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Vintage Toronto Ads: CNE ’70
Optimism was in the air as the 1970 edition of the Canadian National Exhibition approached. The dawning of a new decade excited the fair’s promoters and ad designers, encouraging both to add a modern touch to the Ex’s 92nd edition.
One of the most controversial exhibits was “Man and his Drugs” at the Queen Elizabeth Building. Described by programmers as “an honest, fearless portrayal of the effects of drugs on today’s society,” the maze-like multimedia presentation confused visitors who were more interested in finding the exit than learning about the effects of illicit substances. As one 16-year-old visitor noted to The Toronto Star, “It’s so confusing. We were in for 15 minutes and got lost. You need at least a day to really take it all in and understand it.” Security guards noticed that many visitors, rather than make their way through the maze, snuck out via the emergency exits.
Less confusing were tours of a replica of the Nonsuch, a 17th-century fur trading vessel whose early voyages led to the foundation of the Hudson’s Bay Company. The ship, built for HBC’s 300th anniversary, had spent the past two years touring Europe and eastern Canada. Toronto would prove to be its final stop before being permanently moored at the Manitoba Museum.
1970 was the final Ex for Patty Conklin, who had supervised the midway since 1937. CBC profiled Conklin’s preparations for an episode of Telescope that aired shortly after his death in November.
Performers who graced the stage of the CNE Grandstand (later Exhibition Stadium) that year included Johnny Cash, the Fifth Dimension, teen idol Bobby Sherman, Ray Charles, Red Skelton, Chuck Berry, Brenda Lee, and the Temptations.
Source: Toronto Life, August 1970. Additional quotes from the August 22, 1970 edition of The Toronto Star.