Festival Info & FAQ's

How much are tickets? And where can I get them?

We have:

• Individual Day Pass
• Weekend Pass
• Flex Pass (Good For Either Saturday Or Sunday)

Special discounts for seniors, youth, and young adults.

Children 13 and under enter for free (when accompanied by an adult.)

Tickets are non-refundable. The festival goes on rain or shine, and we have tents at most stages to keep you covered in either case.Get ticket information here or call (519) 371-2995

Friday ~ 4:00 pm – music from 5:30 pm until 1:00 am

With the purchase of a Festival Sustainer Tarp, you’ll be allowed entry to the festival grounds one hour before the gates open to the public to reserve your spot in the Amphitheatre.

Saturday ~ 10:00 am – music from 11:00 am until 1:00 am

With the purchase of a Festival Sustainer Tarp, you’ll be allowed entry to the festival grounds one hour before the gates open to the public to reserve your spot in the Amphitheatre.

Sunday ~ 10:00 am – music from 10:30 am until 11:00 pm

Patrons must line up prior to these times, as no entry into the park is permitted before the gates open (with the exception of accredited/registered volunteers.)

Lineup Numbers:

Numbered cards will be handed out to folks waiting in line, prior to the gates opening. This is done to prevent folks from skipping the lineup and rushing into the amphitheatre. Once you have been given a number, you may leave the lineup and return without losing your spot in line.

Once the gates open, when your number is called, you will be able to enter the festival grounds and set up your seat(s) in the amphitheatre if you wish. If you’re not present when your number is called, the next number will be called, and so on.

Numbers will be handed out at these times:

• Friday 3:00 pm
• Saturday 8:30 am
• Sunday 8:30 am

Stop by our JUST ASK (Access Support Krew) Tent for assistance, a place to rest, or to get information on accessibility, including the best pathways to stages, vendors, workshop sites, washroom facilities, as well as medical suppliers.

Large-print and Braille schedules are also available ~ JUST ASK.

Summerfolk is committed to offering exceptional service to its patrons by providing an environment that is inclusive, accessible, and respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. In order to help us maintain these standards, please check in with the Summerfolk Festival JUST ASK team upon arrival, if you are a person with a disability who requires assistance to participate in the festival or in the event of an emergency evacuation.

Bring a lawn chair of your own, but remember the Amphitheatre Seating policy and keep it practical and friendly.

Please note that umbrellas are not permitted in the amphitheatre, as they obstruct the view of the stage for fellow patrons. (Tarps and ponchos are encouraged, in the event of inclement weather.)

Accessible Seating: For patrons and their companions wishing to enter the Amphitheatre area, please advise the volunteers located at the entrance to the venue. Should you wish, they will have the ASK Team guide you to an accessible seating area.

The curb lanes of the main road servicing the park are designated for parking free of charge. There is also free parking at Timothy Christian School (1735 4th Ave W, Owen Sound, ON), in the north end parking area of the Rexall Health Team building (1415 – 1st Avenue West), and on the residential streets surrounding the park.

Please respect the residents and the neighbourhood.

Accessible Parking: Due to limited availability, only those patrons with an official Accessible Parking Permit recognized by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation will be able to park in the accessible parking area.

Fifteen (15) accessible parking spots are available at the front gate. If all of the designated accessible parking spots are occupied when you arrive, our parking volunteers will help you find a suitable parking alternative.

REQUESTS for accessible parking can be made prior to the event ~ Click here

Hotels, motels, and camping are all options for accommodations during the festival. 

Owen Sound is a town of about 22,000 so accommodations tend to fill up very early for Summerfolk weekend. We recommend that you book your accommodations early.

Limited on-site camping is available for volunteers only.

Yes, please bring your camera! We would love to share your photos of the great times, good friends and excellent entertainment Summerfolk brings each year. We would love you to tag us at @summerfolk

Copyright laws prohibit the videotaping or recording of any artists appearing at the festival. No professional cameras, video and/or recording equipment is allowed on the grounds, unless permission/Media Accreditation has been authorized.

No – we also have individual day passes available! And Flex Passes which are good for either Saturday or Sunday. For more ticket information, click here

Yes! We love it when folks of all ages join in the fun. We’re excited to offer ticket pricing options for adults, seniors, young adults, and youth. Plus, kids 13 and under get in for free! For tickets ~ Click here

NEW! We also have an on-site Baby Station beside the First Aid tent, to provide a quiet space for diaper changes, feeding, resting, etc.

Sorry, no pets (no matter how awesome) are allowed on the festival site. Service animals are permitted but must be properly harnessed/identified.

As part of Summerfolk’s commitment to respectfully accommodate our patrons with disabilities, service animals are welcome to attend the festival, as well as our offices, with those who require them.

Please note that all service animals will receive a band to be worn on their collar at the Accreditation tent near the Front entrance, beside the Box Office. This will allow Summerfolk volunteers to identify legitimate service animals on the festival grounds. Under the Human Rights Code and the AODA, service animals do not need to have certificates or identity cards.

One of two conditions must apply for your animal to be considered a service animal:

1. The animal is easily identifiable as relating to your disability (for example, it is a guide dog or other animal wearing a vest or harness)
2. You can provide documentation from a regulated health professional confirming the animal is required due to a disability.

It is important for service dogs to be identifiable to other patrons as well.

Some people have animal allergies, and the festival advertises and upholds a no dog policy. The owner of any dog on the festival site not wearing a band issued by the festival will be directed to Accreditation to verify their legitimacy as a service animal.

Other arrangements will need to be made if the service dog exhibits any negative behaviour such as barking, biting, growling or uncontrolled running.

Children may be registered free of charge at the First Aid Trailer. Children and adults will have a corresponding number written on their wristbands. As there was no admission charge for a child, a wristband will be given at the time.

If a child is lost, ambassador crews are notified and a volunteer will stay with the child and take them to the First Aid/Lost Kids area. ONLY the identification number will be broadcast from the stages to inform the adults.

If the child has not been registered, the proper identification will be required to the satisfaction of a volunteer ambassador or a police officer before the child is released to any adult. We do not offer babysitting services and children are not permitted to be left alone while participating in Family Village activities.

Lost & Found items will be kept at the Information Booth, located near the festival main gates.

After the festival, Lost & Found items will be brought to the GBFS Office, located at the Harmony Centre Owen Sound 890 4th Ave E, Owen Sound, ON N4K 2N7

You can park your bike at the bicycle corral, located south of the Ticket Booth near the Main Gate. Please do not park your bike along the fencing/parking lot – we provide a designated/contained area for cyclists to lock their bikes. Locks are your responsibility!

Bicycles are not permitted throughout the festival site.

Yes!For the first time, the festival grounds will be licensed to consume alcohol with the exception of the Reconciliation Garden. Get a wristband by showing your government-issued photo ID (near the Main Gate). Please note:

• If you plan on drinking, you must bring a government issued photo ID. 
• When exiting the festival grounds, any open drinks cannot go with you.

Festival goers are prohibited from bringing alcohol or drugs onto the grounds. Our on-site security crew and festival ambassador volunteers have the right to search containers and confiscate any prohibited materials.

Make sure you bring a reusable water bottle! We have water refill stations throughout the park, so there’s no need to bring plastic/single-use bottles. Do your part to keep Summerfolk green! If you need one, we will also have them for sale at our General Store on the festival grounds.

Pack what you’ll need for the ranging and changing temperatures. Kelso Beach at Nawash Park is next to Georgian Bay on Lake Huron, which can make for cold nights. You’ll want bathers and a jumper!

Definitely bring rain gear, but umbrellas are not permitted in the Amphitheatre as they block the view of your fellow concert goers. Ponchos are an ideal cover for you and your chair.

Bring a lawn chair of your own, but remember the Amphitheatre Seating policy and keep it practical and friendly.

We have a great food village offering a range of culinary temptations including vegetarian and some gluten free options.

Feel free to bring your own food and snacks; there are picnic tables situated throughout the park. But a picnic isn’t necessary.

For more information on the eats available at the festival this year, click here!

There is no smoking in public areas including the Amphitheatre, the Family Village, and in the Sharing Circle. The entire footage of the licensed areas (Down By the Bay tent, Backstage Bar and the Gazebo Wine Bar) are smoke-free as well.

It is the policy of the city of Owen Sound that no person shall “smoke” on any “public playing field”, “playground equipment zone” or other “public recreation place” as defined in the city policy.

Under NEW provincial law as of January 2015, there is no smoking allowed on or surrounding (within 20 meters) any sporting event field. Therefore, there is NO SMOKING ALLOWED within or surrounding the Volunteer Camping area (because it is located on a soccer field) and/or the baseball diamond.

Please be aware of others and use the sand pails provided for cigarette butts.

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