This year’s CNE features unique new dishes and Hamilton brews

The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) starts this Friday and a big portion of the event is the food — the more creative the better.

Vendors put their skills to the test to come up with not only something tasty, but also memorable.

On the menu this year: Kraft Dinner smoothies, pickled coffee and sweet corn wasabi lemonade, just to name a few.

Other items include a pickled Greek frappe, a chicken and ice cream funnel cake, and “butter chicken everything” like tacos, waffles and a foot-long butter chicken taquito.

Hamilton’s own Collective Arts Brewery is the official beer and alcohol partner for the CNE.

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“It feels really surreal and crazy that we, as a small Hamilton brewery, are now the official partner of the CNE — Canada’s biggest fair,” said Tori Shelton, the VP of brand and strategy for Collective Arts Brewery. “It feels really awesome to be able to bring our brand and artists from around the world, to drinkers in Canada.”

When it comes to food at the CNE, it not only has to be delicious, but also creative and memorable.

“We all remember coming down here as kids and every year you get to try something totally new that you don’t expect — right now I’m having a pickle coffee,” said the CNE CEO Mark Holland. “I mean, who would have thought of that, right, and it’s part of the adventure of the Ex.”

The exhibition starts Friday and runs until Sept. 7.

Metrolinx will be adding daytime trips to Union and Exhibition Stations during the CNE, and extra nighttime homebound trips on the Lakeshore East and West lines.

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