Festival Guide

You can also check out our music listings here

2024

April

• 15-27: Hamilton Music Festival
• 17-21: GritLIT: Readers & Writers Festival (Hamilton)
• 18-21: Elvis Festival @ Greg Frewin Theatre (Niagara Falls)
• 26-28: Gainfest (Guelph)
• 27: I Heart Beer & Taco Festival @ Sleeman Centre (Guelph)
• 27: Doors Open Guelph

May

• 2-5: ArtsEverywhere Festival (Guelph)
• 10: Artcrawl (Hamilton)
• 10-11: Why Not Wine, Wine Tasting Festival (Hamilton)
• 11: Sew Hungry (Hamilton)
• 11, 18-19: Niagara Children's Festival
• 17-20: Binbrook Ribfest
• 17: Concession Street Sidewalk Sounds (Hamilton)
• 25: Hohner Avenue Porch Party (Kitchener)
• May 30-June 2: Open Ears Festival (Kitchener)
• May 31-June 2: Niagara Regional Exhibition (Welland)
• May 31-June 1: Handmade Market (some Live Music) (Niagara Falls)

June

• May 30-June 2: Open Ears Festival (Kitchener)
• May 31-June 2: Niagara Regional Exhibition (Welland)
• May 31-June 1: Handmade Market (some Live Music) (Niagara Falls)
• 1-2: Battle of Stoney Creek Re-Enactment
• 1: Downtown Milton Summer Fest 
• 5-14: Hamilton Arts Week
• 7-8: Handmade Market (some Live Music) (Niagara Falls)
• 14: Artcrawl (Hamilton)
• 14-16: Grand River Black Music @ Kitchener Library
• Mudcat Festival (Dunnville)
• In the Soil Arts Festival (St. Catharines) 
• Handmade Market (some Live Music) (Niagara Falls)
• Multicultural Festival (Guelph)
• Norfolk Night Market with Live Music
• Norfolk Country Fairground Festival $25
• Concession Streetfest (Hamilton)
• Ancaster Heritage Days
• Georgetown Highland Games
• Grand Porch Party (Waterloo)
• Sound of Music Festival (Burlington)
• FrancoFEST (Hamilton) 
• Niagara Falls Ribfest
• Cambridge Celebration of the Arts @ City Hall
• Concession Street Sidewalk Sounds (Hamilton)
• Crafters Corner Market (Waterloo)
• Open Streets Hamilton
• For the Love of Fathers and Food Trucks (Milton)
• Oakville Film Festival 
• Artsfest (Hamilton)
• Something Else! Festival of Creative Music (Hamilton) 
• Fresh Up R&B Festival (Hamilton) 
• KW Multicultural Festival (Kitchener) 
• Holi Festival of Colour (St. Catharines)
• African Caribbean Food & Music Festival (St. Catharines)
• Art on the Street (Guelph)
• Crown Point Music Crawl (Hamilton)
• Street Sale & Party (St. Catharines)
• Boris Brott Music Festival 
• Hamilton Mountain Ribfest
• Oh Canada Ribfest (Waterdown) 

July

• 1: Burlington Canada Day Celebrations
• 1: Oakville Canada Day Celebrations
• 1: Brantford Canada Day Celebrations
• 1: Cambridge Canada Day Celebration
• 1: Kitchener Canada Day Celebrations
• Hamilton Mountain Ribfest
• Rock N Blues on the Battlefield (Thorold)
• Oh Canada Ribfest (Waterdown) 
• It's Your Festival (Hamilton) 
• Brantford International Villages Festival
• International Villages Cultural Festival (Brantford)
• Georgetown Ribfest
• The Grimsby Cheesecake X Food Truck Fest (with some live music) @ West Niagara Fairgrounds (Grassie) $5
• Ridgeway Art & Music Festival
• Cruising on King (Kitchener)
• Welland Floatfest
• HexStock (Milton)
• Pelham Summerfest
• Kultrún World Music Festival (St. Jacobs)
• Artcrawl (Hamilton)
• Davids & DeLaat's Block Party @ St. Catharines
• Hagersville Rocks
• Cambridge Scottish Festival
• Because Beer Festival (Hamilton)
• Norfolk Ram Rodeo
• Kitchener Ribfest & Craft Beer Show
• Concession Street Sidewalk Sounds (Hamilton)
• Sundays Unlocked @ Locke Street (Hamilton)
• Open Streets on Barton @ Barton Street (Hamilton)
• Mackenzie Creek Music Festival @ 72 King St. N (Oakland)
• Ancaster Ribfest
• Burlington Food Truck Festival @ Downtown Waterfront
• Grand River Pow Wow (Ohsweken)
• Uptown Waterloo Jazz Festival
• Wayback Festival @ City Hall, Carl Zehr Square (Kitchener)
• Boris Brott Music Festival 
• Niagara Jazz Festival
• Hamilton Fringe
• Dusk Dances (Hamilton)
• Lions Carnival (St. David's)
• Milton Ribfest @ Community Sports Park
• CrewFest Music Festival @ Lion's Park (Brantford)
•  Hillside Festival @ Guelph Lake Island (Guelph)
• Oakville Family Ribfest @ Sheridan College, Trafalgar Road 

August

• 16-17: Paris Drinks Fest @ Lion's Park $?
• Boris Brott Music Festival
• Food Day Canada Community BBQ with Live Music @ The Bridge (Downtown Elora)
• Festival of Friends @ Gage Park (Hamilton)
• St. Catharines Ribfest
• Canal Days Marine Heritage Festival (Port Colbourne) 
• Simcoe Friendship Festival
• Six Nations Music Festival (Osweken)
• Halton Black History Awareness Freedom Celebration Festival (Burlington)
• Pirate Festival (Guelph)
• The Past is Present Heritage Festival (some live music) @ NOTL Museum (Niagara-on-the-Lake)
• Art in Park @ Bronte Heritage Waterfront Park (Oakville)
• Guelph Fringe Festival
• Kitchener Blues Festival
• Artcrawl (Hamilton, Upper James)
• ArtsWest @ Westdale (Hamilton)
• South Coast Jazz (Brantford/Port Dover)
• Brantford Ribfest @ Brantford Civic Centre
• Grand Railroad Music Festival @ 516 Old Onondaga Rd E (Brantford) $?
• Fergus Scottish Festival
• Dunnville Fair
• Cambridge Ribest & Craft Beer Show @ Riverside Park 
• Doors Open Burlington
• 4EVRFEST @ Bridgeworks  (Hamilton) FREE
• Summer Patio Party @ Clifford Brewing Co. (Hamilton) 
• Niagara Sunflower Festival for Ukrainian Relief 2023 @ London Born Wine Co (Lincoln) $15
• Jazz on the Plaza @ Burlington Performing Arts Centre
• Cops N' Rodders Car Show (with some live music) @ Bayfront Park (Hamilton)
• Hamilton Latino Festival @ Gage Park
• Dundas Cactus Festival
• Boots in the Creek Country Music Festival @ Downtown Stoney Creek
• Riverfest @ Bissell Park (Elora) $?
• Jalopy Jam Up @ Rockton Fairgrounds
• Norwich Tractor Pull
• Jarvis Fest @ Lion's Park
• Concession Street Sidewalk Sounds (Hamilton)
• Port Dover Summer Festival
• Strummerfest (In memory of Joe Strummer) @ Waterloo Public Square (Waterloo)
• Sundays Unlocked @ Locke Street (Hamilton)
• HipFest @ Harmony Square (Brantford)
• Living Rock presents Arts of August (some live music) @ Gasworks (Hamilton) FREE
• Waterloo Busker Carnival
• Hamilton Ribfest @ Gage Park
• Winona Peach Festival
• Niagara Irish Festival @ Firemen's Park (Niagara Falls)
• Guelph Ribfest @ Riverside Park 
• Three Fires Homecoming Pow Wow and Traditional Gathering @ 2789 Mississauga Road (Hagersville)
• AFROJAZZ FEST @ Milton Community Sports Park 
• Worship in the Wild with some live music @ Safari Niagara (Stevensville) FREE with park admission
• African Women Acting Festival @ Riverbrink Art Museum (Queenston) $25 online/$35door
• Hamilton Greek Fest

September

• Canada's Largest Ribfest @ Spencer Smith Park (Burlington) $2
• Niagara Greek Festival @ St. Katharine Greek Orthodox Church (St. Catharines)
• Stupercrawl @Landsdale Fairground (Hamilton)
• Labour Day Parade and Picnic @ Bayfront Park (Hamilton)
• Arthur Fall Fair
• Cambridge Fall Fair @ Dickson Park $?
• Supercrawl @ James Street (Hamilton) 
• Georgetown Fall Fair $?
• The West Niagara Fair (Grassie, ON)
• Welly Cask Fest @ Wellington Brewery (Guelph) $?
• Radfest @ The Rad Brothers Sports Bar and Tap House (Milton)
• Kerrfest Kids @ Westwood Park (Oakville) FREE
• Wellesley Township Fall Fair
• Binbrook Fall Fair 
• Guelph Jazz Festival $?
• Niagara Grape & Wine Festival
• Grand River Arts Festival @ Glenhyrst Art Gallery (Brantford)
• Hope in the Street (Guelph)
• Fergus Fall Fair $?
• Belmont Village Bestival (Kitchener)
• Concession Street Sidewalk Sounds (Hamilton)
• Head for the Hills Craft Beer Festival (Georgetown) $?
• Harvest Pioneer Day (Lincoln)
• The Great Canadian Butter Tart Festival incl live music @ West Niagara Fairgrounds $5
• Telling Tales Festival (Rockton)
• Biketoberfest @ Welland County Motorcycle Club
• Sundays Unlocked @ Locke Street (Hamilton)
• Brantford International Jazz Festival
• Ancaster Fair
• Niagara Falls Night of Art @ 5943 Sylvia Pl (Niagara Falls) FREE
• Milton Fall Fair @ Milton Fairgrounds
• Niagara Grape & Wine Festival
• Enchanted Forest of Fergus
• Claridge Street Party with music by the Killin' Time Band @ Claridge Rd (Burlington Beach)
• Oakville Fall Celtic Festival @ Toronto Rock Athletic Centre (Halton County)
• Flamborogh Chili Fest @ West Avenue Cider House 
• Schneider Creek Porch Party (Kitchener)
• Beerstock (Port Dover) $38.42
• Tesla Electric City Festival (Hamilton)
• Appleby Street Festival (Burlington)
• Caledonia Fair @ Caledonia Fairgrounds $?
• Paris Night Market (Fall Edition) $10
• Ottawa Street Sidewalk Sale (Hamilton)
• Taste Real Fall Rural Romp (Wellington Region)
• Cicada Music Festival (St. Catharines)

October

• Caledonia Fair 
• Cicada Music Festival (St. Catharines)
• Applefest Fall Fair (Burlington)
• Oktoberfest Block Party @ Oktoberfest Platz (Kitchener) $20
• Norfolk County Fair (Simcoe) 
• Balls Fall's Thanksgiving Festival
• Erin Fall Fair
• Rockton World's Fair
• Culture Days (Across Canada)
• Oktoberfest (Kitchener)
• AGH (Art Gallery of Hamilton) Festival
• Artcrawl (Hamilton)
• Hops and Harvest Festival (Milton)
• Waterford Pumpkinfest
• Grimsby Cheesecake Fest @ West Niagara Fairgrounds $5
• Soulfest @ Marvelous Lounge (Brantford) 

November

• Hamilton Day
• Arts Dundas Weekend
• Artcrawl @ James Street North (Hamilton)
• Handmade Market (some Live Music) (Niagara Falls)
• Westdale Winter Wander (Hamilton)
• Boris Brott Music Festival
• International Pop Overthrow (Hamilton)
• Winter Wonders (Live Music Tent) (Burlington)

December

• Artcrawl (Hamilton)
• Winter Wonders (Live Music Tent) (Burlington)
• Let it Glow - A Celebration of Light (with some Live Music) @ St. Catharines & Port Dalhousie
• Downtown Milton Holiday Fest
• Winter Wonders (Live Music Tent) (Burlington)
• Let it Glow - A Celebration of Light (with some Live Music) @ St. Catharines & Port Dalhousie
• Wrapped in Local (Caledonia)
• Niagara Falls Music Live

2025

January

• Winter Wonders (Live Music Tent) @ Royal Botanical Gardens (Burlington) $20
• Let it Glow - A Celebration of Light (with some Live Music) @ St. Catharines & Port Dalhousie
• Taste of Oakville (some live music)
• Artcrawl @ James Street North (Hamilton)
• Niagara Icewine Festival

February

• Hamilton Winterfest
• Hillside Inside (Guelph)
• Artcrawl (Hamilton)
• Hamilton Winterfest
• Frost Bites (Hamilton)
• Taste of Oakville (some live music)
• Food & Drink Fest  (Hamilton)
• I Heart Beer & Taco Festival (Hamilton)
• Soupfest (Hamilton)

March

• Taste of Oakville (some live music)
• Artcrawl (Hamilton)
• Winter Beer Festival @ Holiday Inn Hotel & Conference Centre (Burlington)
• I Heart Beer & Taco Festival @ Bingemans Convention Centre (Kitchener) $?
• Irish Life Festival (Kitchener)
• I Heart Beer & Taco Festival @ Niagara Convention Centre (Niagara Falls)

April

• Eat and Drink Norfolk @ Norfolk County Fairgrounds (Simcoe)
• KW Wine & Food Show @ Kitchener Memorial Auditorium $?
• SCHTICKY FEST - Rural Roots Music Festival @ Rural Roots Brewing Company (Elmira) $5
• Artcrawl @ James St. North (Hamilton)