BizBash | Events * Meetings * Marketing * Style * Strategy * Ideas

OTHER MARKETS

GOOGLE TRANSLATE

OUR TRADE SHOWS & EVENTS

JOBS

MOST POPULAR STORIES

1. Diesel Wraps International Music Tour With Kid Cudi, Santigold

2. French Winery Celebrates Annual Harvest's Uncorking With Hippie-Themed Luncheon

3. Fund-Raising Scavenger Hunt Pairs Miami Philanthropists With Celebrities

4. Art Basel Preview: New Convention Center Layout, Giant Beach Structure for Audi

5. SIR Miami: Music Rental Company Opens Four-Acre Headquarters to Events

6. New Moon Premiere Beckons 10,000 People and 2 Live Wolves

7. MoMA Gets Suitably Whimsical and Macabre for Tim Burton Tribute

8. 8 Handy Gifts for Meeting Attendees

9. Masked Raconteurs Tell Tales at Moth Ball, and I Have a Blast

10. Poll Results: Readers Opting for iPods Over DJs

FROM NEW YORK

Morgan Loft Penthouse: Temporary Venue for Holiday Season

Sustainable Label Opens SoHo Pop-Up With Community Center Sensibility

Clinique and Teen Vogue Bring Young Women to Beauty Tour, Send Them Online

Masked Raconteurs Tell Tales at Moth Ball, and I Have a Blast

Gap, Banana Republic, American Eagle Open Stores With Musical Performances

MoMA Gets Suitably Whimsical and Macabre for Tim Burton Tribute

3 New Hotel Restaurants for Business Entertaining, Private Groups

Nintendo Launches New Mario Game With Look Back at Franchise History

Scripted Models Play Up Key Notes at Victoria's Secret Fragrance Preview

Ad Age Looks to Boost Conference Interaction With Beer Tasting, Lounge Seating

FROM LOS ANGELES

American Music Awards Begin With Redesigned Arrivals, End With Downsized After-Party

Bouchon: Thomas Keller in Beverly Hills, With Indoor/Outdoor Dining, Private Room

Us Weekly Takes to Voyeur With Scantily Clad Models, Burlesque Feel

6 New Venues for Los Angeles Holiday Parties

New Moon Premiere Beckons 10,000 People and 2 Live Wolves

$4 Million MOCA Gala Breaks Fund-Raising Records

Chrysalis Benefit Cuts Ticket Prices in Half, Draws Same Crowd

MOCA Gala Spawning Arty Online Auction—Including Gehry's Hat for Gaga—Through November 30

Wende Museum Closes Wilshire for Cold War Anniversary Celebration

3 Ideas for Stylish, Eco-Friendly Events

News Archive for Canadian National Exhibition

Q & A 07.30.09 11:00 AM

David Bednar Tries to Measure the Fun While Hosting a Million People at Canadian National Exhibition

The C.N.E.'s David Bednar
Photo: Courtesy of the Canadian National Exhibition

FROM TORONTO Every year, more than one million people mark the end of summer with a trip to the Canadian National Exhibition, which begins August 21 this year and runs through Labour Day at Exhibition Place. There are close to 5,000 people on hand to run the 18-day event, which includes everything from midway rides to the Canadian International Air Show, a horse show, a food building with close to 100 vendors, and several shopping pavilions. In his 12 years as general manager of the fair—commonly referred to as the C.N.E. or simply the Ex—David Bednar has learned that despite best laid plans, the sheer size of the event means something is sure to go wrong.

What is your primary goal for this year's C.N.E.?
Community celebration. We used to sell the future, and the future is now on Google and other places. You don't go to an exhibition anymore to find out what's new, and it's taken a long time for people to get their heads around that one. That's been a change in terms of exhibitions everywhere, especially large ones. MORE >>

Canadian National Exhibition