The Canadian National Exhibition is back and so are the rides, games, deep-fried everything you can think of — and the question of how much bang you can get for your buck.
In 2022, the Star sent three reporters to the CNE with $90 and 90 minutes to see how much fun they could squeeze out of the fair. Four years later, we’re taking on the same challenge to see what inflation has changed — and whether $90 can still buy the full CNE experience.
Here’s how it went.
Kristjan Lautens, the Aquaman
The goal:
It was immediately clear to me as I walked through the gates at 11 a.m. on a weekday to a sparsely populated Princes’ Boulevard that this might be my only chance to experience the action without having to wait in lines all day. My CNE trips in a typical summer are fuelled by the Food Building — or taking as many Tiny Tom Donuts as I can carry — but I scrapped my plan early and decided to squish as much action into the short time frame.
Starting from the food hall, I spotted a sign for 99-cent tacos and scarfed four of them down over a garbage can for sustenance. I felt like a savvy consumer with more than $85 still in my pocket until I took my first bite into a piece of rubbery chicken with a small bone still inside.
It meant I had more time and money for game alley though, as I rushed out with a single-minded purpose to win an inconveniently large plushie. I had studied some of the carnival game tricks on YouTube but was still fooled by a ball toss that seemed to have no strategy, and was the most disappointing activity for the day.
After a medium bucket’s worth of failed tosses, I decided to live out my James Bond fantasies by aiming for targets with a sleek Nerf pistol. I was discouraged when a plank didn’t move in any way after the Nerf bullet hit square in the middle of its blue rectangular frame, but I eventually figured out I must fire for the top of the targets and was able to strike a couple down to earn a Paddington Bear stuffie that will pair nicely with a Paddington trilogy on DVD.
As the sweat started to reach my hands and affect my throwing ability, the Log Flume caught my attention. As a long-standing ride hater, the flume has been my go-to at amusement parks since I was a child. I slapped $25 down for the pass to the ride, lined up among a sea of small children, and had the time of my life going down two drops that soaked my slacks.
As time was running out, I competed against my fellow reporters in Whack-A-Mole (an embarrassing loss) and Flip Cup (a dominant win) before rushing to a drink stand to cash in my last $5 on a ginger ale, which is all I could afford.
How I spent the money:
Four chicken tacos from Taqueria Burrito Bar, $4.65
Small bucket ball toss, $10
Seven shots in Nerf gun target shooting, $20
Log flume, $25
Whack-a-mole, $10
Flip cup for three chances, $15
Ginger ale, $5
How I rate my Ex-perience:
I conquered some games, tried my favourite ride and had exactly 90 minutes’ worth of action for my money. I did have to sacrifice any sort of artistry in my food for this feat, but I was surprised by how far the $90 got me, though our reporters four years ago still seemed to get more bang for their buck, especially for food items like an $11 pulled pork grilled cheese for which I could not find an equivalent.
Sadeen Mohsen, the carnival newbie
The goal:
It was my first time ever at the CNE, so my goals were simple: try a bit of everything and win a stuffed animal. The day was going to be a full-whimsy day, no exceptions.
I charged into the Food Building with a full wad of cash in my pocket and a growling stomach. My eye caught a curious-looking Tikka Masala Mac and Cheese in a savoury dough cone. It was calling my name and I needed to fill my stomach.
Soon after, I wandered down a series of stalls and games with music blasting when I came across the new Brie Cheese Deep Fried Oreos. I’m a “sweet treat after every meal” type of person and this snack was on my CNE bucket list. I devoured the fried pieces of goodness with strawberries oozing on top of them within minutes.
The clock was ticking and I was still in pursuit of my stuffed companion. The Duck Pond game was simple: take your chances, pick up six toy ducks as they swam by and pray they had enough points to get you a prize. Dipping my hand into the cool water to fish for my lucky ducks was a refreshing feeling (and worth the $20) as the sun beat down my back.
My competitors to my left were two young girls, both as determined as I was, to win a grand prize. They ended up winning a bright pink octopus and had no strategy whatsoever. I was the real winner and lucked out with my blond-haired cow. Victory had never felt so soft.
With my new friend in tow, I ran over to the main festival grounds to see if I could catch some rides. By the time I spotted the Log Flume, I realized tickets would have taken the roughly $33 I had left. The lines were already dragging around the corner, and with only 40 minutes left, I realized I didn’t have enough time — or money — for a ride. I hadn’t even played any games yet. So I decided to lean into my competitive side and challenge my fellow Star reporters to a tense game of Whack-A-Mole.
I won an adorable blue sloth, my second prize in roughly 90 minutes. It was glorious. The sun was shining. I treated myself to an ice-cold lemonade (my last $10) and lay under the shade of some trees.
How I spent my money:
Tikka Masala Mac and Cheese in a savoury cone, $15
Brie Cheese Deep Fried Oreos, four pieces for $22
Duck Pond, six ducks for $20
Whack-A-Mole, $10
Beer Pong, three balls for $10
Lemonade, $10
How I rate my Ex-perience:
As a first-time CNE carnival-goer, I had an absolute blast, But with every purchase I made, my cash shrunk faster than I could count. It felt hard to enjoy myself in the moment when the starting price of so many drinks, rides and games was in the double digits, like the Duck Pond game and Brie Stuffed Deep Fried Oreos. I found myself doing math more than I did looking for the next game to conquer. The fun felt incomplete, especially for my first time. While our reporters from four years ago soaked up every bit of the CNE experience through a variety of games and rides, I feel like I have unfinished business with the carnival.
Bianca Thompson, Ms. Indecisive
My goal:
I’m easily the most indecisive person on the planet (and a foodie), so once I walked through the Princes’ Gates, I immediately wanted a taste of everything: Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Korean corn dogs, energy drink-infused dirty sodas, Amalfi lemon basil ice cream, dill pickle-flavoured coffee (gross, but I was curious), deep-fried Reese’s Pieces, lobster on a stick and ramen fried frog legs.
Worried I’d blow my $90 in the first 15 minutes, I mapped out a plan: food first, fun later.
I found my way to the Food Building but couldn’t find anything on my list, so I settled for the first thing that stuck out: deep-fried gnocchi ($11.25). You can blame it on being half-Italian, but I went with the classic tomato sauce and cheese. After a few bites, I was filled with instant regret. Underwhelming is an understatement. Within minutes, the sauce had turned the crispy gnocchi to mush.
With $78.75 left, I was optimistic about my options and desperately needed a comeback.
I wandered until I came across sweet Thai chili fried chicken in a waffle cone ($15.81). The star of the show, it was savoury, with the right amount of sweetness packed with subtle hints of spice (my favourite).
Eager to keep taste-testing but scared I might overload my palate — or blow my budget — I decided it was time for a sweet treat and games. My mission was to find something weird, and what could be weirder than dill pickle cheesecake? (Yes, you read that right). My impulsive nature got the best of me, and I somehow spent $18. It was surprisingly good — not $18 good.
With one mission complete, I was off to win my Jigglypuff. Convinced classic CNE games like hoop shots and bottle smash are rigged (or that I have horrible hand-eye coordination), I tried Fish Pond, Frog Hop, Whack-A-Mole and Flip Cup instead.
How I spent my money:
Deep-fried gnocchi (Italian-style), $11.25 with tax
Sweet Thai chili fried chicken in a waffle cone, $15.81 with tax
Dill pickle cheesecake, $18 with tax
Large cherry lemonade, $11 with tax
Whack-A-Mole, $10 flat rate
Fish Pond, $10 for five tries/fish (the only game I won)
Frog Hop, $10 for three tries/frogs
Flip Cup, $20 for five cups (shoutout to Kristjan for splurging on me)
How I rate my Ex-perience:
The CNE has definitely gotten more expensive than it was four years ago when the Star first created this challenge in 2022. By the time I reached flip cup, I had around $3 left. Thankfully, my more frugal coworkers chipped in the $20 in exchange for five cups that we split between us. It’s the type of place that will leave your bank account crying if you don’t plan a budget. And sadly, $90 was not enough for the full fair experience. I came for weird food and a giant Jigglypuff. I left with a squishy dumpling and $3 to my name. Close enough.
