Peterborough in the Spotlight with Three Awards from Festivals and Events Ontario

Peterborough is celebrating its reputation for vibrant festivals and events as three city festivals are being recognized with awards from Festivals and Events Ontario. Peterborough Musicfest and the Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour have been named among the Festivals and Events Ontario (FEO) Top 100, while Peterborough Folk Festival has received an award in recognition of its environmental leadership.

“We’re proud that Peterborough continues to be a vibrant and sought-after festival destination, and we’re excited to celebrate alongside three local events being recognized by Festivals and Events Ontario,” said Peterborough Mayor Jeff Leal. “Congratulations to Peterborough Folk Festival for receiving the Sustainability Award – a nod to their longstanding environmental leadership – and to Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour and Peterborough Musicfest on being named among the Top 100 Festivals. Each of these honours highlight the creativity, dedication, and community spirit that defines our city’s rich cultural offerings.”

Peterborough Tourism, the City’s tourism service delivery and marketing program, provides a broad range of wraparound supports for festivals and events in the city, including funding for these award applications. Other supports include funding through the community service grant program, in-kind production and operational supports, as well as incorporation into marketing campaigns.

Peterborough Folk Festival’s Sustainability Award (operating budget $100,000 - $500,000) recognizes festivals and events that implement innovative and effective sustainability initiatives, including waste reduction, energy efficiency, community engagement, and environmentally responsible operations.

As recipients of the FEO Top 100 Awards, Peterborough Musicfest and the Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour, are being celebrated as province-wide leaders for their innovation, uniqueness, economic contributions, and leadership.

These award-winning festivals will take place this summer and fall on the following dates:

• Peterborough Musicfest, Wednesday and Saturday nights, June 27 – August 19, 2026
• Peterborough Folk Festival, August 13-16, 2026
• Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour, September 26 -27, 2026

Details about these, and other upcoming festivals and events in Peterborough can be found at ptbotourism.ca/events.

Quotes

"We are deeply honoured to see the Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour (KAST) recognized as one of Ontario's Top 100 Events and celebrated alongside the province's leading cultural events. For more than four decades, the Art Gallery of Peterborough has been proud to steward this tour, supporting artists, fostering meaningful community connections, and welcoming thousands of visitors to experience the creativity that defines our region. This recognition belongs to the artists who open their studios each year, the sponsors who champion this work, our dedicated staff, and the many visitors who make it part of their autumn tradition. It stands as a powerful affirmation of the extraordinary artistic talent in our region and the cultural impact of KAST."

- Andrew Ihamaki, Education Programming Coordinator, Art Gallery of Peterborough

“On behalf of the Board of Directors of Peterborough Folk Festival, I want to express how honoured we are to receive the 2026 Festivals and Events Ontario Sustainability Award recognizing a value that has guided our festival for 37 years. This recognition is a testament to the extraordinary work behind the scenes by our volunteers and community partners: the teams scrubbing dishes, parking bikes, sorting waste and recycling, and supplying on site solar energy. It takes a village to run a sustainable festival, and this honour belongs to the dedicated community that makes it possible.”

- Emma MacDonald, Eco Committee Chair, Peterborough Folk Festival

"We’re incredibly proud to be recognized as a Top 100 Festival by Festival & Events Ontario (FEO). This honour reflects the dedication of our volunteers, sponsors, artists and audiences — and it also highlights the importance of strong local partnerships. As an independent, community-supported not-for-profit organization, we are especially grateful to Peterborough Tourism for their support throughout the application process and for their continued efforts in positioning our region as a vibrant cultural destination. Musicfest succeeds because of the ecosystem around it, and this recognition belongs to the entire community.”

- Tracey Randall, Executive Director, Peterborough Musicfest