PNE announces summer concert series line-up

After COVID-19 restrictions hampered live, in-person events, there is some relief for the organizers of the annual Fair at the PNE as it announces its summer concert line-up.

“The PNE Fair is thrilled to be back in full operation with an extensive entertainment offering. There is truly something unique for people of all ages,” says President and CEO Shelley Frost.

Frost says they’re fully staffed for the summer.

“Recruitment and retention has been really challenging in the hospitality, tourism industry. We are actually finding this year, we are ahead of the game. We still have a lot of new people on board, so as all organizations, it’s a little bit of loss of institutional knowledge but a lot of great, fresh new ideas.”

The line-up this year has some of the biggest names in the music industry as well as some lesser-known artists.

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Organizers admit the last couple of years of the pandemic has been financially straining, but they’re optimistic that things are turning around.

“It was really scary for a couple of years to think that our finances were in jeopardy. We are now in a much stronger financial position. We are planning for the future. We are making investments in the future and we’re well poised to be able to take advantage of all the opportunities in front of us,” explained Frost, who admits in 2020 they lost about $8 million.

The almost nightly concert series gets underway on Aug. 19 at the PNE Amphitheatre.

Anyone going to a concert will need Fair Gate Pass as well as a paid concert ticket. There will be both reserved seats and standing-room-only floor tickets. Tickets start at $20 and go on sale on May 26.

Complete list of shows:

• Saturday, Aug. 19 – TLC
• Sunday, Aug. 20 – Boyz II Men
• Tuesday, Aug. 22 – Tenille Townes
• Wednesday, Aug. 23 – Boney M featuring Maizie Williams
• Thursday, Aug. 24 – Yung Gravy & bbno$
• Friday, Aug. 25 – Billy Talent
• Saturday, Aug. 26 – Aqua
• Sunday, Aug. 27 – Billy Idol
• Tuesday, Aug. 29 – Pink Martini featuring China Forbes
• Wednesday, Aug. 30 – Doug and the Slugs with the VSO
• Thursday, Aug. 31 – Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo
• Friday, Sept. 1 – Jason Derulo
• Saturday, Sept. 2 – Stars of Drag
• Sunday, Sept. 3 – Walk off the Earth
• Monday, Sept. 4 – Blue Rodeo: 30 Years In July

Other attractions include Just for Laughs, although the line-up of comedians has yet to be announced. There will also be a Money exhibition and Knights of Valour, both of which are free with admission.

Dueling Pianos and SuperDogs will be back. There will be a pyro music celebration, held nightly at the festival park. And new this year is the Taste Showcase, which will feature demonstrations from local chefs and a market selling specialty foods and kitchenware.

The fair runs from August 19 until September 4 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. It’ll be closed on August 21 and August 28. More information about tickets can be found at the PNE.

The PNE says at the height of their summer season, they employ about 4,000 direct employees and are responsible for nearly 9,500 direct and indirect jobs between suppliers and vendors.