradition, the PNE had its annual free admission day on Tuesday, August 25. This was followed by another two free days last weekend when Environment Canada forecasted inclement weather.

“This is about calling on British Columbia to come out during this incredibly challenging time in our history and support our non-profit BC institution. Beyond that its about supporting youth employment and countless small businesses that rely on the PNE Fair,” McDaniel added.

This year’s Fair will come to a close on Monday, Labour Day. The current forecast anticipates wet weather on Sunday morning, transitioning into a mix of sun and cloud in the afternoon. At the moment, it appears that Monday will be a very wet closing day for this year’s Fair.

For details on this year’s attractions and special programming, click here.