Peterborough Folk Festival Gets Underway Today With Four Days of Free Music and Community Fun

By Scott Arnold

The 37th Annual Peterborough Folk Festival officially gets underway today, bringing four days of music, culture and community to Peterborough with a packed lineup and plenty to see and do.

The Peterborough Folk Festival returns to Peterborough this weekend with four days of live music, family activities and community programming (photo courtesy of peterborough folk festival, via Michael hurcomb)

The wait is over. After months of anticipation, the Peterborough Folk Festival begins Thursday, August 13th, kicking off four days of performances and programming at downtown venues and Nicholls Oval Park. While the festival officially starts today, the main outdoor festival at Nicholls Oval Park doesn’t get underway until Saturday, August 15th. Today’s opening-night concert takes place indoors at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre.

Canada’s longest-running free-admission folk festival is now in its 37th year, continuing a tradition that began as a community music gathering in 1989. This year’s festival brings more than 30 artists and bands to Peterborough, including 12 local performers.

Tonight’s Kick-Off

The festival’s opening night takes place at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre, with acclaimed Canadian singer-songwriter Ken Yates joined by Tristan Konkle, the Peterborough Folk Festival’s 2026 Emerging Artist of the Year.

Doors open at 6pm, with the concert beginning at 7pm. The show is all ages and licensed, and unlike the main outdoor festival, tickets are required. The festival’s current information lists tickets at $35 including fees, with a limited number of $25 tickets available.

For anyone looking to get their Folk Festival weekend started tonight, it’s a chance to see two Canadian singer-songwriters in an indoor setting before the festival moves into its larger outdoor format.

Downtown Takes Over Friday

The music continues Friday, August 14th, with the festival bringing performances into downtown Peterborough.

A free outdoor concert is scheduled for 6pm to 9pm at Quaker Foods City Square on Charlotte Street, featuring Western Canadian Music Awards Songwriter of the Year Slow Leaves and Peterborough’s Ollie Mae, a 17-year-old singer-songwriter.

The evening continues at The Pig’s Ear Tavern starting at 9pm, with The Lucky Ones and special guest J.J. Swinn. There is no cover charge, although donations are encouraged.

Then It’s Off to Nicholls Oval

Saturday and Sunday bring the festival’s biggest outdoor component to Nicholls Oval Park, with free admission and performances spread across multiple stages.

Saturday’s lineup includes SHAD, Aysanabee, Begonia, Georgia Harmer, Dean Johnson, The Free Label, Field Guide, Slow Leaves, Moondoggy, The Friendly Frog Freak Show, The Kents, The Watched Pots, BURS and Songs of Scratch Garden, among others.

Sunday closes out the festival with Bahamas, Terra Lightfoot, Kazdoura, The Weber Brothers, The Young Novelists, Tennyson King, Hunt The Hare, Joanna Bronson, //NEWBERRY// and Glen Caradus and the Camp Kawartha Chorus Sing Songs of Nature.

Artists including Melissa Payne, Kelly McMichael, The Pairs, The Lucky Ones, Ollie Mae, Lauren Dillen, Cale Crowe and Tristan Konkle will also perform throughout the weekend.

There’s Much More Than Music

The outdoor festival is designed to be more than a series of concerts.

Families can spend time in the Children’s Village, which runs Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 5pm, with crafts, games, performances, workshops and other hands-on activities.

The festival also features an Artisan Village, local food vendors and community programming, giving people plenty of reasons to wander around Nicholls Oval between performances.

There are also four festival stages to explore, including the expanded Miskin Law Main Stage, the Rotary Stage, Generation Solar Stage and the new TD Stage, which will feature collaborative performances and workshops.

Admission to the outdoor festival on Saturday and Sunday is free, although donations are encouraged. The festival suggests a $25 donation per person, which helps offset the cost of putting on the event and is eligible for a tax receipt.

Getting to Nicholls Oval

If you’re planning to attend this weekend, organizers are encouraging people to leave the car at home when possible.

Nicholls Oval Park is located along the Rotary Greenway Trail, making it accessible by walking or cycling. Free valet bicycle parking will also be available beside the Rotary Trail on Saturday and Sunday.

A free festival shuttle will also operate Saturday and Sunday between King Street Parkade, the Miskin Law Community Complex and Nicholls Oval Park. Free parking is available at the King Street Parkade on weekends, while parking is also available at the Miskin Law Community Complex.

On-site parking at Nicholls Oval is limited and is expected to fill early. Organizers are encouraging people who need to drive to consider carpooling and allow plenty of time for parking.

A Weekend Built Around Discovery

One of the things that has helped keep the Peterborough Folk Festival going for nearly four decades is the opportunity to hear something you may not have expected.

Alongside recognizable Canadian names, the festival puts a significant focus on local performers and emerging artists, giving audiences a chance to discover new music while enjoying familiar favourites.

And with free admission to the main outdoor festival, people don’t need to commit to an entire day or a particular artist. You can drop by, listen for a while, wander through the Artisan Village, grab something to eat, check out the Children’s Village or simply find a spot at Nicholls Oval and take in the music.

With its mix of nationally recognized performers, local talent, family programming and four stages, the Peterborough Folk Festival continues to offer a little bit of everything while staying true to the community spirit that has been part of the event since it began in 1989.

As the 37th annual festival gets underway, that combination remains at the heart of what makes the weekend such a longstanding part of Peterborough’s summer.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Tiktok, Youtube and LinkedIn. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for our newsletter here.