Niagara knows how to throw a festival. Almost every season has one, and most of them are a showcase for the region's farmers, winemakers, makers and restaurants. Here's the year at a glance, starting with this weekend.
This weekend: Ball's Falls Thanksgiving Festival
The 52nd Ball's Falls Thanksgiving Festival runs from Friday, October 9th to Monday, October 12th at Ball's Falls Conservation Area in Lincoln, with more than 150 artisans and craft vendors, a farmers' market, music and heritage tours. Read our guide to the 52nd Ball's Falls Thanksgiving Festival.
Coming up this winter
- Winter Festival of Lights, Niagara Falls, November 14th, 2026 to January 10th, 2027. Free, and lit every night. Read our Winter Festival of Lights guide.
- Niagara Icewine Festival, every January in wine country, celebrating the wine made from grapes picked frozen on the vine. Watch the Niagara Wine Festivals website for the 2027 dates.
Summer
- Canal Days Marine Heritage Festival, Port Colborne, over the Civic Holiday weekend. The 48th Canal Days Marine Heritage Festival, from July 31st to August 3rd this year, brought tall ships, concerts at H.H. Knoll Lakeview Park and fireworks on the Sunday night.
- Niagara-on-the-Lake Peach Festival, on Queen Street in early August (August 7th and 8th this year). It honours Niagara-on-the-Lake's farmers with peach treats, a market, a peach pie contest, antique tractors and Percy, the Niagara-on-the-Lake Peach Festival's mascot.
September
- Niagara Grape & Wine Festival, a St. Catharines tradition since 1952. This year the Niagara Grape & Wine Festival ran over most of September: weekend tastings at more than 25 wineries, a three-day celebration in Montebello Park, and the Grande Parade through downtown St. Catharines on Saturday, September 26th.
- Marshville Heritage Festival, at the Wainfleet fairgrounds over Labour Day weekend. Look for a working sawmill, antique farm machinery, a car show and heritage printing presses run by the Mackenzie Printery & Newspaper Museum.
- Harvest Pioneer Day, at the Lincoln Museum & Cultural Centre in Jordan. The 60th Harvest Pioneer Day, on September 19th, had historic craft demonstrations, folk art, live music and apple fritters.
October
- Cicada Music & Arts Festival, on Henley Island in St. Catharines. This year's Cicada Music & Arts Festival, on October 2nd and 3rd, was headlined by Metric and Bahamas and had a makers' market. It was founded in memory of Thom Lepp and supports causes such as the Pathstone Mental Health Foundation.
- Ball's Falls Thanksgiving Festival, in Lincoln over Thanksgiving weekend. Our guide to the 52nd Ball's Falls Thanksgiving Festival.
For art shows, studio nights and cultural festivals, see Niagara's year in the arts.
Why it matters
Festival weekends are some of the biggest of the year for local businesses: vendors, wineries, restaurants and places to stay. When you go, buy something from a local maker, eat nearby, and if you find a business you love, tell your friends and leave them a review.