Festival Guide

You can also check out our music listings here

Anything missing or wrong? Please email blueshamilton@gmail.com

2024

July

• June 6-August 10: The Little Kitchener-Waterloo Flamenco Fest $?
• June 20 - Aug 15: Boris Brott Music Festival 
• July 17-28: Hamilton Fringe Festival
• July 24-27: Lions Carnival @ Lion's Park (St. David's)
• July 25-27: Mackenzie Creek Music Festival @ 72 King St. N (Oakland) $?
• July 26-28: Oakville Latino Festival @ Bronte Heritage Waterfront Park
• July 26-28: Milton Rib & Beer Fest @ Community Sports Park $2
• July 26-27: CHUB Fest @ Warehouse (St. Catharines) $?
• July 26-28: The Egyptian Festival @ St. George and St. Mercurius Coptic Orthodox Church (St. Catharines)
• July 26-28: Grand River Pow Wow @ Ohsweken Speedway
• July 26-27: Wayback Festival @ City Hall, Carl Zehr Square (Kitchener)
• July 27, 11am-10pm: Davids & DeLaat Downtown Block Party @ Downtown St. Catharines

August

• June 6-August 10: The Little Kitchener-Waterloo Flamenco Fest $?
• June 20 - Aug 15: Boris Brott Music Festival 
• August 1, 5-10pm: Party in the Park @ Rockmosa Community Centre (Rockwood)
• August 2-4: Festival of Friends @ Gage Park (Hamilton)
• August 2-3: St. Catharines Ribfest
• August 2-5: Canal Days Marine Heritage Festival (Port Colbourne) 
• August 2-5: Simcoe Friendship Festival
• August 3, 1-11pm: Halton Black History Awareness Freedom Celebration Festival (Burlington)
• August 3-5: Pirate Festival (Guelph)
• August 3, Dunnville Fair
• August 5, 10am-5pm: Art in Park @ Bronte Heritage Waterfront Park (Oakville)
• August 5: The Past is Present Heritage Festival (some live music) @ NOTL Museum (Niagara-on-the-Lake)
• August 8-11: Guelph Fringe Festival
• August 8-11: Kitchener Blues Festival
• August 9, 5pm-?: Artcrawl (Hamilton, Upper James)
• August 9-11: Brantford Ribfest @ Brantford Civic Centre
• August 9-11: Fergus Scottish Festival
• August 9, 11: South Coast Jazz (Brantford/Port Dover)
• August 9-11: Cambridge Ribest & Craft Beer Show @ Riverside Park 
• August 10: 4EVRFEST @ Bridgeworks  (Hamilton) FREE
• August 10, 10am-2pm: Doors Open Burlington
• August 10-11: Jazz on the Plaza @ Burlington Performing Arts Centre
• August 10, 11am-6pm:Niagara Sunflower Festival for Ukrainian Relief 2023 @ London Born Wine Co (Lincoln) $15
• August 10-11 African Caribbean Food & Music Festival (Welland)
• August 11: Cops N' Rodders Car Show (with some live music) @ Bayfront Park (Hamilton)
• August 16-18: Hamilton Latino Festival @ Gage Park
• August 16-17: Paris Drinks Fest @ Lion's Park $?
• August 18, 10am-5pm: Sundays Unlocked @ Locke Street (Hamilton)
• 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

• September 22, 10am-5pm: Sundays Unlocked @ Locke Street (Hamilton)
• 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

• 4-6: Roseneath Fair (Norfolk)
• 8-14: Norfolk Country Fair
• 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)
• Hamilton Music Festival
• GritLIT: Readers & Writers Festival (Hamilton)
• Elvis Festival @ Greg Frewin Theatre (Niagara Falls)
• Gainfest (Guelph)
• I Heart Beer & Taco Festival @ Sleeman Centre (Guelph)
• Doors Open Guelph

May

• ArtsEverywhere Festival (Guelph)
• Artcrawl @ James Street N (Hamilton)
• Why Not Wine, Wine Tasting Festival (Hamilton)
• Pelham Art Festival (Some Live Music)
• Sew Hungry @ Ottawa St (Hamilton)
• Binbrook Ribfest @ Binbrook Fairgrounds $2/Kids Free
• Concession Street Sidewalk Sounds (Hamilton)
• Niagara Children's Festival
• Hohner Avenue Porch Party (Kitchener)
• No Man's Land Alternative Music Fest @ Downtown St. Catharines $?
• Palette x Palate (some live music) @ Downtown Kitchener
• Open Streets Hamilton
• Open Ears Festival (Kitchener/Waterloo)
• Niagara Regional Exhibition (Welland)
• Handmade Market (some Live Music) @ 13th Street Winery (St. Catharines) $8.50
• Meadows Music Festival @ Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex (Fergus) $?

June

• Greek Food Festival (Kitchener)
• The Little Kitchener-Waterloo Flamenco Fest $?
• Open Ears Festival (Kitchener)
• Niagara Regional Exhibition (Welland)
• Handmade Market (some Live Music) @ 13th Street Winery (St. Catharines) 
• Crown Point Community Music Crawl (Hamilton)
• Battle of Stoney Creek Re-Enactment (Some Live Music) @ Battlefield House Museum & Park National Historic Site (Stoney Creek)
• Downtown Milton Summer Fest 
• Spring Festival @ First Unitarian Church (Hamilton)
• Policaro Group presents 6th Annual Downtown Guelph Exotic Car Show (Big Brothers Big Sisters Fundraiser) @ Prince Adventures
• Hamilton Arts Week
• Mudcat Festival (Dunnville)
• Handmade Market (some Live Music) (Niagara Falls)
• Multicultural Festival @ Riverside Park (Guelph)
• Norfolk Night Market (Some Live Music)- Summer Edition @ Norfolk County Fairgrounds $5
• Concession Streetfest (Hamilton)
• Georgetown Highland Games @ Georgetown Fair Grounds
• Rock N Rescue Benefit Concert ft Country Legends Show, Rick Taylor Band, Marty Allen, Maeve & the Mystics, Spencer Mackenzie, the Cynics, more @ Crystal Ridge Community Centre (Crystal Beach) $10 adv/$15 door
• ONTARIO CRAFT GIN FESTIVAL (some live music) @ Elora Centre for the Arts $19 adv/$22 door
• Grand Porch Party (Waterloo)
• Sound of Music Festival @ Spencer Smith Park & Downtown Burlington 
• In the Soil Arts Festival (St. Catharines) 
• Artcrawl (Hamilton)
• Taste of Philippines Food and MUSIC Festival @ Gage Park (Hamilton)
• Niagara Falls Ribfest @ Rapidsview Park
• Cambridge Celebration of the Arts @ City Hall
• Grand River Black Music Festival @ Kitchener Library
• Norfolk County Fairgrounds Festival $?
• Ancaster Heritage Days
• Victorian Strawberry Social (with some live music) @ Cottonwood Mansion (Selkirk)
• Sundays Unlocked @ Locke Street (Hamilton)
• Oakville Film Festival 
• Something Else! Festival of Creative Music (Hamilton) 
• FrancoFEST @ Gage Park (Hamilton) 
• Concession Street Sidewalk Sounds (Hamilton)
• Artsfest @ Westdale (Hamilton)
• Oakville Family Ribfest @ Sheridan College, Trafalgar Road 
• Boots 'n Benchlands @ Niagara Region
• The Grimsby Cheesecake X Food Truck Fest (with some live music) @ West Niagara Fairgrounds (Grassie) $5
• Strawberry Fair @ Milton Fairgrounds
• Art on the Street (Guelph)
• Holi Festival of Colour @ St. Paul Street (St. Catharines) FREE
• KW Multicultural Festival (Kitchener) 
• Open Streets Hamilton
• Boris Brott Music Festival 
• Niagara Jazz Festival
• Flamborough Paint Challenge with Live Music @ Joe Sam's Park (Waterdown)
• Oh Canada Ribfest @ Memorial Park (Waterdown) 
• The Stoney Creek Rib and Beer Festival @ Eastgate Square (Hamilton) $2 /Kids under 5 FREE
• It's Your Festival @ Gage Park (Hamilton) 
• Knighton Real Estate Presents Party in the Park @ Lake Point Park (Stoney Creek)
• Lakeside Long Weekend @ Lakeside Park (St. Catharines)
• Rock N Blues on the Battlefield @ Sullivan Park (Thorold)

July 

• Oh Canada Ribfest @ Memorial Park (Waterdown) 
• It's Your Festival @ Gage Park (Hamilton) 
• Rock N Blues on the Battlefield @ Sullivan Park (Thorold)
• Burlington Canada Day Celebrations @ Spencer Smith Park
• Oakville Canada Day Celebrations @ Bronte Heritage Waterfront Park
• Brantford Canada Day Celebrations @ Lion's Park
• Cambridge Canada Day Celebration @ Riverside Park
• Kitchener Canada Day Celebrations
• Brantford International Villages Festival
• Grimsby Ribfest @ West Niagara Agricultural Centre $5
• Georgetown Ribfest @ Trafalgar Sports Park $2
• Artcrawl @ James Street North (Hamilton)
• Because Beer Festival @ Pier 4 Park (Hamilton) $?
• Hamilton Food Truck Festival (with live music) @ Gage Park FREE
• Cruising on King @ King St bw Water & Frederick Sts (Kitchener)
• Kultrún World Music Festival @ Waterloo Park (St. Jacobs)
• Hamilton AfroJazz FEST @ Bayfront Park (Hamilton) FREE
• Welland Floatfest
• Pelham Summerfest @ Downtown Fonthill
• Hamilton Mountain Ribfest @ Limeridge Mall $2
• Dances at the Bay @ Bayfront Park (Hamilton)
• Concession Street Sidewalk Sounds (Hamilton)
• Burlington Food Truck Festival @ Downtown Waterfront
• CrewFest Music Festival @ Lion's Park (Brantford) $?
• Hillside Festival @ Guelph Lake Island (Guelph)
• Cambridge Scottish Festival@ Churchill Park
• Kitchener Ribfest & Craft Beer Show @ Victoria Park
• Uptown Waterloo Jazz Festival
• Norfolk Pro Rodeo @ Timmermans Ranch (Simcoe) $?
• Sundays Unlocked @ Locke Street (Hamilton)