Vancouver’s newest venue will host the summer concert series
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PNE creative director Patrick Roberge doesn’t hold back discussing what the new 10,000-capacity Freedom Mobile Arch amphitheatre opening means to the annual fair.
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“It gives us a bit of a new lease on life to do some fun stuff with a venue that Vancouver has wanted since Expo ’86,” said Roberge. “That was the last time we had a covered amphitheatre of its size and now it makes sense to have one again. People are really excited about the opportunity, and I think we are going to see a lot of new festivals, concerts and events that call it home.”
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While the shiny new space is certainly welcome, Roberge stresses that the fair will always retain its mission to present a variety of entertainment of top quality that appeals to a wide audience. The PNE Summer Night Concerts series is rolling out this year’s lineup over the next three days to focus attention on a program that proves having almost 3,000 more seats makes a difference in the artists you can book.
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Sun Spots
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The first five acts announced for this summer are Blue Rodeo, The Guess Who, The Beaches, Nelly and Zedd.
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“We want the music to be a real jewel of the fair experience and a lot of artists used to playing the back of the old rodeo field have taken note of a new state-of-the-art venue,” he said. “It makes it much easier to bring in artists that play the Hollywood Bowl and Red Rocks and like that open space presentation. We want it full and it’s going to be a spectacular place to watch a show.”
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A bonus for fair-goers is that the FIFA Fan Festival will precede it and a lot of new venue kinks can get worked out in advance of the PNE.
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Here’s everything you need to know about the first lineup announcement for the 2026 Summer Night Concert series.
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Who is opening the series this year?
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“Blue Rodeo played the last show at the old amphitheatre and were really keen on coming back to open the new one, so they are,” said Roberge. The veteran Ontario roots rockers have performed many times at the PNE and are a crowd favourite.
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When is the 2026 PNE?
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The 2026 PNE is scheduled to run Aug. 22 to Sept. 7.
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What time is the Summer Night Concert series?
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Dates and times for the series are to be announced, but the concerts typically involve the doors opening at 6:30 p.m. and show at 7:30 p.m.
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When are tickets on sale for the PNE Fair and concerts?
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A variety of PNE Fair and Playland passes are available for purchase at pne.ca. Individual days and concert tickets TBA.
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Love concerts, but can’t make it to the venue? Stream live shows and events from your couch with VEEPS, a music-first streaming service now operating in Canada. Click here for an introductory offer of 30% off. Explore upcoming concerts and the extensive archive of past performances.
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