Plan Ahead: 46 Exciting Events to Make Summer Sizzle in South Eastern Ontario

Rosanne Lake

Step right up in South Eastern Ontario! Here’s a list of dozens of plan-ahead mainstay events to make summer sizzle in South Eastern Ontario. These are the big draws – the “you-want-to-be-here” events because everyone will be talking about them the next day. Many of these events have deep roots within the region, and one is even celebrating its 180th year of running! With so many remarkable events happening across South Eastern Ontario this year, it’s easy to fill your calendar to enjoy summer to the max.

Read on for 46 annual events to soak up fun in South Eastern Ontario!

June

  1. 1000 Islands Regatta
    The 15th annual Brockville Hydroplane Festival is right around the corner it’s set to be a splash of fun! Great fun for all ages witnessing Hydroplane Racing, live music and a kid zones with vendors. The 1000 Islands Regatta is taking place from June 28 to 30, 2024. See Canadian icons perform as 54.40 will be playing on Friday night, while on Saturday, June 29 Big Wreck takes the stage!
  2. Quinte International Air Show
    Set for June 29 and 30, 2024, the Quinte International Air Show at 8 Wing CFB Trenton is preparing to soar to new heights! Be there to witness amazing air mastery by top Canadian pilots, brilliant airplanes, as well as the STEM promotion zone complete with flight simulations and games.

July

  1. Kingston Busker Rendezvous
    Let your imagination soar witnessing spectacles of inspiration in the street! With daytime performances in the streets with unbelievable circle shows to Buskers After Dark offering an immersive journey into the beating heart of urban creativity, the Kingston Busker Rendezvous is a jaw-dropping celebration of limitless talent in the streets of Downtown Kingston. Plan to be there July 4 to 7, 2024!
  2. Wendover Western Festival
    Giddy up to this festival July 10 to 14, 2024 celebrating all things country! Now in its 38th year, the Wendover Western Festival has been enjoyed for generations. Always a great program of music and children’s activities!
  3. Belleville Waterfront Multicultural Festival
    For 45 years, the Belleville Waterfront Multicultural Festival has been bringing people together through food and celebrating the different cultures that make our community vibrant! Get ready for a welcoming weekend of food, music and attractions from around the world from Thursday, July 11 to Sunday, July 14, 2024. See you there!
  4. Lansdowne Fair
    The fair that is going 160 years strong! July 18 – 21, the Lansdowne Agricultural Society presents this deep-rooted community fair with a midway, agricultural exhibits, amazing food, jam-packed main-stage schedule, and lots of nighttime entertainment. Experience a true country fair that is the highlight of the summer.
  5. Empire Rockfest
    Rock your socks off in Downtown Belleville at Empire Rockfest on July 18, 19 and 20, 2024! |Get your tickets for Thursday, July 18 when Dallas Smith, Aaron Pritchett and Robyn Scott take the stage, or Friday, July 19 with performances by The Beaches, Dizzy and Luscious. Finally on Saturday, July 20, Alan Doyle, Matt Andersen & the Big Bottle of Joy and Dead Root Revival perform. Make it a summer to remember!
  1. Downtown Trenton Festival on the Bay
    Join in the waterfront fun from July 18 to 20, 2024 and expect centre stage performances, sidewalk sales, a pancake breakfast, fireworks, Art in the Park and water fun!
  2. Red Hot & Blue Rockabilly Weekend
    Four days of non-stop music in Brockville! This event on July 18 to 21, 2024 has a rock n’ roll flair and is set with multiple artists performing throughout the city, as well as a car show, boutique, fashion show, art show and market and much more. Spice up your summer!
  3. Kemptville Live Music Festival
    From July 18 to 20, 2024, see headliners, The Sam Roberts Band, Berton Cummings, Glass Tiger, and Dean Brody in Kemptville along with lots of super talent in between. The Kemptville Live Music Festival has great vibes, fun times, and is a local favourite that welcomes visitors from across the province and across the pond to revel in music in a community setting.
  4. Delta Fair
    Family fun since 1830! One of the summer’s hottest tickets in town. It’s ready to bring those summer nostalgia memories from July 25 to 28, 2024 with entertainment, a midway, shows for the kids, tractor pull, horse pull, old fashioned homecraft contests, lots of mainstage entertainment, games and the tastiest fair food that you wait all year for!  Something for everyone – and fun for all! Plan to be there.

August

  1. Lombardy Fair
    You can’t beat a country fair! The Lombardy Agricultural Society is celebrating 158 years of country hospitality with something for everyone from Friday, August 2 to Sunday, August 4. Look for a demolition derby, exhibits in the barn, the midway, ever-popular annual 4-H Club Dairy Achievement Day and much more.
  2. 13. Community fairs
    The Napanee Fair on August 2 to 5 and the Odessa Fair from August 16 to 18 promote agricultural awareness and bring some good old-fashioned family fun to the community. Come for livestock shows, tractor pulls, derbies, lots of kids programming, music, rides and of course the food!
  3. South Grenville Bluegrass Festival
    Get ready for picking and grinning! The South Grenville Bluegrass Festival is ready to heat up the Spencerville Fairgrounds from August 8 to 11, 2024 with lots of remarkable bluegrass talent from as far afield at Maryland and Tennessee. With workshops, open mics, band scramble, a choir, music all afternoon and evening and even a mouth-watering chicken barbecue, this is one event not to be missed!
  4. Glengarry Highland Games
    Music, dance, sports, fiddling, pageantry and tradition in Maxville! The Glengarry Highland Games is a huge crowd pleaser from August 2 to 3, 2024 with a long history dating back to 1948 as one of the largest games in the world. Witness massed bands and Highlands Fling, heavyweight competitions, whiskey tasting, clan parade, Wee Bairns activity area, Celtic entertainment, Highlanders’ tug-o-war and so much more. The Glengarry Highland Games draws thousands of people to experience this impressive event – come see why!
  5. Blue Skies Music Festival
    Unique, relaxed outdoor festival in the wilderness that has been loved for 50 years! This year, Blue Skies is all happening August 2 to 4, 2024 – keep an eye out for performers being announced soon and get your festival passes. This is true community festival magic that you won’t find anywhere else. Everyone wants to go.
  6. Brockville Ribfest
    A real taste of summer! This three-day festival from August 8 to 11, 2024 is in support of Big Brothers Big Sisters Leeds Grenville and has mouth-watering ribs, chicken and more. It wouldn’t be Ribfest without fun for the whole family, so check out the kids zone, live entertainment, Cops and Kids fishing derby, rib eating contest, beach volleyball, vendor village and even a beer tent for the adults!
  1. Wolfe Island Music Festival
    Indie bands and music lovers unite! The festival is back and presenting Wintersleep with Boyhood & Luella on August 9 at St. Margaret’s Hall on Wolfe Island.
  2. 1000 Islands Gananoque Poker Run
    Feel the need for speed – marvel at the power on water as performance boating returns to the 1000 Islands region! A Poker Run is a game of chance and only the boat with the best poker hand wins. It’s all in the cards. Poker Runs America and Power Boating Canada are bringing the excitement to the St. Lawrence River on August 9 to 11, 2024 to thrill spectators and poker runners.
  3. Winchester Dairy Fest
    Moooove on over to Dairy Fest in Winchester from August 9 to 11, 2024 for music, dancing, classic car show, tractor parade, bouncy castles, firefighter games, hearty breakfast, roller skating, beer garden and vendor market – and don’t forget to get in the grooooove at the dairy dance!
     
  4. Women’s Art Festival
    Did you know that Kingston is home to the longest running Women’s Art Festival in Canada? This year marks the 41st year of the Women’ Art Festival so mark your calendar for Aug. 10 in City Park and find more than 150 artists in an enthralling marketplace, music, kids activities, local eats, art installations and more. Celebrate women’s creativity in the arts!
  1. PEC Jazz Fest
    From classic to cutting edge modern and everything in between! With almost three decades of jazz performance and music education under its belt, PEC Jazz Fest is the premier music festival of the summer in The County. Look for the 2024 instalment of The Prince Edward County Jazz Festival from August 13 to 18, as it brings together top jazz talent, from local heroes to international stars. A true jazz-lover’s festival!
  2. Discover L&A County MEGA Geocaching
    Did you know that Canada’s largest annual geocaching event is held in Napanee? That’s right! More than 1,000 visitors from across North America, Europe and beyond are coming to Napanee on Aug. 14 to 18, 2024 to take part. With a water cache canoe and kayak cruise, night sky stargazer tour, kick off events and more than 1,500 geocaches in L&A County it’s a fun-filled weekend!
  3. Vankleek Hill Fair
    The fairgrounds will come alive with excitement from August 15 to 18, 2024 as the fair lights up the community for its 180th year!  Witness the impressive machinery displays and savour delicious treats, interact with animals, enjoy pony rides or the artisan exhibits, experience the legendary combine derby (!) and the action-packed North American Six-Horse Hitch Classic. Wrap up with demolition derby, sheep shearing, heavy horse line classes, antique tractor pull and more! Rural life at its best – since 1844.
  4. Doors Open Cornwall
    Want personal access to unique buildings and places in Cornwall? Get a behind-the-scenes look during Doors Open August 17 to 18, 2024! From historical houses to modern marvels of construction, Doors Open has something for everyone.
  5. Back to the Farm
    The ultimate beer and music festival! Back to the Farm at MacKinnon Brothers Brewing Company in Bath has grown to welcome thousands of people to revel in awesome live music and enjoy quality craft beer brewed on site. Party down home style on Sunday August 18, 2024 from 11:30 a.m. to close – best book the next day off work now. Watch for artist announcements coming soon!
  6. Buskerfest in Downtown Belleville
    This extraordinary event on August 23 to 24, 2024 promises a dazzling array of performances by world-class entertainers, alongside many local talents. Be captivated with the unique artistry of busking while enjoying an electric atmosphere that celebrates creativity, skill, and community. This one’s a crowd pleaser and draws lots of folks from near and far
  1. Rock the County Music Festival
    Are you ready to rock, Prince Edward County? This spectacular two-day music event will ignite your senses and rock your world from August 23 to 24, 2024. Featuring headliners, The Glorious Sons, The Trews and Matt Mays, performing at The Drill Hall, Base31’s big-sound indoor performance venue!
  2. BIGLAKE Festival
    From August 23 to 31, explore the evolution of elements of music in PEC! See exceptional artists from around the globe in befitting locations around the County. Explore the artists in this year’s festival and get your tickets early! Candlelight concerts, a musical and edible promenade, Canadian pianist Louis Lortie’s appearance with an all-Chopin program, and even a Beethoven Marathon of all 10 Sonatas for violin and piano, BIGLAKE is sure to be an inspiring and moving festival.
  3. Cornwall Triathlon
    The Cornwall Triathlon is ready for August 24 and 25 this year – but did you know it has raised more than $300,000 for local charities in the past? Kids Day is Saturday, Aug. 24 where young champions are offered an initiation into the sport in a fun, non-timed environment. Then on Sunday, Aug. 25 the adult events take place, including Olympic triathlon, sprint duathlon, spirit triathlon, try a tri and more events. The Cornwall events are unique in that they offer traffic-free courses in the city’s core on both days. Everyone welcome athletes, volunteers or spectating!
  4. Horse Lovers Weekend at Upper Canada Village
    Saddle up for Horse Lover’s Weekend from August 31 to September 2, 2024 celebrating the special relationship with the Canadian horse featuring riding, driving and working horses. This well-attended three-day festival showcases riding, driving, and working horses with the help of the Village Interpreters. See the authentic buildings, historic interpreters in period dress, heritage livestock at work, and activities throughout the site transport visitors back to the 1860s.

September

  1. Open Farm Days
    Celebrate farming and food in Frontenac and Kingston! Starting in September, learn about farms firsthand by touring local farms with the farmers themselves! Walk to rows of veggies and flowers during harvest or enjoy a delicious culinary experience. Get a deeper understanding of where food comes from and appreciate the connection to the land
  2. Belleville Downtown Blues Festival
    Bringing quality blues music to Belleville and beyond! Lineup being announced soon – the event is set for September 6 and 7, 2024. Admission for this one is free, with donations of food or cash accepted for Gleaners Food Bank in Quinte.
  3. Akwesasne International Pow-Wow
    Witness the best Native dancers, drummers and artisans from the region during this vibrant cultural experience! Taking place September 7 to 8, 2024 at the A’nowara’ko:wa Arena on Cornwall Island, the Akwesasne Pow-Wow is the place to enjoy a one-of-a-kind music and dancing, to shop the beautiful creations of talented First Nations artisans and enjoy great food and great company.
  4. Cloud 9 Electronic Music and Eco Art Festival
    On Saturday, September 9th, experience a multi-sensory celebration of a sustainable future! Now in its third year, the festival at No. 9 Gardens in Rideau Lakes is organized by youth, for youth to foster inspiration and creativity. The day is filled with live music, workshops, local food vendors, a pop-up craft and merch market, an outdoor eco-art exhibit and the chance to contribute to an interactive mosaic sculpture. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect – be sure to get tickets early as only a limited number are available.
  1. Shorty Jenkins Classic
    See world-class curling in a small-town club setting. The Shorty Jenkins Classic welcomes world champions, Olympic athletes and top athletes from Canada, the US and Europe. It’s happening September 11 to 15, 2024 and this year is welcoming some of the world’s best women’s curlers – including the four-time defending world champions – as well as a men’s lineup that includes world champions, Olympic gold medallists and top four ranked teams in the world! Be at the Cornwall Curling Centre to see it all go down.
  2. Lyndhurst Turkey Fair
    Gobble gobble! The Lyndhurst Turkey Fair struts into town on Saturday, September 21, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is set to make you shake a tail feather! This free day of family fun sees thousands of people come to Lyndhurst to experience free Voyageur canoe rides, antique cars, prize draws, silent auction, petting zoo, crafts, meet a mermaid, music and so much more!
  1. Porchfest Belleville
    Won’t you be our neighbour? Porchfest is a neighbourhood celebration of music, where residents in East Hill perform on front porches to an audience that moves from house to house. It’s one of the fall events to look forward to in Belleville, with all the cozy community vibes. Mark your calendar for September 28, 2024 and get your toes tapping!
  2. Discover L&A Ride
    Looking ahead to September 21, 2024 this annual road cycling event draws about 500 cyclists and starts and finishes up at MacKinnon Brothers Brewing Company! It’s 56 km and regarded as one of the best fun rides in the region! Grab some friends and explore L&A County on two wheels.
  3. Iroquois Apple Fest
    The Iroquois Apple Fest is bushels of fun for the whole family! With a night parade, “cutest apple dumpling” baby contest, Eddie & the Stingrays, baking contests, chicken dinner, live music, car show and much more, it’s bound to be a good time September 21, 2024. How do you like them apples?!

Various Summer Dates

  1. Princess Street Promenade – Kingston. Take a stroll down Princess Street and revel in this popular festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  on Saturday, June 22, July 20, August 3 and September 21 2024! The promenade closes Princess Street to vehicles from Barrie Street to Ontario Street making for the perfect opportunity to enjoy Downtown Kingston. Walk about and visit local shops, grab a bite to eat at downtown restaurants, and spend the day downtown!
  2. Sunflower Festival at Wynn Farms
    Enchanting sunflowers to behold – with lots of other great activities too! Wynn Farms is hosting Sunflower Festival on July 27 and 28, August 3 and 4, as well as August 10 and 11, 2024 with dazzling arrays of sunflowers to wander within. Be sure to have fun with the massive themed corn maze, flower fields, bouncy castle, face painting, ice cream, and sand pit for the kids.
  3. Napanee Music on the River
    Get tuned up this summer as Napanee River Tours presents Music on the River, setting sail with talented musicians for epic cruises. Running throughout July and August for six dates!
  1. Thousand Islands Playhouse 2024 Season
    Canada’s Dockside Theatre has another sizzling summer ready on stage! With Mamma Mia, Jesus Christ Superstar, Mary’s Wedding, Murder for Two and more, it’s sure to be a summer of memorable theatre in Gananoque.
  2. St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival
    Shakespeare against the beautiful backdrop of the St. Lawrence in Prescott – yes please! The only professional outdoor theatre in the St. Lawrence Seaway area is on stage at the gorgeous venue on Prescott’s waterfront. Witness the imaginative The Tempest from July 13 to August 10, as well as She Stoops to Conquer from July 17 to August 10. The season will finish with Play On! A Shakespeare inspired Mix Tape, August 13 to 17, 2024.
  3. Upper Canada Playhouse Summer season
    The summer season at the Upper Canada Playhouse in Morrisburg is full of laughter and music! From June to September entertainment is at an all-time high here with A Perfect Wedding by Robin Hawdon running from June 6 to 30; a classic comedy by Canada’s favourite playwright, Bedtime Stories by Norm Foster, on stage from July 4 to 28; the world premiere of Leaving Marjorie Bliss by John Spurway running August 1 to 25, and Those Movies by Norm Foster rounding out the summer from September 5 to 29, 2024. The Upper Canada Playhouse is celebrating its 41st season this year as a delightfully charming historic building that has been transformed into a community center point for culture and the arts.

From traditional fan favourites to exciting thrill seeking events these gems have become a tradition in their communities and looked forward to all year long. See how each region shines in South Eastern Ontario by planning to take part in some legendary annual events!