9 free things you didn’t know you could get, do and see at the CNE in 2026, Life in canada

Free concerts at the Bandshell

Details: Each day of the CNE, you can enjoy performances by some of your favourite Canadian artists at the Bell Soundstage at the CNE Bandshell.

All performances are free with admission to the CNE, meaning you can see artists like Matthew Good, Finger Eleven, Silverstein and more for no cost.

The Bell Soundstage at the Bandshell is located on the West side of the Exhibition grounds, in Bandshell Park. The Bandshell is open to all ages, with seating and accessibility services available.

While all the performances are free, you can upgrade your concert-viewing experience by purchasing a VIP add-on that gets you access to a reserved VIP viewing area, VIP lounge, VIP bar and a complimentary drink.

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Free activities at Collective Arts bars

Details: Hamilton brewer Collective Arts, the official beer and cocktail partner of the 2026 CNE, is offering tons of free workshops and activities set up across the fair for visitors to enjoy.

Visitors can enjoy Collective Arts beverages alongside live art and music across eight Collective Arts bars throughout the venue.

Head to the Collective Tap Yard for free spray-painting workshops led by artists Bruno Smoky and Shalak on August 24 and September 2.

At the CNE Bandshell, visitors can enjoy a free temporary-tattoo pop-up on August 29, September 1, and 3. Or, head to the Circus bar for alternative caricatures by local artists taking place over seven days of the fair.

And finally, the Beach bar will have a free photo booth and live music on Fridays and Saturdays of the fair.

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Free samples

Details: Each year, brands give away tons of free samples at the CNE, with everything from food, home supplies, beauty products and more available.

This year, parkgoers can visit the Shan Foods booth to get free Shan seasoning mix samples, or check out the TheraBreath booth at the fair to get free samples of their classic mouthwash.

Visitors can also head to the Virgin Radio booth for free lip balms and to the new NXNE booth at the fair for free branded tote bags.

And if you want to try free samples of tons of delicious foods, head to the Enercare Centre, where you can try free food samples from a variety of vendors.

Free entertainment at the Spotlight Stage

Details: Replacing the International Stage, the Spotlight Stage in the International Pavilion is the new home for global performers, the next generation of talent, and more.

Visitors can see dance acts from around the world, as well as live music, circus acts, and more, all for free, with daily showtimes throughout the fair.

Grab a coffee from a cafe in the pavilion and prepare to be wowed by the variety of acts.

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Free video gameplay at the gaming garage

Details: Located in Hall B of the Enercare Centre, the CNE Gaming Garage is where visitors can experience gaming competitions, activations, challenges and more, all included with the price of admission to the fair.

This year, the CNE Gaming Garage will offer a “new frontier” of space-themed games that visitors can play for free.

Visitors can put themselves to the test in an Astronaut Fitness Challenge, or watch their drawings come to life on a 17-foot-tall screen as their avatar voyages through aiLIENS: Lunar Station 6IX.

Plus, park-goers can experience playable demos from student and indie gaming developers at the Innovation Garage.

A full lineup schedule for the Gaming Garage can be found online.

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Free special shows

Details: Each year, the CNE offers an array of spectacular live shows where you can see wild acrobatics, extreme stunts and even adorable animals, all for free — and this year is no exception.

This year, visitors can enjoy the always popular SuperDogs show, which takes place daily during the fair.

The heartwarming and high-energy show brings together incredible SuperDog athletes who will (alongside their trainers) perform daring feats and tricks that are sure to wow.

The show runs multiple times a day until September 7th in Hall D of the Enercare Centre.

Visitors can also enjoy Urban Edge, a free ice skating show that takes place daily at the Coca-Cola Coliseum.

Headlined by three-time World Champion, two-time Olympic silver medalist and seven-time Canadian champion Elvis Stojko, the high-energy show is sure to deliver on thrills.

And new for this year, visitors can enjoy a free world-class high diving show at the Prince’s Gates. The Big Dip High Dive Show features a team of skilled daredevils who will execute incredible dives into a 40,000-gallon pool from platforms reaching heights of up to 80 feet, with nightly performances engulfed in flames.

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Arts & Crafts workshops

Details: Feel like getting crafty? The 2026 CNE is offering daily Crafting Workshops where you can flex your creativity and make something special to take home.

Workshops are offered daily at 3:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 7:30 p.m. in the Arts, Crafts & Hobbies Pavilion, with each session featuring a different craft.

The workshops are included with admission to the CNE, meaning they’re free to participate in — that said, spots are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis, so make sure to come early.

Then, on Friday, August 28, the Canadian Society of Decorative Arts will take over all three sessions in the Crafting Workshops space, allowing participants to make their own hand-sculpted cow out of clay.

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Shows and musical performances at the NXNE stage

Details: New for this year, NXNE is bringing an extraordinary lineup of established headliners and emerging artists to some of the CNE’s iconic stages, including a brand-new NXNE Stage set in the Collective Arts Tap Yard.

Visitors can see some of the top Canadian and international rising acts, with a wide-ranging music lineup over the 18 days of the fair, from alt-pop artists to indie bands, R&B singers, and more.

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Food workshops

Details: Want to make your own jam? How about decorating a cupcake?

At the CNE Kitchen Studio, you can do that and more. The studio has a lineup of super sweet events on offer this year, including free workshops where you can take home your very own creation.

The workshops this year include a hands-on jam-making session where guests will learn to create fresh, no-cook jams using Ontario’s seasonal fruits and take home their very own homemade jar, as well as a matcha workshop where you can discover the art of whisking and preparing authentic Japanese matcha, then enjoy your homemade cup.

There are also cupcake-decorating classes, chocolate truffle-making workshops, and even pasta-making classes.

Most workshops are available daily at the CNE Kitchen Studio in Hall A of the Enercare Centre by the Kitchen Stage.

A full schedule is also available online.

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