It’s hard to believe that we are only days away
from the start of festival season here in Burlington, Ontario. Over the next few months our city will be
alive with lots of free festivals with many of them in the idyllic Spencer
Smith Park on the waterfront.
Burlington is home to three of the Top 100 Ontario Festivals including the Sound
of Music Festival, Canada Day Festival and Children’s Festival. Our events cover everything from culture and
heritage, the arts, culinary and so much more!
As a mom to two children under five years, I am always looking for great
family events and hoping that I remember everything from sunscreen to
snacks. When visiting festivals with
children (and without) remember to bring sunscreen, snacks, water and if your
children are like mine, a change of clothes. Remember all events are subject to
change, so it’s a good idea to check the event website before heading out.
Are you an avid cyclist or a casual peddler? Either way be sure to head to Spencer Smith
Park on June 2nd from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the free Mountain
Equipment Co-op Bikefest & Pastry Ride.
You don’t need your own bike to take part in MEC Bikefest – there will
be lots of demo bikes available. Even
kids will find bikes to ride at the Kids’ Bike Station. However, for some of
the clinics and all of the rides you will need to have your own bike and helmet
to participate. Some of the activities
happening in the park include: bike decorating, kids races, face painting, bicycle
polo, cycling vendors and more. Plus
great clinics at only $1.00/person.
There will be a family bike ride and the pastry bike ride. Now if you are like me you are wondering is
it a bike ride with actual pastry (that I can support) or a fancy bike term
that I am not aware of? Rejoice it’s an
actual pastry ride. Head out from the
MEC store on Brant and cycle to Lowville (approx. 53km) on a guided and marked
ride that will end with a picnic in the park complete with pastries and
coffee! There is a safety car travelling
the route with the group in case of breakdowns or emergencies. To register for this free ride call the store
directly at 905-333-8559. For more
details on this event visit their website.
Everyone is welcome at the 13th annual Halton Pride event on
Saturday June 2nd from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Central Park. This yearly event features all day entertainment,
a BBQ with the Halton Police, children’s storytimes and activities and a vendor
marketplace
On the evening of June 2nd runners,
walkers and kids can participate in the Moon in June Road Race. This year they are featuring a new course that
is a flat fast one loop certified 5k and 2 loop certified 10km of downtown
Burlington. The route highlights the fabulous Burlington Waterfront at sunset (in
the darkness of night). The finish line is lit by the search lights and you
will want to stay for the party in Civic Square at City Hall. For the kids there is the 2nd Annual
Meredith's Kids 1km fun run plus the Kidsfest (on James St. between
Brant St and John Street) is a great way to spend a family evening. Kidsfest activities run from 6-8 p.m.and
include everything from firetrucks to bouncy castles, characture artists, face
painting, chalk drawing, mascots and tons of activities to keep everyone active
and busy. Pre-registration is required for
the race ($).
On Sunday June 3rd embrace your inner
child at Burlington’s Kite
Festival. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. you
can build, decorate, and
fly a kite, enjoy free entertainment and visit the community displays. This free event is held at the Brant Hills
Community Centre. For more detailed information on this event read the blog by BurlEventGurl
The weekend of June 9th and 10th
is a busy one. Doors Open Ontario is recognized as a Top 100
event in Ontario and we are thrilled to participate in this great initiative.
If you are interested in heritage, culture or architecture you will want to get
out and visit one or more of the twenty-three sites on the 3rd
annual Doors Open Burlington. This weekend long event gives residents and
visitors to the City a remarkable opportunity to learn about places and spaces
normally not open to the general public or for which an admission fee is
usually charged. Highlights include guided heritage walking tours, the Fine Art
and Craft Festival/Kaleidoscope of the Arts, mini performances by our student
theatre and an antique/classic car display. Be sure to leave time for a visit to
Aldershot where you can visit the Royal Botanical
Gardens Centre and buy a famous foot-long hotdog at the historic
Easterbrook's hotdog stand.
The Burlington Art Centre is not only a Doors Open
Burlington participating site they are also hosting the Fine
Art & Craft Festival & Kaleidoscope of
the Arts over the weekend of June 9th and 10th. More than 100 artists and artisans will be selling
their remarkable handcrafted, Canadian, juried fine art and craft
creations. It doesn’t matter if you are
a shopper or a browser you won’t be disappointed with all there is to see and
do. Be sure to visit their website for a
sneak
peak at some of the works that will be available during the event. This
year, Kaleidoscope of the Arts will take place during the Festival with guilds
at the BAC offering demonstrations, hands-on activities and a show and sale. Admission to the Burlington Art Centre is
always free and is a great way to spend a few hours or the day.
On Sunday June 10th the City of
Burlington will be hosting the first of two Car Free Sundays. Head to Southeast Burlington (Appleby
Line/New St. to Fairview) and spend the afternoon enjoying …the event runs from
2 pm until 7 pm and is free!
 |
| Carly Rae Jepson |
You can’t mention Father’s Day weekend (June 14-17)
without thinking about the Sound of Music
Festival in Spencer Smith Park. We
are lucky to have Canada’s largest FREE music festival right in our own
backyard. It’s always a great weekend and
this year is no exception. The Thursday
night kicks off with opening ceremonies and Hamilton natives the Arkells on the main
stage. Fans of Bruce Springsteen, Bon
Jovi and Pearl Jam can hit the OLG Stage to keep the party rocking with three
tribute bands. Friday starts early with
the first performance starting at 1:00 pm through to the final acts Big Sugar (on the
main stage) and Canadian folk singer-songwriter Basia Bulat on the
Cogeco Stage. Saturday young and old anticipate the Sound of Music Parade working its way through the
streets of downtown starting at 11 a.m. featuring as always Burlington's own
Teen Tour Band and Junior Redcoats. Post
parade head to the park where international recording superstar Carly Rae Jepson
performs on the main stage at 3:45pm. If you are not part of the teen/tween
crowd head over to the OLG stage and enjoy Canadian musical legends Spirit of the
West (I have to admit I have a soft spot for this band) performing hits
spanning their 25 year career. Saturday night is headlined by Juno award
winning Wintersleep
on the main stage and pop/rock sweetheart Sarah Slean on the
Cogeco stage. Both Saturday and Sunday
afternoon kids (and their parents) will want to visit the Family Zone for fun-filled
activities and entertainment. Sunday
wraps up the festival with a bang!
Peformances start at 1:00pm and then amp up as the afternoon progresses
with Canadian alt rockers Treble Charger
and Canadian indie rockers Mother Mother
hitting the main stage. On the OLG stage
hometown favourites Saint
Alvia and YouTube sensation Walk Off The
Earth perform. I wonder how many of
the 35 million people that have watched the Walk Off The Earth video will make it
to the park? I wish we could post all of
the amazing acts appearing over the duration of the festival but we just don’t
have room. For a complete schedule visit the
Sound of Music website. Remember to give
yourself plenty of time to visit the festival.
In addition to all the great musical acts there is a carnival, food, merchandise
and craft marketplace. Festival
hours are: Thursday June 14 - 6pm to 11pm Park only; Friday June 15 - 1 pm to 11pm Park and Downtown (Carnival
begins at 4pm); Saturday June 16 - Noon to 11pm Park and Downtown plus Parade
11am to 1pm with prelude at 10am; Sunday June 17 Noon to 7pm Park and Downtown.
Voted one of the Top 100 Festivals in Ontario for the 12th year in a row, mark
your calendar and be sure to visit Burlington for this event. We should also mention all the great green
initiatives of this festival including waste diversion, water re-fill
stations and shuttle services. If you are planning on staying overnight we
recommend booking early as hotels tend to fill up quickly. For more information on accommodations visit
our where to stay
page.
From June 15th -17th Burlington Downtown in conjunction
with the Sound of Music presents Downtown Streetfest. Starting Friday night and running through to
Sunday afternoon the downtown will come alive with four on-street performance
pods, a beach party on John Street, sidewalk sales and lots of great patios to
stop and enjoy a beverage and bite to eat while enjoying all the action. For a complete listing of activities and
entertainment schedule visit their website.
Wednesday and Sunday Evenings from June 17-August 22 the City of Burlington
presents “Concerts in the Park”. Free concerts are held at 7:30 p.m. (with
some additional 2:00 pm dates) and feature various musical artists. For a complete listing of performers and
locations, visit the website.
Celebrate our Nations birthday on July 1at Spencer
Smith Park with the City of Burlington’s Canada Day Festival from 10
a.m. to 10 p.m.. The morning kicks off
with the Canada
Day 5k walk/run and free yoga in the
park . Be part of citizenship court
welcoming new Canadians followed by Queen’s medal presentations. At 1:00 p.m. the opening ceremonies signal
the start of a day of entertainment on the Canada and Waterfront stages. You can also enjoy children's activities
throughout the day, the Aldershot Lion's Club Beer and Wine Garden, Water Ski
Shows, plus the Scholars in Collars dog training show. Cap the night off with a performance by the
always entertaining and sometimes outrageous Cape Breton fiddling icon Ashley MacIsaac and a fireworks
display presented by Lockwood Chrysler Fiat.
For a complete schedule of events visit the website.
On July 1st right across the street
from Spencer Smith Park from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. you can enjoy the Strawberry
Social by the Lake at the Joseph Brant Museum. Head over to sample everyone's favourite
treat - fresh strawberries and delicious vanilla ice cream. Other treats are in store for visitors
including perusing the trifles & treasures market, participating in games,
festive crafts, activities, museum tours and so much more. Plus there will be special
performances and live entertainment all day long. A great addition to your Canada Day plans and
it’s all FREE!
Starting July 12th, the City of
Burlington hosts “Movies Under
the Stars” Thursdays at 9 p.m. Come
with your blanket and chairs to enjoy a free movie on a giant outdoor screen at
a neighbourhood park. For a complete
list of movies and locations visit their website.
Yee-haw!
Put on your cowboy boots and Stetson and boot scoot boogie down to
Spencer Smith Park for the 2nd annual Burlington Country & Blues BBQ
from July 13th-15th. This
newcomer to the festival scene is sure to please with a combinations of country
and blues performances, the “Longest
Line on the Boardwalk” country line dance, hillbilly games,
a marketplace and of course succulent BBQ.
Friday kicks off with a whole lotta blues including a Steve Ray Tribute,
Canadian blues group the Lincolns and The Das Blooze Brothers Tribute. Saturday
“Get your drink on” with the Steel Country Band as they combine old and new
country with a splash of Southern rock.
Join in the celebration to Gordie Tapp (who turns 90 this year – can you
believe it?) then be prepared for a real treat. With Roy Clark having to cancel
all his performances due to a back operation and not being able to perform for
at least 3-4 months, get ready for his replacement Steel Magnolia to hit
the stage and perform for the first time in Canada. This new country group won CMT's
Can You Duet? and has not looked back since.
You do not want to miss this performance! Sunday will definitely have a nostalgic feel
with several tribute bands performing including Jay Zanier’s Elvis Tribute.
The day wraps up with an all stars blues project featuring a great line up of
artists including Nashville native Johnny Keys. The festival runs Friday and
Saturday from noon to 11 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. For a complete
schedule and artist listing, visit their website.
On Sunday July 15 the City of Burlington will be
hosting the second of two Car
Free Sunday events. This free event
will be held in Downtown
Burlington from 2 pm to 7pm and is a great accompaniment to the festival
down at Spencer Smith park that weekend.
For those that enjoy the best that Burlington has
to offer in dining will want to make plans to attend these three great culinary
events. On July 8th Downtown Dining ($) gives you the
opportunity to enjoy a walking tour of 5 restaurants in downtown Burlington. The
proceeds from this year’s Downtown Dining will be donated to the Young Artists
Fund, through the Halton Learning Foundation.
Advance tickets are required and tours sell out quickly so be sure to
get yours early. From July 22-August 6
enjoy a new culinary experience with a Taste of Burlington ($). Join Burlington’s finest restaurants for this
prix fixe dining event, offering a three course menu (appetizer, entrée,
dessert) at a great value. For a listing
of menus and restaurants visit the website (summer updates coming June 1). The final culinary event of the season is Lakeside a la Carte ($) on
August 12 at Spencer Smith Park. This event brings together the area's superb
chefs and vintners with their very best tastes to support the Rotary Club of
Burlington. Guests stroll from tent to tent, sampling wines and tasting
delicious dishes...throw in a silent auction, the chance to win Air Canada or
Via Rail tickets, and you have the makings of Burlington's Ultimate Summer
Party. Advance tickets required, see the website for participating
vendors and ticket information.
On August 6th plan to visit LaSalle
Park for the Joseph
(John) Brant Day Festival. This year
to tie into the commemoration of the War of 1812 and Burlington’s role in this
the Museums of Burlington will be celebrating John Brant and the important role
he played in this war. The day will
include various re-enactments, a military skirmish, encampments and other
historically interpreted activities.
There will also be the annual favourites including, a summer BBQ, splash
park for kids, fair-style games, crafts and hands-on activities, a treasure
hunt adventure, and so much more. For a
more information on this event please visit their website.
The weekend of August 18 & 19 pack up the kids
and head to the waterfront as Burlington holds its 21st annual free Children’s Day Festival Weekend. On Saturday, the Sandcastle competition is
held at beautiful Burlington beach. Try
your hand at creating a masterpiece in the sand or watch the master sculptors
at work creating amazing pieces. But
it’s not all about sandcastles, you can also enjoy live music, entertainment,
activities, games, food and marketplace on while catching some sun on
Burlington beach. On Sunday, embrace
your inner Tarzan or Jane and head to Spencer Smith Park for some jungle
fun! The children’s festival runs from
10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and has so much to do including themed entertainment,
playzones, character meet & greets, shows, a marketplace and more. In case
you’ve never attended the festival before you should know that there is a
parade along the promenade with all the children attending the festival. This year be sure to come as your favourite jungle
character and join in the promenade parade at 12:30 p.m. I bring my girls to this every year and they
always have a great time. For a complete
listing of events and times visit the website. If you are planning
an overnight visit be sure to check out Burlington Hotel Deals.
Grab some napkins and a bib and head on down to
Spencer Smith Park for Canada’s
Largest Ribfest from August 31-September 3.
This ribfest organized by the Rotary Club of Burlington Lakeshore brings
together 18 ribbers and draws over 100,000 hungry visitors to the park to taste
the mouth-watering fare. Once your tummy
is full you can enjoy a fantastic line up of live bands, daily kids’
activities, and a crafters’ Artisan Fair.
This is a festival with great green
initiatives that has an 88% waste diversion rate. For more information on ribbers,
entertainment and vendors visit their website.
Tourism
Burlington is proud to support our events and festivals and you will find us
on site at many of the events to assist with Burlington information
inquiries. Of course, you can always visit
us at our information centre located at 414 Locust St. just off the
Lakeshore. We are open daily 9 a.m. to 4
p.m. to mid-June and then 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. to Labour day.
Have a wonderful summer exploring all that
Burlington has to offer including these fabulous festivals!
