KEMPENFEST.
COMMUNITY THAT CONNECTS YOU.

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Don’t Miss the

Festival of the Summer!

Celebrating 52 Years of Kempenfest

Kempenfest is Barrie Ontario’s signature festival event, celebrating 53 years Aug 1-4, 2025, located across two-kilometers of Barrie’s beautiful waterfront.

The annual event is one of Ontario’s largest waterfront festivals, featuring 300 arts & crafts vendors, a midway, youth village, antiques, face painters, buskers, great food, a poutine village, and two stages of live music!

Kempenfest attracts over 100,000 patrons per year, and is recognized in Ontario’s Top 100 Festivals & Events in Ontario (as per FEO 2024).

Days of Music

Days of Art

KMs of Waterfront

Kids Village

HISTORY

Celebrating 53 years of Kempenfest

On the Civic holiday in August 1971, a handful of artists gathered in Barrie at the Formosa Springs Brewery to display their art on snow fencing, hoping to sell a few pieces. This was the moment that birthed what was to become Kempenfest.

That first “original art only” event was juried and open to both members and non-members alike, and its success was due entirely to the efforts of Raymond Marshall and a handful of Barrie Art Club members.

As both a Barrie Art Club member and a member of the Kiwanis Club of Barrie, Marshall was eager to produce a quality art show. With an entourage, Marshall attended events across the country, collecting information from show organizers. He then coordinated all aspects of the event, and art club volunteers assisted with advertising, promotion, and creation of an application form.

Today, Kempenfest is one of the largest outdoor arts, crafts, and music festivals in North America.

By 1975, the show had outgrown its original home. The City of Barrie invited the event to move to Centennial Beach, and the entire waterfront became its present location. The Kiwanis Club joined as co-sponsor of the event, adding food to the venue. The two clubs then invited crafters to show and sell their wares. Recognizing the fundraising opportunities, other community service clubs were quick to join. Food booths, entertainment, midway, beverage gardens, and other facilities were added, and soon the show was bursting at the seams.

While each sub-group was responsible for their separate venue, they shared a common goal – to ensure the event’s success! A board was then formed to include a hands-on representative from each club. They named this governing body, Kempenfest.

Today, Kempenfest is one of the largest outdoor arts, crafts, and music festivals in North America. Featuring over 300 juried artisans and crafters, 4 days of live music on two stages, a midway, over 15 different food vendors, juried artisans, antiques, and so much fun you will want to attend every day.

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