The Pacific National Exhibition announce that the final band of the 2009 Fair in the PNE Summer Nights Concerts program has been selected. The renowned French group The Gipsy Kings will perform as part of the free with admission nightly concert line up. The Gipsy Kings will be the featured performer on Friday, September 4 on the expanded Global BC Amphitheatre Stage, a beautiful outdoor venue set in the PNE’s Centre Grounds area.

“This is a great addition to an already incredibly strong lineup,” says the PNE’s Creative Director Patrick Roberge. “To be able to have artists of this calibre, all free with admission, is extremely exciting.”

The Fair at the PNE is back August 22 to September 7 for the 99th year. This year the PNE has a great entertainment line up as the Fair ramps up for its 100th anniversary in 2010.

The Summer Nights Concert Series features some of the most highly regarded live entertainment in Fair history with performances by Randy Bachman, Tom Cochrane and Red Rider, Chris Isaak, En Vogue and the Gipsy Kings.

The Fair also added some fresh new acts to their daily entertainment line up of free (with fair admission) performances throughout the 99th annual fair including Celtic Legends, the celebrated Broadway musical that finds its sprit and soul in the roots of Ireland’s history and Kaboom!, a giant retrospective and countdown celebration to the PNE’s 100th anniversary in 2010.

Back by popular demand is the Toon Rock Parade, Westcoast Logger Show, the 5th Annual PNE Sandsculpture Competition and the RCMP Musical Ride, which has not been at the Fair since 2003.

Everyone’s beloved fair favourites, the Presidents Choice Superdogs, the Pig Races, Art Cars, the Pacific Spirit Horse Show and the Red Robinson's Talent Showdown are all back for another year of entertainment. All this and more is free with admission to the 2009 Fair at the PNE.

The late addition of three international performing artists (The Gipsy Kings, Chris Isaak and Canadian rock legend Randy Bachman) all came after the July 24 announcement by the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, James Moore, who revealed that the 2009 Fair at the PNE had been selected as one of the country’s premier entertainment events and would receive close to $1.4 million in federal funding under the Marquee Tourism Events program.

“The infusion of funding into the 2009 Fair has allowed us to expand or add a number of fantastic programs,” says PNE President and CEO Michael McDaniel.

“As we gear up for the PNE’s centennial celebration in 2010, we are extremely excited to host the strongest free with admission entertainment program in our history.”

The Gipsy Kings, who, since the 1987 release of the international hit single “Bamboleo,” have dominated the World Music charts and sold more than 14 million albums worldwide, including a platinum compilation, The Best of the Gipsy Kings, which was on global music charts for more than a year.

Other already announced acts performing as part of the Summer Nights Concerts include Chris Isaak, Randy Bachman, Tom Cochrane with Red Rider, April Wine, Chilliwack, and Barney Bentall and the Legendary Hearts, En Vogue, Al Jarreau, Rick Springfield.

From iconic acts to popular country performers and pop performers, the Summer Night Concerts will transform the Global BC Amphitheatre Stage every night at 8 p.m.

Visit www.pne.ca for details.

Summer Nights Concerts schedule:

August 22 Tribute to the Beatles

August 23 Mitchel Musso (from Hannah Montana)

August 24 April Wine

August 25 En Vogue

August 26 Al Jarreau

August 27 Rick Springfield

August 28 The Headpins/Randy Bachman (*7:30pm start)

August 29 Barney Bentall and Legendary Hearts/Chilliwack (*7:30pm start)

August 30 Doc Walker

August 31 Annual Evening with Elvis

September 1 Tom Cochrane with Red Rider

September 2 Johnny Reid

September 3 ABBAmania

September 4 Gipsy Kings

September 5 Chris Isaak

September 6 The Higgins/Jaydee Bixby (*7:30pm start)

September 7 Bobby Bruce's Nearly Neil and the Solitary Band