Can’t-miss festivals & events in August
August 1, 2019
Food Fest, Waterfest
Summer is quickly rolling along and there’s been no shortage of celebrations in Cornwall and SDG. Fortunately, the fun is far from over.
The month of August promises a full dose of festivals and events to go along with the beautiful summer sunshine. From a massive street party and dragon boat races to classical music concerts and a food festival dedicated the beloved poutine, there really is something for everyone to enjoy.
To help you get started on planning your next visit, we’ve put together a list of some of the can’t-miss festivals and events taking place in August.
Happy reading and see you soon!
Highland Games
August 2-3
What better way to kick off August then with the annual Glengarry Highland games, one of the largest events of its kind in the world! Take in the Scottish culture with some live entertainment, Highland dancing and bagpipes, great food, vendors, sport tournaments and more! Thousands of people find themselves drawn each year to Maxville to witness an outstanding display of music, dance, sports, fiddling, pageantry, and tradition. The Games are also home to the North American Pipe Band Championships.
Williamstown Fair
August 9-11
Canada’s oldest annual fair celebrates it’s 207th year! Come for a weekend of family fun in Williamstown for some live entertainment, a midway, food and artisan vendors, a petting zoo and many more events that the whole family will love. There’s three full days of performances, displays, exhibitions and competitions to go along with the always popular World’s Finest Shows midway!
Cornwall Waterfest
August 10
Enjoy the thrill of dragon boat races along with music, food and many other festivities at Cornwall Waterfest! This annual summer event is held at the historic Cornwall Canal at Power Dam Drive and Second Street West. In conjunction to the popular dragon boat races, there is a unique market featuring local artisans displaying their wares. Delicious food and drink is served on site. To keep the crowd energized, the Waterfest stage features a variety of homegrown entertainment.
Poutine Feast
August 8-11
Celebrate a true Canadian culinary classic with Poutine Feast in Lamoureux Park. Numerous food trucks will be serving up poutine creations of all kinds. Your tastebuds will be exploding with joy! There will also be tunes bumpin’, games for the whole family, tasty treats and many amazing poutines to try. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options will be available.
Cornwall Food Fest
August 17
Head to Downtown Cornwall for the biggest street party of the year! Pitt Street will be taken over by food trucks and local restaurants showcasing some amazing dishes with dozens of artisan vendors, bunkers, live entertainment and much more! This event is presented by and in support of the Beyond 21 Foundation. This year’s event will also feature the first-ever Cornwall Truck Tow. Teams of up to 10 will come together to pull a Cornwall Fire Service pumper truck 100 feet!
Doors Open Cornwall and SDG
August 17-18
Discover the amazing stories behind some of the most famous buildings and sites in the area during Doors Open. Select sites throughout Cornwall and SDG will open their doors free of charge to visitors – it’s a perfect chance to discover local history, architecture and culture! Some of the participating sites include Chesley’s Inn, Aultsville Theatre, Cline House Gallery, NAV Centre, the Cornwall Community Museum and more.
Classiqu’Arts
August 17-18
Classiqu’Arts will bring classical music, opera and the visual arts to the forefront with a concert series staged in two amazing venues – the Nativity Co-Cathedral and the majestic St. Raphael’s Ruins. World-music group KLEZTORY, Aboriginal composer and performer Barbara Croall and cymbalist Alexandru Sura are among the headliners for the August 17th evening performance at Nativity. That will be followed by a second performance by Croall and many other world-class performers on the afternoon of August 18th at St. Raphael’s. Tickets are going fast so don’t delay in getting yours!
Seaway Valley Folk Festival
August 17
The inaugural Seaway Valley Folk Festival will be held on August 17th at beautiful Stone Crop Acres Winery and Vineyard in Morrisburg. Enjoy a full day of local talent, food and fun! Plain Folk will headline the event along with performances by many others including Lyric & Lore, Glengarry Ramblers and Sons of Gord. There will also be children’s activities, food vendors, and of course, Stone Crop Acres wine!
Taste Tour: Burger Edition
Starts August 21
Foodies unite! The burger will take centre stage as the Taste Tour: Burger Edition returns to Cornwall. Participating restaurants will be offering up special one-of-a-kind gourmet burgers for a select period of time. Try one or try them all and make sure to vote for your favourite!
Cornwall Triathlon
August 24-25
The Cornwall Triathlon offers a unique experience that sets it apart from others in the area. It features traffic free courses on City streets, right along the beautiful St. Lawrence River. Hundreds of competitors from Ontario, Quebec, the United States and beyond will descend on Cornwall to compete in the event. The fun kicks off Saturday with Young Champions Day followed by the adult races on Sunday – come out and cheer on the athletes!
Chesterville Fair
August 23-25
Bouncy castles, a petting zoo, live music, a Saturday night dance, amazing food vendors and more! What better way to spend the weekend of the 23rd – 25th than at the Chesterville Fair. There are activities for everyone to enjoy! Come on and check it out!
More reasons to visit!
Looking for additional reasons to visit? The list above is just a sampling of the many fun events taking place in August. There’s so much more to see and do! For a full listing of upcoming events, make sure to check out our Event Calendar.
Stay with Us!
Planning to explore Cornwall? Extend your stay at one of our many great accommodations! For a listing of local accommodations, click here.
Additional Information
Planning a visit to Cornwall? Cornwall Tourism can help. Email us at info@cornwalltourism.com to request a copy of our Visitor Guide or contact us at (613) 936-0842. You can also stop by our seasonal Visitor Information Centre inside the Cornwall Community Museum in Lamoureux Park. The Museum is located at 160 Water Street West, just steps away from the children’s splashpad and play structure. Free parking is available immediately north of the Museum along Water Street.
The seasonal Visitor Information Centre is open seven days a week (8:30 am to 4:30 pm) through the summer months.
Follow Cornwall Tourism on Facebook
Follow Cornwall Tourism on Twitter
Article by Charlotte Whittaker and Amy Besner
www.CornwallTourism.com