PNE Garden Auditorium

The Exhibition Garden building in Hastings Park, Vancouver 1940

PNE Garden Auditorium is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Vancouver, Canada, located on the grounds of the Pacific National Exhibition. It opened in 1940 and was known as the Exhibition Garden. ^{[1] [2]}

During World War II, the Pacific National Exhibition was closed and the fairgrounds served as a military training facility. It was also used as a detainment centre for interned Japanese Canadians. ^[3]

It hosted the weightlifting events at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. ^{[4] [5]}

From the mid-1950s until 1980, it was a very popular concert venue, hosting artists such as Ike & Tina Turner, ^[6] the Police, Tom Petty, Meat Loaf, Blondie, Rush, Heart, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kiss, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, the Kinks and Little Richard. ^[7] A Grateful Dead live album, July 29 1966, P.N.E. Garden Aud., Vancouver Canada , was recorded at the auditorium. ^{[8] [9]}

References

1. "New Buildings To Make Canada Pacific Exhibition Greatest Yet". The Province. July 27, 1940. p. 13.
2. "Detailed Program: Canada Pacific Fair Expected To Attract 400,000 People". The Province. August 24, 1940. p. 11.
3. "2901 E Hastings St, Vancouver BC • Vancouver Heritage Foundation" . Retrieved 2021-01-28.
4. "Tuesday at the BEG". Vancouver Sun. 2 August 1954. p. 12. Retrieved 26 September 2025– via Google Newspapers.
5. "The Mega-event that Set a Pace for Vancouver". The Tyee. 31 July 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
6. "Ike and Tina Turner Revue - P.N.E. Garden Auditorium - Fri., Jan. 28 (Advertisement)". The Vancouver Sun. 1966-01-08. p. 13. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
7. "PNE Garden Auditorium, Vancouver, BC, Canada Concert Setlists | setlist.fm" . Retrieved 2021-01-28.
8. "Grateful Dead* - P.N.E. Garden Aud., Vancouver, Canada, July 29 1966 (2017, 180g, Vinyl) | Discogs" . Retrieved 2021-01-29.
9. "Record Store Day | Grateful Dead | 7/29/66 | Grateful Web" . Retrieved 2021-01-29.

External links

• PNE Garden Auditorium information