EVENT INFORMATION
Kemptville Buskerfest takes place over two days: the Friday night kick-off, then the main event on Saturday.
Event: Buskerfest Kick-off Party
Date: Friday, May 15, 2026
Time: TBD
Where: Kemptville, Ontario
Event: Kemptville Buskerfest
Date: Saturday, May 16, 2026
Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (time to be finalized)
Where: Prescott Street, Kemptville, Ontario
Getting Here:
Driving:
From Ottawa:
Take Highway 416 South to Exit 34 to Kemptville.
From Cornwall, Brockville, Kingston, Toronto:
Travel the 401 and take Highway 416 North.
From the 416:
Take Exit 34 to Kemptville.
FREE parking and shuttles from the Municipal Centre located at 285 44, Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0.
Public Transit from Ottawa:
NG Transit has a convenient connection to/from OC Transpo's Limebank Station on Line 2 and the North Grenville Municipal Centre that runs Monday to Friday ($5 one-way), making a car-free weekend trip to Kemptville a reality!
If you intend on taking NG Transit, a booking is mandatory (use the Blaise app, website, or call 613-368-5620). Please book one each of the exact departure times shown below:
-
Departure trip - Friday, May 15, to “285 County Road 44” (the North Grenville Municipal Centre):
- 7:00 a.m.
- 8:10 a.m.
- 5:20 p.m.
- 6:35 p.m.
-
Return trip - Monday, May 18, to “4630 Limebank Road” (Limebank Station, Line 2)
- 6:25 a.m.
- 7:40 a.m.
- 4:40 p.m.
- 5:55 p.m.
Find more information on NG Transit's webpage, under “NGtransit Commuter Expansion” then “Fixed Route Schedule.”
Looking for a place to stay overnight during your weekend getaway? Check out Explore North Grenville's “Where to Stay” list!
Food On Site
Just in case you were wondering if there would be food available on-site during #KemptvilleBuskerfest, you betcha there will be, AND LOTS OF IT!
We are excited to present you with a total FEAST for your palate. Just look at this list. It is sure to tantalize your taste buds. From awesome visiting food trucks, to your local downtown favourites.
Watch our Facebook page for more food truck announcements!
Plan your trip and make your reservations with a local restaurant - check out our North Grenville RESTAURANT DIRECTORY
History of Kemptville Buskerfest
After countless conversations with local residents, stakeholders and community builders during 2021, the subject of a signature event for the downtown was a regular topic of conversation for the Old Town Kemptville BIA (now named Downtown Kemptville BIA).
For those who remember it, the Dandelion Festival was that event. Despite its demise, the Dandelion Festival was successful in many ways according to the vast majority of the community who loved it and the thousands of visitors who were drawn here because of it.
After more formal discussions with several key community builders, the desire to see a larger-scale event similar to the Dandelion Festival was too strong to resist. Rather than revive something that had been dormant for several years, the group decided that creating a new vision and a brand-new event would give the group of volunteers a chance to benefit from past experiences and a fresh canvas to create something truly exceptional.
Already having secured a fantastic venue (Downtown Kemptville) for the event, many clever and creative titles were bounced around. Finally, on a local patio over plates of nachos and chicken wings, the founders decided to go in a more logical direction and "Kemptville Buskerfest" was hatched.
One of the key principles that guided the committee from day one was the compelling belief that Kemptville Buskerfest would not only be a way to showcase the abundance of local talent in our community, but it would also be a way to bring people together and help people to reconnect after a long cold winter. Like spring itself, It would become a symbol of renewal that everyone would look forward to.