This year the CNE came back in full force and it was an understatement to say that everyone was excited to be back, eating fried foods, going on rides, playing carnival games and seeing all the vendors and performances!
We entered through the side entrance near Ontario Place and the first building that we wanted to explore was the arts and hobbies building! There are so many amazing local, independent and unique vendors here, ranging from foods, art pieces, and so much more! We decided to start our day with some snacks, we visited Cannoli Crunch and got 3 cannolis, there were really cool flavours like mango! We got a chocolate delight, pistachio and carnival nuts, my personal fav was the pistachio. It was light, not too sweet, and so fresh!
Next we walked past many candle and scent based vendors, these booths smelled so great but there were many crystal shops that caught my eye, one in particular was really beautifully presented, it was called sister witches and their crystals were gorgeous, they were really knowledgeable on the items they were selling! Next, we passed by a pretzel booth that looked too delicious to pass up, we got one and it was so soft and fresh!
We exited the arts and hobbies building and walked around the outside areas and checked out some of the games and other vendors. We were still a little hungry and decided it was time to check out the food building! There was an overwhelming amount of awesome food and drinks to indulge in! We started with drinks and found these drinks that looked so bright and beautiful and they were packaged in bags/pouches that made it really easy to carry around! We got a Butterfly Explosion that had butterfly pea tea with lemon, sprite and mint, we also got a Giggly LGBTP this drink had lychee, gatorade, butterfly pea, tonic, pineapple and JELLO! It was so yummy and refreshing, lastly we got a Thai Lemon Ice Tea. This is a twist on Thai Iced Tea because it includes lemon! They were perfect for the hot day and for the gram!
To eat we went over to Supa Fries and got their new Hot Hakka Fries, which had Korean Hot chicken, onions, bean sprouts, cilantro and a creamy spicy sauce on top. While this wasn’t bad, I do feel like it lacked flavour, especially compared to their Bangkok Fries which was their new creation a few years ago, I would definitely recommend going with the Bangkok Fries instead, it’s a spin on a pad thai with fries instead of noodles and has much more flavour!
We were stuffed and wanted to walk off some of the food we just ate, so we took a walk down the middle of the grounds and played some carnival games. These are obviously not the best way to spend your money but it’s also really fun to be competitive, especially playing with your friends and family! Next, we stumbled upon one of my favourite treats to get each and every time I go to the CNE, and this is the iconic pineapple dole! It was so light, just sweet enough, refreshing, perfectly balanced and just overall my absolute favourite thing I had all day!
We walked over to the Coca Cola Coliseum, there were a lot of international booths and the gaming and computer areas as well as the shopping areas, there was a lot of discounted makeup, haircare and skincare as well as clothing and Reebok shoes! There was a lights and drone show in the Coliseum that happened at 1pm, 3pm and 6pm, it was called Nevaeh and the NorthStar and it was so beautiful! It doesn’t top some of the other shows I’ve seen at the CNE, like the figure skating that was showcased a few years back but it was definitely a great experience and the lights were really impressive!
We went back towards the carnival area to grab some more treats! We got some freshly squeezed lemonade and it was so refreshing, by far the best drink I had all day! It was perfectly sweet and was so good with all the fried fair foods! I also got a Colossal Onion, it was so tasty and a must have at the CNE!
We walked around some more, looked at a few more vendors for about an hour or two then wanted some more treats, we went back to the food building and got a really great items from FUWA FUWA, they specialize in pancakes but for the CNE they had an exclusive treat that was a cross between a croissant and a waffle! I got the one with whipped cream and fresh fruits! It was so warm and soft, it was also not too sweet, it was really light and an amazing quick snack!
We wanted some more fried foods so we got the godzilla fries from the Japanese Street Food vendor and these were full of flavour! These were tossed in seasoning, and topped with Korean chicken, black sesame seeds, green onions and spicy mayo! They were so tasty, I really enjoyed these fries! The last thing we picked up at the food building was apple fries, I am a huge fan of apple pie and was really looking forward to this dessert but it was a little underwhelming, the apples were fairly sour and they weren’t as fresh as I would’ve liked them to be! I would say skip this dessert and definitely go for something else!
Next, we started walking back towards the exit and grabbed a few last minute treats! First we went to the mini pancake booth and this was stellar! I was a little apprehensive at first because they were making these really quickly and I wasn’t sure if it was going to be cooked thoroughly but they were perfect! I got mine topped with Nutella, icing power and strawberries! My friend also got the signature maple syrup topped pancakes and they were awesome as well!
Overall it was an amazing day filled with food, so much food, great performances and cool vendors! My pro tip would be to get there as early as possible, there isn’t as many lines and you can move through the grounds a lot quicker!
Sincerely, Celine
SincerelyCeline 