Midway rides are quickly overtaking the grounds of Toronto's Exhibition Place this week as crews set up for one of North America's largest agricultural fairs: The CNE.

Opening this year on August 16 and running until Labour Day, it's an exciting (and potentially lucrative) 18-day stretch for farmers, carnies and purveyors of extreme junk food alike.

Some 1.5 million tourists and locals are estimated to attend The Ex each year as well, suggesting that people really dig the massive event that is more than 140 years old.

It's a bittersweet kind of love, however, for many in Toronto.

Toronto summers be like pic.twitter.com/RtwHS1iG8N

— . (@plagueofbitches) August 8, 2019

Sure, the CNE can be fun — it's a time-honoured family, foodie and date-night tradition. It's also a noted harbinger of summer's end.

it’s ALREADY almost opening weekend for the cne... toronto kiddos agree with me this signals the end of summer feelings i’m sad

— serena (@nnancywheeler) August 7, 2019

Advertisements for the 2019 Canadian National Exhibition have been popping up throughout the city and across multiple media outlets in the run up to Friday's grand opening, reminding people once again that summer is nearly over.

Hearing the ads for the CNE ,depresses the shit out of me!!! Seriously!!! We aren't even half way through summer and everyone's cramming the end of summer,fall and winter,down my throat!!!

— Sheila Clarke (@Chelly74) August 10, 2019

Pretty as we may find the colourful lights of that psychedelic carousel, nobody in this sun-starved city wants to think about winter, especially during the three months in which we actually have nice weather.

I swear promoting the CNE is the ritual of ushering the end of summer. Weather’s already cooling down in anticipation.

— Mahagony (@ThereGoesAmy) August 10, 2019

Many also equate The Ex with going back to school, and all of the dread that inspires, as a kid.

people already talking about the CNE and i'm salty about it. Don't you people realize that's the start of the end of summer in this city smh smh smh

— June Ibaka not Nice 💁🏾‍♀️ (@missladyniobe) July 30, 2019

How is summer almost ever? Where did the time go? There's still so much left to do before we're forced into hibernation again...

The #CNE commercials can go to hell. I will not let go of summer.

— Steeev (@kungfu_zombie) August 12, 2019

Alas, humans can't stop time — not yet — and summer's going to end whether we want it to or not.

Might as well suck it up and shove a corn dog in your face.