Ontario Events

Each year from May through October Canada's Heartland celebrates the season with a rich menu of festivals and events from living history and theatre festivals to music events and harvest celebrations. Unique to the region and often representative of the area's culture, the venues enhance vacations, making one-of-a-kind memories easy to create. Stay at a KOA nearby and enjoy some of the best celebrations in Canada.

Ontario

The Stratford Festival of Canada. (4/24/2006 - 10/29/2006) Theatre, action and creativity are all part of the unique activities for the young theatre lover in 2006. Duel with a Count or wear a velvet robe; recite Hamlet or applaud The Count of Monte Cristo, Stratford is a premier destination for those seeking a unique family vacation. It easily combines best of culture and cuisine in a charming, safe, park-filled setting. For families it is just the ticket, with plenty of discounts on culture, so all ages may enjoy the stage. Bonus Points: The Family Experience tickets save as much as 71% off the regular ticket prices. The first thing to do once in town is to go to either Festival or Avon Theatre box office to pick up the Family Experience Package. Each kit includes a special house program and additional behind the scenes facts. (55 Queen Street, Stratford. Toll-free 1-800-567-1600 or www.stratfordfestival.ca)

Royal Botanical Gardens Celebrations of Summer. (5/13/2006 - 10/29/2006) Located mid-way between Toronto and Niagara Falls the grounds include more than 2,700 acres (1,100 hectares) of breathtaking gardens and spectacular nature sanctuaries. The Gardens provide awesome seasonal color, featuring the spectacle of 100,000 spring bulbs, the world's largest lilac collection, 250,000 iris blooms, and 3,000 rose bushes. Each major bloom period is highlighted by festivals with activities for all. Bonus points: Enjoy tapas at the Gardens on Friday nights from June through September, enjoy cocktails, authentic Spanish appetizers, and live music by guitarist Gary Santucci. Ach Wednesday in July, August and September listen to Red-hot Jazz & Cool Blues under a weatherproof tent or stroll the gardens. (680 Plains, Road West Burlington. 1(905) 527-1158 or www.rbg.ca)

Fort William Historical Park Living History. (5/13/2006 - 10/15/2006) Since 1973, the Fort William Historical Park has operated as a living history museum, depicting the fur trade activities of the North West Company, including the annual Rendezvous. The effect is captivating, with costumed natives, trappers, voyageurs, and traders surrounding visitors, the feeling that you've stepped into 1815 is overwhelmingly fun and well worth a visit. Bonus Points: Nearby is Gammondale Farm where kids may visit the farm animals and explore in the mazes. Also families are encouraged to enjoy horse drawn hay rides, or draft horse rides. (Fort William Historical Park. 1350 King Road, Thunder Bay. 1 (807) 473-2344 or www.fwhp.ca)

Agawa Canyon Tour Train. (6/13/2006 - 10/16/2006). The Canadian Shield is an unspoiled wilderness of granite rock formations, lakes, rivers, towering trestles, and forests stretching 114 miles north of Sault Ste. Marie. Guides on the train tell passengers about the history of the wildly beautiful landscape, and the rugged people that lived there. One part of the journey takes the train 500 feet down to the floor of gorgeous Agawa Canyon allowing passengers to experience the natural beauty up close. Bonus Points: During the two-hour stop at the bottom of Agawa Canyon the entire family is encouraged to enjoy walks on graveled trails, four pristine waterfalls, and have the opportunity to climb to the Lookout platform, perched 250 feet above the tracks, offering a breathtaking birds eye view of the landscape. (Algoma Central Railway. 129 Bay Street, Sault Ste. Marie. 1 (705) 946-7300, toll-free 1-800-242-9287 or www.agawacanyontourtrain.com)

39th annual Caribana Toronto. (7/01/2006 - 8/06/2006) This is the largest Caribbean festival in North America. Each year more than a million participants visit the city during the festival and enjoy the Caribana Parade. Thousands of brilliantly costumed masqueraders and truckloads of dancers encourage onlookers to get down with the infectiously upbeat music. Other parts of the festival include the King and Queen of the Bands competition, the two-day Olympic Island Caribbean Arts Festival, and numerous outdoor Caribbean music concerts. Calypso harbor cruise parties and glamorous dan to tences fill out the calendar for this lively summer festival. (Gardiner Expressway and other locations, Toronto. www.caribana.com)

Kingston Buskers Rendezvous. (7/13/06 - 7/16/06). Fire eaters, sword swallowers, comedians and more gather on the streets of Downtown Kingston for this four-day summer festival of street performers. The young and the young-at-heart will delight in the many street shows and marvel at the uniquely skilled performers that hail from all over. Bonus points: All of the performances in the festival are free of charge; the Buskers all work for donations. (Downtown Kingston 1 (613) 548-4415 or toll-free 1-888-855-4555 or www.kingstonbuskers.com)

The Pumpkinfest Fun. (9/24/2006 - 10/29/2006) Visit Gammondale and celebrate the season. The bountiful activities are designed for family fun so that all ages can enjoy Pumpkinfest on the farm. Gammondale Farm is located in the centre of the Slate River Valley, a highly fertile stretch of land located immediately south of Thunder Bay. The farm is rich in history, busy with activities, and a good health and happy place to come and visit. Bonus points: The "Spooktacular Haunted Corn Field" and the "Boo Barn" are high startle "no gore" so that the evening haunt is suitable for family fun. (RR3 McCluskey, Drive Thunder Bay. Toll-free 1-888-705-3646, 1(807) 475-5615 or www.gammondalefarm.com)