Vancouver Weekend: We're Thinking....The Fair At The PNE

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      Need something to do this weekend?  Here are five lesser known but nonetheless cool attractions to check out at this year's Fair at the PNE.

      Alien Worlds and Androids

      Think fast: what’s the difference between an android and a robot? Sure, you could always look it up on Wikipedia, but you’ll have way more fun learning the answer at Alien Worlds and Androids, an interactive exhibition in the Garden Auditorium. Feed your curiosity about the cutting-edge science being done by organizations such as NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, find out the latest about the ever-ongoing search for life in the farthest reaches of outer space, and discover the ways that science fiction intersects with science fact. You’ll also come face to face with life-size models of C-3PO and Iron Man—not to mention the creature from Alien, which is even more terrifying than a ride on Playland’s famous Wooden Roller Coaster.

      Let your kids pick up some fishing skills at the Sanctuary Pond.
      The Fair at the PNE

      Fishing at Sanctuary Pond

      While we can’t guarantee anything coming out of the Sanctuary Pond at the PNE is edible, we can guarantee that taking your kids to this learn-how-to-fish program will introduce them to a skill not many city kids get to develop. Thanks to the capable staff of the Freshwater Fisheries Society of B.C., participants will learn about every aspect of freshwater fishing, including conservation, fish identification, equipment, casting and rigging, and of course where, when, and how to catch freshwater fish. These interactive lessons are held daily at the Sanctuary Pond dock  between noon and 4 p.m., and are free with admission. Afterward, try your luck in the pond, but don’t forget that anyone over the age of 16 will require a freshwater fishing licence.

      Enjoy a mini Vancouver Craft Beer Week fest at the PNE.
      Tammy Kwan

      Craft Beer Fest

      Miss out on this year’s Vancouver Craft Beer Week festival, or simply dying to relive the bliss that is 20-plus microbreweries pouring beer samplers in one open space? Well, you’re in luck: the good people at the PNE have once again teamed up with VCBW to conduct the Craft Beer Fest on the fairgrounds. And if an event with alcohol in its name seems anything but obscure, consider that this is only the second year the fest-within-a-fest is happening, so it’s still somewhat on the DL. (Though not for long, we suspect.) Ten dollars gets you entry into the craft-beer bonanza—located at the Italian Gardens, behind the Marketplace at the Forum—plus a four-ounce collector’s sampling cup and access to suds from 25 B.C. craft breweries. On the menu? Fuggles & Warlock’s supremely crushable Last Strawberry Wit, Moody Ales’ thirst-quenching Affable IPA, Dead Frog Brewery’s matcha-honey kettle-sour (think Sour Patch Kids balanced with an earthy green-tea flavour), and more. Beer tickets are two bucks a pop and can be purchased onsite.

      Indulge in loads of protein at the Fair's annual Rib Fest.
      The Fair at the PNE

      Sixth Annual Vancouver Rib Festival

      A day’s worth of playing goofy arcade games, following your kids around the petting zoo, and trying not to vomit on the wooden coaster deserves a hearty meal, so load up on protein at the rib festival. Let the smell of slow-roasted, southern-style goodness lead you to Celebration Plaza, where four of Canada’s best barbecue-pit masters will be grilling only the tastiest ribs, brisket, and pulled pork. Returning teams include Gator BBQ, Prairie Smoke & Spice BBQ, and Misty Mountain BBQ, while Boss Hogs will be the new kid at the grill. The rib festival is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and access is free with admission. If you’re curious to see which team comes out on top this year, the official rib fest competition takes place on Wednesday (August 31) at Festival Park at 3:30 p.m.

      In the not-exactly-as-depicted department, the duck races often get overshadowed by the SuperDogs at the Fair. (Not exactly as depicted having everything to with the fact the PNE ducks are white, and don't race in lakes.)
      iStock/Getty Images

      Duck races

      There’s no disputing the most popular animal attraction at the PNE: demand is the number-one reason the SuperDogs perform daily at the perennially packed Pacific Coliseum. For our money though, man’s best friends have nothing on the fine-feathered thoroughbreds on view in the nearby livestock barns. As part of the long-running Richard’s Racers show, a paddling of ducks lines up at the starting gate as a recording of a trumpet playing “First Call” blares over the loudspeaker. And then they’re off, waddling triple time, heads bobbing and wings flapping as they thunder along a hay-strewn straight-away, and then onto a ramp that leads down a slide and into in a kids’ wading pool. The only downside is that the whole race takes about 15 seconds—which is nowhere near the time it takes to convince the ducks to get out of their postrace bath.

      Running every Thursday, Vancouver Weekend spotlights five Straight-approved places around the city worth discovering.

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