Agriculture has traditionally been a central component of the Pacific National Exhibition. For many generations of British Columbians the fair has functioned as a bridge between our urban and rural populations.

This album is a work in progress. Since 1997 I have been working on a project to study and record aspects of the PNE which I felt might be either radically altered or even lost altogether as the PNE downsizes and the board considers a move from its current location in Hastings Park. Last summer I photographed 4-H PNE activities in the Agrodome and barns. Over the winter I printed those pictures and began to assemble this album. 

At this time I would like to invite you, that is 4-H Club members, parents, chaperones and leaders to submit stories, comments or captions detailing your experiences in being part of 4-H activities at the Pacific National Exhibition past or present. I feel that blending your voices with the pictures will serve to bring this project to a new level by resulting in a more complete and interesting album. It is my intension to eventually publish all of my PNE documentation as a exhibition of photographs and a book, celebrating this historic west coast institution. Your captions or stories should range in length from one line to a maximum of two short paragraphs. You may want to tell a story which was triggered by particular picture. It could be either amusing or informative or both. It could be a picture of you or your story caption; it could be about what you were doing, or how you were feeling; or it could be a picture of a friend who reminds you of a funny or interesting story.



  • You might want to tell stories about what it was like to come to Vancouver and live in an exciting place like the Pacific National Exhibition, staying up late and sleeping in a dorm.
  • Meeting new friends and the things you did together.
  • The organized social activities such as pizza night, the dance and the scarecrow competition.
  • The stresses and strains of competition and how it felt to win or lose.
  • What it was like for you to give up your favorite animal for sale after spending so much time together.

  • You might want to describe the preparation and organization involved in coming to the Pacific National Exhibition with the members and their animals.
  • What was it like keeping track of them while you were there.
  • How the 4-H club functions to enhance your family and community life.

This project has the full support of the PNE management.

If you would like to contribute, please e-mail your submissions to mdec@decourcy.ca. You may also contact Laura Balance at the PNE Media Relations, 604-253-2311.

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Sincerely,

Michael de Courcy