Most towns and cities have some sort of fair or festival that comes through every summer. With its ferris wheel and cotton candy it's a great escape from your job at a cosmetic dentistry Toronto office or a worthwhile outing for the whole family. But you need to get to a big city if you're going to experience a real Expo. This is short for Exposition and is another word for a celebration on the former site of a World's Fair. "The Great Exposition of the Works of Industry of All Nations" was the first of these festivals and took place at the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park London, England in 1951. Since then the event has circled the globe and expanded many times over. Now whether you're into hardcore punk or international culture you will find something to interest you here.

One of the most interesting things about the year's choice for World's Fair is all of the international pavilions that come to represent the best of their nations. These exhibits can cost into the millions and some have been worth well over $30 million USD. These events are put together by the International Exhibitions Bureau, who has created three different distinctions for World's Fairs - universal, international, and specialized.

The closest Expo to Mississauga is Montreal, which hosted the World's Fair in 1967. This might be a surprise for a GTA limo driver who has taken people for years to the CNE. But Toronto's Canadian National Exposition, which takes place from the end of August to the beginning of September each year, is recognized by the bureau as an International Exposition. Here you can find many concerts and events that will expose you to blues music, cooking demonstrations, international artists, and much more. There is also an interactive fun zone for younger children. You will find everyone from your Markham real estate agent to your banker at this festival.

There are so many things to do at the Expo it seems that if you're in the area with some free time it would be almost foolish not to attend. The CNE has been around in some capacity for the last 132 years and is a yearly activity for many in the GTA. There are nighttime shows, stunts and events during the day, and even a chance to ride a FloRider. So if you're living in a unit in Toronto condominiums or here in Mississauga and need something to occupy a few hours come on down and check out the Ex.