How’s that for a little alliteration for you?  Niagara is busy in the summer and there are festivals and events for everyone.  I narrowed in on the events that cater to families with kids.  These festivals are open to kids from 0 – 99 years old. Oh, and did I mention that most of them are free admission?

Here is a list of some of the festivals happening in Niagara.  This is will be a never-ending list.  I will come back and keep adding to this list as I hear about new events, fill in some of the big events I may have missed, (Ribfests), and find all the little gems in smaller rural communities that don’t get a lot of publicity.  Once my Farmer’s Monthly comes in I can add some more. So, please check back if you’re into these (less busy) outings.

 

Friday, June 16 – Sunday, June 19

• Carnival!  Grantham Lions Club Carnival.  732 Niagara St. St. Catharines

 

Saturday, June 18

• Art Craw. 5 pm – 11 pm.  Port Colborne Canal District.  West. St.

Art, music, and interactive exhibits in stores, on sidewalks, along the canal.   Read More here.

• Berry Bonanza. 9 am – 11 am  Welland Farmers Market

Strawberry pancakes, make your own berry kabob, kids activities and bouncy castle, strawberry eating contest, face painting, and games.

 

Sunday, June 19

• Kid’s Fishing Derby. 9 am – 1 pm.  Port Colborne Marina.  H.H. Knoll Park. Sugarloaf, Port Colborne.

Saturday, June 18 and Sunday, June 19

• Rose Festival Days in the Park.  Saturday 11 am – 11 pm (Fireworks), Sunday 11 am – 7 pm.  Chippawa Park, 128 Fitch St. Welland

Music, food vendors, sports, family-friendly beer garden, tea and wine tastings, flower show, art show, contests, children’s area with pony rides.

Sunday, June 19

• June Jitterbug.  Fireman’s Park. 2275 Dorchester Rd, Niagara Falls

Over 350 VWs all in one park!

• Safari Niagara’s Car Show.  8:30 – 3 pm Safari Niagara.  2821 Stevensville Rd, Stevensville.

Car show!  Father’s get into Safari Niagara free this day.  Inside the zoo; magician, jugglers, inflatables.

Thursday, June 23 – Sunday, June 26

• Carnival!  Firemen’s Park 65th Annual Carnival.  2377 Dorchester Rd. Niagara Falls

Midway rides, food trucks, soap box derby

Saturday, June 25

• Shows in the Sugarbowl.  8 pm – 11pm Fort Erie, Sugarbowl Park, Gilmore Rd.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens.  Family-friendly film showing outside in the park.  All proceeds going to the Sugarbowl Splashpad fund.

Sunday, June 26 

• Rose Festival Grand Parade. 1 pm

The parade route begins at Canadian Tire Financial Services 1000 East Main St. and travels 3 km West before turning South onto King St.  It ends at the Welland Arena, where there will be a drum-off competition and art fair. This year’s theme ‘The Spirit of Culture’.  Classic car show.  Events at Seaway Mall.

Friday, July 1 – Canada Day  

There’s too much to cover here. A dedicated Canada Day post to come shortly.  Please check back, I will add the link to the Canada Day post here.

Saturday, July 2

• Splash N’ Boots from Treehouse.  Children’s Day in the Park.  Merritt Park amphitheatre.  115 King St, Welland.  Free

The City of Welland is sponsoring free family-friendly Concerts on the Canal all summer.

Concerts on the Canal lineup:

June 24: The Caverners, with Aiden Payne and Autumn Conrad

July 2: Splash N Boots

July 8: Mad Dogs and Englishmen

July 15: Woodstock – Revisited

July 22: Kindred, The Sunset Rebels and Jessica Wilson

Aug. 5: Brian Neale and Northern Harbour, featuring a Jimmy Buffet tribute, and Heather Glabb

Aug. 19: New Kid in Town, Eagles tribute, with Ashlynne Vince

Aug. 26: Matt Cage, Elvis tribute

Thursday, July 14 – Sunday, July 17

• Summerfest.  At the Pelham Market 

Saturday is the street Street festival with live music, vendors, and a kids zone; magicians, puppet shows, reptile shows, games, rides, inflatables.

Maps and parking http://www.pelhamsummerfest.ca/about-pelham/maps/

Saturday, June 23

• Happening at the Forty. All day.  Main St, Ontario St. and Coronation Park, Grimsby.

Live music, reenactment parade, historical society, children’s area.

July 21 – 24 

• Friendship Festival.  Mather Arch.  11 Niagara Parkway. Fort Erie.

Midway, free family activities, reptile, food trucks, vendors, artists, live music.

Friday, July 29 – Monday, Aug 1

• Canal Days. Port Colborne Canal District. Read more here.

Marine Heritage festival.  Boat tours, tall ships, Cotter fire boat, the museum comes alive with costumes and demonstrations, classic car show, kite show, art show, live entertainment and music and various venues, vendors, food trucks, wine and beer gardens, free shuttle, kids zone with train rides, inflatables, games, midway.

Saturday, August 13

• Peach Festival.  10 am  –  5pm.  Queen St. from Victoria St. to King St. NOTL

Live music, sidewalk sale, lots of peachy goodness.

• Boater Rendevouz.   Nickel Beach, Port Colborne

Bring your boat to Nickel Beach and anchor away.  Enjoy the beautiful sandy beach, lined with mature trees.

August 20

• Soldiers’ Field Day. 10 am – 5 pm.  Old Fort Erie

Reenactment of drill competitions, speed loading demonstrations.  The possibility of canons going off, fire and things blowing up.

Saturday, August 27

• Shows in the Sugarbowl.  8 pm – 11pm Fort Erie, Sugarbowl Park, Gilmore Rd.

Family-friendly film showing outside in the park.  All proceeds going to the Sugarbowl Splashpad fund.

Sunday, August 28 – Tuesday, September 13  

• Onguiaahra: Thunder of the Waters.  Sound & Light Shows. Nightly Showtimes 8:15 pm, 9:15 pm, 10:15 pm.  At the foot of Murray Street in Queen Victoria Park, Niagara Parkway, Niagara Falls.  Free.

Music, sound, and laser light show that reflects off a large pond fountain display.

Friday – Sunday, September 1, 2 3

• Marshville Heritage Festival.  10 – 5 pm.  Hwy 3 to Wainfleet Village. Free for 10 and under. Over age 10 $6 admission.

The heritage village comes alive with volunteers in full costume doing the day-to-day tasks of long ago.  Hands-on demonstrations, restored buildings, blacksmith shop, old fashioned church service on Sunday, apple fritters, cider, car show 1950 or older, vendors, crafters.

Saturday, September 17

• Bridgeburg’s Annual Taste of Fort Erie.  12 pm – 6 pm Bridgeburg Historic District. Jarvis Street, Fort Erie.

100 vendors, live music, crafts, food, amazing kids zone; glitter face painting, clowns, bouncy castles, climbing rock wall, even Olaf will be there.  The Fort Erie Arts Council put together the performance stage; dance, theatre, the battle of the car paint competition.

Sunday, September 25

• Princess & Superhero Tea Party.  Fundraiser for Cancer. 11 am – 2 pm.  Scotiabank Convention Centre, Niagara Falls.

Dress up as your favourite superhero or princess and meet real ones.  100% of the money raised is being donated to Childhood Cancer Canada.