While walks along the seawall, fireworks festivals, outdoor concerts and local hikes are all classic Vancouver summer traditions, filling up on quirky fair food is another for many locals.
With the fair opening, it's time a smorgasbord of fair delicacies – whether you find them grotesque or inspired – will be available at the PNE.
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Any food pairing is not only imagined, it's created at the annual fair, which features cultural events, exhibits, live entertainment, games and rides between Aug. 17 and Sept. 2.
New this year, the PNE is bringing in more vegan and plant-based dishes and there's still plenty of deep-fried favourites for all dietary preferences.
For something on the sweeter – or maybe it's savoury – side, pickle cotton candy is making its PNE debut at Next Gen Sweet Side Candy. Whether the sugary floss has more of a dill, gherkin or bread and butter flavour profile is yet to be determined, however.
Local Harry Potter fans will rejoice as butterbeer soft serve is coming to SummerLand SoftServe at this year's fair, a flavour which author J. K. Rowling once described as "a little bit like less-sickly butterscotch."
Bringing in a Japanese delicacy, Rice Burger is offering a variety of burger fillings packed between two "buns" made of sticky rice.
For fans of foot long hotdogs and foot long subs, foot long French fries have finally come into the mix. Find them at Freakk Fries, smothered in toppings of your choice.
For corn dog lovers, there's a whole array of options at the fair this year. First off, the cheesy ramen corndog, which can be found at Next Gen Corndog, is a classic corndog wrapped in mozzarella, dipped in batter, rolled in crispy ramen noodles and fried until golden brown.
For another option, Chicky's Chicken's interpretation of a unique corndog covers the outside of the batter with crushed Flaming Hot Cheetos. But if those options aren't enough, Chicky's Chicken also has a big pickle corndog which has the corndog stuffed inside of a giant pickle that's then wrapped in batter.
Burgers may seem like classic fair food, but at the PNE there's always a bizarre twist to anything that appears ordinary. Gourmet Burger will serve up patties made of kangaroo, alligator and ostrich. Or, over at Handmade Burgers, comfort food fans can have their patties given "the ultimate cheesy treatment," according to the vendor and stuffed with macaroni and cheese.
The PNE runs from Aug. 17 to Sept. 2 and is open from 11 a.m. to at least 11 p.m. It's closed on Aug. 19 and Aug. 26, however.
