Festivals and Events

Perth Festival of the Maples
https://festivalofthemaples.com/
Downtown Perth

Apr 27 2024

The downtown core of Perth along Gore Street, Foster Street and the Tay Basin will be buzzing with activity. The sweet spoils of the ‘Sugar Season’ will be yours to discover!

‘Maple syrup producers’, artisans, vendors, local businesses, and food services will be set-up on Gore and Foster Streets from 9:00am until 4:00pm. Visit the Antique and Classic Car Display along Herriott Street featuring some very cool vehicles from local car clubs. Check out the Safety Square exhibits and Kids’ Firefighter Obstacle Course in the Tay Basin. Children of all ages will enjoy the Maplefest Play Park featuring amusements by Ry-J’s with a rock climbing wall, bungee run, laser tag, bouncy castles and toddler activities.

There’s a great lineup of live entertainment on the main stage at Gore and Herriott Streets, as well
as in the Tay Basin and on the festival streets. Check out our ‘Entertainment’ section for details.

And don’t miss our annual ‘Wood Cookie Challenge’ ‘Sap-Tapping’ & ‘Cross-Cut Saw
Competition’. Two-person teams let the ‘chips fly’ as they work to hang the fastest maple syrup
bucket and strut their stuff on an old-fashioned, 2-handled cross-cut saw! Form your own team
and join the fun!

On the Main Stage (Herriott at Gore Street)

10:00 am – CR5 Bluegrass Band
This contemporary 5-piece bluegrass ensemble was voted ‘Most Promising Group’ at 2018 Central Canadian Bluegrass Awards, nominated for ‘Gospel Group Of the Year’
in 2018 and 2019, and nominated for ‘Recording Of the Year‘ in 2016. George, Jim, Dan, Marc & Christine.

11:30 am – The Receivers
Playing Irish, Bluegrass, and Contemporary Traditional, the group was
nominated in 2023 for a Canadian Folk Music award in Vancouver B.C for their first EP. The band features Fern & Willow Marwood, Millie Shadgett and Murray Shadgett

12:30pm – Maplefest ‘Wood Cookie’ Challenge
The sawdust flies at the annual ‘Cross-Cut Saw’ and The fastest ‘Sap Tapping’ Competitions. Teams race to drill holes for their sap spiles and buckets using a traditional brace and bit and then take turns wielding an old-time ‘back & forth’ cross-cut saw. Fastest ‘wood cookie’ wins!

1:30pm – ‘Crooked Creek’ Bluegrass
An energetic 5-piece Montreal-based bluegrass and Canadian roots music band featuring local Lanark County boys Jono Townsend and Tim Loten. The group released an all-original self-titled four-track EP in 2021.
Catch ‘Crooked Creek’ on Bandcamp at: https://jonotownsend.bandcamp.com/album/crooked…

2:30pm – Valley Mountain Band
This high energy, boot stompin’ country band from Limoges, Ontario is fronted by married duo Rory and lead singer/bassist Julia Mayhew. Their first release, a cover of The Chicks’ song “Cowboy Take Me Away”, climbed to the #2 spot on The Canadian Indie Country Countdown in August of 2020.
www.valleymountainband.com

On the Tay Basin Stage

10:30am–1:30pm – Three2Go
This fun-loving Rock n’ Roll band features Mike Irvin, Iqbal Umar and Barry Armstrong playing the hits for all to enjoy on the Tay Basin stage near the Crystal Palace.

2:00-3:30pm – Eric Uren and Meghan Balogh
Eric Uren performs regularly at clubs, pubs and festivals in Kingston and the Rideau Lakes region, as lead singer for the folk-rock band ‘Mississippi Station’ and as an occasional collaborator with ‘Young Petty Stones’. His duo partner and fiddler/singer Meghan Balogh has immersed herself in folk and Irish music with the Celtic groups ‘Seventh Town Ceili Band’, ‘The Gertrudes’ and the trad Irish
trio ‘No Great Mischief’.

Roaming the Festival…On the Streets

King of Swingers
This eclectic and road-ready 4-piece good-time band is
one of the hardest-working and well-travelled groups
in the area, providing music and laughter wherever
they land. ‘Asphalt is their stage, smiles are their wage’.

Festival was ok. Free parking and shuttle bus available. Tons of vendors. Tons of food. But then came the rain...Read more