Fall Festivals in Canada Worth Traveling For

The Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest is a nine-day festival that begins on the Friday before Canadian Thanksgiving. Called Canada’s Greatest Bavarian Festival, it’s the largest Oktoberfest held outside of Germany. Approximately 700,000 people attend annually, and in 2016, 150,000 people lined the streets at the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade. Other things that visitors can do include visiting the many beer halls, enjoying the food and music at Willkommen Platz, meeting Miss Oktoberfest, and purchasing a souvenir from the retail store.

“From October 13–22, 2017, Jasper invites stargazing adventurers to get lost in the wonder of one of the world’s largest Dark Sky Preserves.” Presented by Rocky Mountaineer, the Jasper Dark Sky Festival features many exciting events. Symphony Under the Stars takes place at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. There are stargazing tours to Maligne Canyon and the Columbia Icefields, along with Planetarium and Telescope Experiences too.
Jasper, AB, Canada

Held in one of Canada’s finest winemaking regions during September, the Niagara Grape and Wine Festival is a must-visit for wine connoisseurs. There are over 100 events at the festival, including concerts, cellar door experiences, local food pairings, and one of Canada’s largest street parades. The festival’s hub is Montebello Park in downtown St. Catharines.
Niagara Grape & Wine Festival, St. Catharines, ON, Canada

Icewine at Niagara’s Henry Peller Estate Winery | © Shelby Steward / Flickr

Held at the beginning of fall over the Labour Day Weekend, the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival is a great family-friendly festival. Although hot air balloons of every color and shape take to the sky, there are also other events and live music performances during the weekend. Since its inception, amazing artists such as Celine Dion, Simple Plan, Sean Paul, and KC and the Sunshine Band have performed at the festival, which attracts more than 200,000 visitors annually.
Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival, Parc de la Baie, Gatineau, QC, Canada

Up, up, and away | © Bob Haarmans / Flickr

Nuit Blanche is an all-night arts festival held annually at the end of September. From sunset to sunrise, Toronto’s city streets will transform into one giant contemporary art gallery and performance space. For 2017, the festival will include over 85 different art projects, created by more than 350 local, national, and international artists. Expect the unexpected at Nuit Blanche.
Toronto, ON, Canada

Nuit Blanche | © allen / Flickr

Held at the Charlottetown Event Grounds in September, the PEI International Shellfish Festival centers around Prince Edward Island’s world-famous seafood offerings. Visitors can enjoy live cooking demonstrations from Food Network personalities, join in the Biggest Kitchen Party in Atlantic Canada, participate in a shucking competition, watch cooking competitions, eat all the shellfish and seafood, and enjoy amazing live music performances all weekend long.
PEI International Shellfish Festival, Charlottetown Event Grounds, 360 Grafton Street, Charlottetown, PE, Canada

Enjoying some oysters | © Pexels / Pixabay

Who says music festivals can only happen in summer? Victoria on Vancouver Island hosts Rifflandia every September. The 2017 lineup includes acts such as Australian hip-hop artists Bliss N Eso, world-famous DJs Moby and Hot Chip, Bonobo, and Zeds Dead. The festival is more than just music though. It also hosts Artlandia, publishes an annual magazine, and has its own beer. Local brewery Phillips Brewery produces Rifflandbrau, which is only sold around the festival’s dates.
Rifflandia, Royal Athletic Park, 1014 Caledonia Avenue, Victoria, BC, Canada

The Mont Sutton Fall Festival stretches over five weekends, from mid-September to mid-October, which is when the changing leaves are at their most vibrant colors in this part of Quebec. Some of the events occurring every weekend include chairlift rides, guided hikes, and activities, crafts and obstacle courses for children. There will also be mountain bikes to rent, a regional wine-tasting experience, afternoon outdoor concerts, and a barbecue at the foot of Mont Sutton itself.
Mont Sutton, 671 Rue Maple, Sutton, QC, Canada

Beautiful fall colors | © Valiunic / Pixabay

“Country Music Week began in 1977 as an annual event created to heighten awareness and increase exposure for Canada’s country music artists.” The week culminates in the Canadian Country Music Association Awards. Country Music Week takes place in a different Canadian city every year, and 2017 marks Saskatoon’s time in the spotlight. Visitors can attend events such as the Songwriters’ Series, an up-and-comers showcase, the FanFest, and the Legends Show.
Saskatoon, SK, Canada

Culture Days Manitoba is about the “participation and engagement of all Canadians in the arts and cultural life of their communities.” Held at the end of September, there will be thousands of free events and activities held across the province. These include dance classes, henna art lessons, photo exhibitions, concerts, and more. In Winnipeg, they celebrate with their own Nuit Blanche. Mirroring Toronto’s concept, contemporary art projects will take over the city’s St. Boniface, Downtown, and Exchange Districts from sunset to sunrise.
Winnipeg, MB, Canada