Every Labour Day long weekend, I find myself back at the PNE Fair—a tradition I’ve held onto for years. This year, I went last week and, as always, left with a full stomach and a lot of memories. My absolute favourite bite was the UBE Corndog—half hot dog, half mozzarella cheese, coated in vibrant purple ube batter, rolled in crispy panko, and topped with Kewpie mayo. Sweet, savoury, crunchy, and gooey—it’s exactly the kind of invention that makes the PNE so much fun.

Not everything hit my tastebuds the same way—the Cowboy Candy Ice Cream (mango soft serve topped with candied jalapeños and Tajín) was bold but a little too fiery for me. Still, I love that the PNE always surprises with food mashups I’d never imagine myself.

Food Vendors & Their Creations

  • Cheeky Italian – BC Blueberry Mascarpone Crumble Pizza
    A sweet-savory pizza topped with BC blueberries, ginger compote, and cinnamon orange mascarpone cream.
  • Summerland Soft Serve – Cowboy Candy Ice Cream
    Mango soft serve rimmed with chili-lime Tajín, topped with candied jalapeños for that sweet-heat twist.
  • Rotato Potato – JapaCurryBeef
    A Japanese-inspired spin on Canadian poutine, adding savoury Asian flavours to the classic fries, curds, and gravy combo.
  • International Perogies – Apple Crumble Perogies
    Potato and cheddar mini perogies dusted with cinnamon sugar, filled with warm apple pie filling, and topped with vanilla glaze, apple crumble, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal.
  • Corndog King – UBE Corndog
    A mashup delight: half dog, half cheese, wrapped in ube batter, panko crusted, and finished with Kewpie mayo.
  • Big Cocos – Canadian Corndog
    A maple bacon–battered corndog fried to crispy perfection, then drizzled with maple syrup and topped with even more bacon.
  • Little Donut Bakery – Tarte au Sucre
    The iconic mini donuts get a new twist this year with a tarte au sucre flavour, alongside other fun toppings like cinnamon sugar, French toast, and corn fritter.
  • Pennsylvania Funnel Cakes – Dubai Funnel Cake
    Classic Pennsylvania Dutch funnel cake meets Middle Eastern flair, topped with pistachio cream, pistachio crumble, strawberries, whip cream, and decadent Dubai chocolate.
  • Tatus Festival Indigenous Chefs
    Chef Sarah Mierau (Ancestors Café & Tradish Food Truck) and Restaurateur Inez Cook (Salmon n’ Bannock Bistro) will be featured on the Safeway Cooking Stage, showcasing Indigenous flavours like sweetgrass-strawberry lemonade with sopalali foam.

Beyond the Food

As much as I love the food, the PNE is about more than eating. I always make time to wander through the barns, where the animals are a reminder of the fair’s agricultural roots—curious goats, calm cows, and the soft shuffle of sawdust underfoot.

Later in the day, I stopped to watch the sand sculptors. There’s something mesmerizing about seeing ordinary piles of sand transformed into towering, intricate works of art. It felt like the perfect way to wind down after hours of snacking and exploring.

But what I’m most looking forward to is the Tatus Festival, happening August 29–30 at Festival Park. It will feature 127 Indigenous artists, with music from Crystal Shawanda, George Leach, Sakanwee Baker, JB the First Lady, Patrick Calihou, Hayley Wallis, Bitterly Divine, V’Ni Dansi, and more. Beyond the music, there’s also Indigenous food trucks and a large art and craft marketplace—a true celebration of Indigenous music, art, and food.

See you at the fair! 🎡✨