We just announced the Entertainment line up for the Pacific National Exhibition’s 100th Fair. The list is long, comprehensive and daunting (we have a lot to do!). This year will mark the return of the ‘downtown’ Parade. This will be a uniquely produced event along the shore of English Bay on the evening before the Fair. There will also be the return of a large outdoor concert at Empire Stadium with Bryan Adams and the Beach Boys on Opening Day. In addition to that concert our Summer Night Concert Series features a wide range of acts that are free with admission to the Fair- Huey Lewis, Joan Jett, Wayne Newton, Michael Bolton, Los Lobos, John Hiatt, Steven Page, Marianas Trench, Cyndi Lauper, Little River Band, Spirit of the West, Loverboy, Trooper, Teri Clark, The Roadhammers and Kevin Costner w/ Modern West.

Of course there are many other Fair shows throughout the site- The Peking Acrobats, Superdogs, Loggersports, Motorsport, The Red Robinson Talent Show, KC’s Kids Concerts (w/ Shrek, Doodlebops and more),  Street Entertainment, Festival Square Community Stage the RCMP Musical Ride, the Beer Garden Tribute Stage where you will find Nearly Neil and our specially produced on-site Parade and award winning Nightly Pyro Musical Spectacular- Kaboom!

However, even with all that line up there is one special highlight for me. This will almost rank up with having JP Patches at the Fair back in 2007. On August 26th at 1pm we will have Rolf Harris on the Concert Stage. He is the ultimate Renaissance man (humourist, accordion player, artist and inventor). He has a unique tie to the city of Vancouver. He lived here briefly in the 60’s and returned many times for shows, telethons and even the PNE in 1979. He is now eighty but still going as strong as ever!

Yesterday, we had a site survey at the new Empire Field on the Pacific National Exhibition grounds in Vancouver. The temporary Stadium is constructed on the former site of Empire Stadium which is steeped with history. It was the site of the British Empire Games (Commonwealth Games) which included the Miracle Mile. Elvis and the Beatles both played short concerts there and it hosted the BC Lions and Vancouver Whitecaps in their peak years. It also has the distinction of hosting a Stadium ski jump event. Makes you think that it would have been an interesting venue for the Olympics. If not for ski jump perhaps for Medal Ceremonies.

This will be the temporary home for the BC Lions in in the 2010 and part of the 2011 seasons. Our first reaction on entering the stadium was how intimate and clean the venue looks. It will be a great place to watch a football game. It actually has the feel of a European soccer stadium. Can’t wait to see the Whitecaps in 2011 in the MLS. The venue construction was handled by Nussli, a Swiss company that we worked with at Whistler on the Paralympic Closing venue. We’ve seen other examples of their work around the world and they are all quite impressive.

I imagine there will be some initial challenges as people figure out the best route to the Stadium and where the washrooms and concessions are but once people settle into a routine it should make for an exciting venue for a couple of seasons.