cne © by basic_sounds
Ever since I was a little girl I loved the Canadian National Ex (the CNE). Every summer our entire family would gather there every Warriors Day. It was common to have at least 25 family members all there for this day.
You see my grandfather was a Warrior. He was a Canadian POW during WW2 and for as many years as I have known, warriors and their families got in free that day. My grandmother submitted all our names for tickets every year, the kids, and the grand kids. We all went and watched the parade of Warriors.It was a family tradition.
I remember our Wariors Day always started with the parade, and then all of us would descend on the rides and Midway, meeting up either in the Food Building or at the fountain.
These days I still take Rachel to the Ex every summer, and our first visit is always on Warriors Day. We also like to go back and shop and see the airshow.
So how can you set a budget and still get the most out of the EX?
1. You can buy tickets early from Macs, or at Union Station, or the Lakeshore Go, did you know you can save at least 25% this way? You can can also order online to save in advance of August 17th.
If you order online there are some bonuses, like
- Express gate entry
- A Tiny Tom Donuts coupon for buy 2 dozen get 3 dozen fee
- A Pizza Nova coupon, valid for a slice of pizza with the purchase of another slice of equal of great value
3. There are some ways to save even if you forget to get your tickets before the 17th. Go opening day for $8, or go after 5pm Monday to Thursday for $5, Kids Toonies Mondays is also back, and on August 28th young people under 19 can get in for free till 3 pm. Your can find out more here.
There are lots of frugal ways to do the CNE, and yes there are even some great buys on food, just explore before you buy. There are also a lot of free things to do at the Ex. Favorites of ours over the years :
Kids World is wonderful and we love the Kidzone Interactive Area, an area that is free.
The Farm is another feature that has always been a family favorite. Visiting the animals and watching the sheep shearing was one of the things my daughter loved when she was younger.
The Horse and Air Shows have also been family favorites over the years.
The Ex has always been the family favorite way to end the summer!
Are you planning on on going this year? What do you look forward to at the Ex the most?
Source: http://commoncentsmom.com/2012/07/3-frugal-ways-to-do-the-cne/
