From Thursday, August 14 to Sunday, August 17, 2025 – Peterborough Folk Festival 2025 presents four days of music, culture and community on the hillside at Nicholls Oval Park, plus a kick off concert at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre.
Mark your calendars for Canada’s longest running free-admission folk festival!
Now in its 36th year, more than 15,000 people come together to enjoy the region’s second largest cultural event. The festival features exciting musical performances by a diverse lineup of artists, including Indigenous artists, artists of colour and artists from the LGBTQ+ community.
Programming includes ticketed concerts on Thursday, August 14 and Friday, August 15. The Saturday, August 16 and Sunday, August 17 festival events are designed to be inclusive to all ages, with three live music stages, an Artisan Village, a licensed beverage area and a Children’s Village. Admission is free, with donations encouraged and appreciated to help this community event continue.
(Photo credits: Peterborough Folk Festival. Basia Bulat.)
The festival’s Kick Off Concert on Thursday, August 14 features three-time Polaris Music Prize finalist and five-time JUNO Award nominee Basia Bulat – with the festival’s 2025 Emerging Artist Jeanne Truax opening the evening – at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre.
(Photo credits: Peterborough Folk Festival. Jeanne Truax.)
The Nicholls Oval Park venue, on the east bank of the Otonabee River, includes performance, activity, artisan, merch, food and beverage locations:
- Miskin Law Main Stage with musical performances by artists from across Canada.
- Generation Solar Stage with musical workshops, acoustic performances and cultural events.
- Children’s Village with crafts, face-painting, story-telling and performances, such as music, story time and family yoga.
- Cameron’s Pavilion/Nicholls Oval Pavilion & Stage with beverages from Cameron’s and Sandbagger, and live music on the Cameron’s Stage.
- Artisan Village with local vendors offering hand-made craft and artisan goods, along with community booths of local organizations.
- Food Village with local vendors of tasty foods.
- Central area with a Merchandise Booth, Information Booth and ATM.
For more info, check out their FAQ page.
About Peterborough Folk Festival (PFF)
First organized in 1989 as part of the former Peterborough Arts Umbrella, Peterborough Folk Festival (PFF) became an independent non-profit organization in 2001. A volunteer-run registered charity, their mandate is to foster the artistic and professional development of local culture. They encourage local artists to apply to their Emerging Artist Program and to apply as performers. Their main event is a four-day festival on the third weekend of August each year, with ticketed concerts on the first two nights and a two-day free-admission outdoor festival at the historic Nicholls Oval Park on the weekend. The festival is free to attend, supported with donations and sponsorships as they continue to host a great weekend of music and arts every year. In 2024, PFF welcomed over 30 artists and bands, including 12 local performers. Read more about them here.
”The festival brings families together to enjoy some of the best music, arts and cultural experiences in the Peterborough region. PFF is a true community event where residents and visitors come together to experience the best aspects of our community in a welcoming atmosphere.”
– Peterborough Folk Festival
(Photo credits: Peterborough Folk Festival. Artwork by Brooklin Stormie. This image also appears on the Events page.)
Event details
Hosted by: Peterborough Folk Festival
Type of event: folk music festival
Featured artists: See the list of artists here, with more TBA.
Performance schedule: Check here for schedule updates.
Dates & times:
- Kick Off Concert on Thursday, August 14 @ 7:00 PM ET
- Other ticketed performances TBA: Please refer to the individual performance times in the schedule.
- Saturday, August 16 & Sunday, August 17, 2025: Artisan Village, Children’s Village, Food Village & Cameron’s Pavilion/Nicholls Oval Pavilion open @ 11:00 AM ET. Please see the schedule for specific performance dates & times.
Duration: Various – TBA
Cost:
- Kick Off Concert at Market Hall on Thursday, August 14: C$58.00 (includes fees & taxes)
- Other ticketed events: Please refer to the individual events in the schedule
- Saturday, August 16 & Sunday, August 17: Free, with donations accepted
Locations:
- Market Hall Performing Arts Centre, 140 Charlotte St, Peterborough, ON, K9J 2T8, Canada
- Nicholls Oval Park, 725 Armour Road, Peterborough, ON, K9H 2A1, Canada (east bank of the Otonabee River). See the venue map here.
Y Drive: Y Drive is the official ride share partner for the Peterborough Folk Festival – info here.
Booking links:
- Kick Off Concert on Thursday, August 14 @ 7:00 PM ET: Book your tickets here.
- For other ticketed performances: Please refer to the individual performance times in the schedule.
- Donations encouraged and appreciated. A suggested donation of $25 per person will help to offset festival costs. You can donate at the festival to the friendly volunteers in yellow T-shirts, or anytime (with instant tax receipts for donations of $25 and up) here.
Contact details: Peterborough Folk Festival, chair@peterboroughfolkfest.com, peterboroughfolkfest.com
Content warning: Please refer to the individual performances. Saturday & Sunday programming is all-ages.
Accessibility: Market Hall is wheelchair-accessible and provides a hearing assist system. You can find their venue guide here. Nicholls Oval Park has accessible washrooms. They will supplement those with nearby accessible washrooms and washing stations during the festival. The hilltop area of the festival with its Food Village, Artisan Village, Children’s Village, Nicholls Oval Pavilion/Cameron’s Pavilion, Generation Solar Stage and Merchandise Booth is relatively level but bumpy. They’ll have an accessible viewing area on the hilltop for viewing Main Stage performances. The hillside that overlooks the Main Stage is not accessible due to its slope. More info here.
Refund policy: Please contact Market Hall (Kick Off Concert) or the organizer.