Muskoka may be best known as a summer destination for enjoyment of its lakes and rivers. However, all four seasons in Muskoka have their turns as opportunities to explore and enjoy the region.

Local businesses and development organizations, and the dedicated individuals who work for them, have diligently worked to expand the offerings for those who visit, cottage and live in Muskoka. Organizations throughout the district, such as chambers of commerce, service clubs, business improvement organizations and economic development groups often join together to launch and continue outdoor events that highlight Muskoka’s natural beauty and fun in every season.

Muskoka’s four seasons may overlap and blend as they transition from one to another. Outdoor events often mark either the peak of a season or the start of a new one. Summer is the definitive time to “get outside” but it’s no longer the only one. Muskoka’s event calendar has filled up, offering festivals, events, concerts and performances at any time of year.

Often more than just a single experience, outdoor festivals in Muskoka can be a chance to try new activities, for kids and adults. You’ve never seen a cranberry bog? Muskoka has that. Want to try snow tubing for the first time? You can do that too. You haven’t tasted maple taffy made on snow? That’s right, you can try it here.

Whether you’re experiencing something for the first time or it’s an annual tradition, outdoor festivals and events demonstrate the dynamic nature of Muskoka’s entertainment, arts and hospitality industries. Whether an event is based on a holiday, a tradition or the time of year, Muskoka events are one-of-a-kind. Are you ready to fill your calendar?

Winter

Winter festivals throughout the region, such as Bracebridge’s Fire and Ice Festival, Port Carling Winterfest, Dorset’s Snowball Winter Carnival, Gravenhurst Winter Carnival and Huntsville Snowfest, make the most of the cold. 

Winter events can mean all kinds of weather – snow, wind, ice, cold and even sunshine. Whatever the weather is doing outside, as long as you’re bundled up, festivities can help keep you warm. From night skating to outdoor games to sliding down a tube hill on main street, winter is no longer just a time to hibernate.

 Spring

In Muskoka, spring can bring any mixture of weather – a late snowstorm is just as possible as rain or sun. As the snow recedes and the ground thaws, the tradition of maple syrup making takes centre stage. The Muskoka Maple Trail and Muskoka Maple Festival celebrate the sweetness of spring. 

While maple is at the forefront, there’s much more. Spring art shows, Easter egg hunts, and even the first farmer’s markets of the year take place before summer officially begins.

Outdoor athletic events also begin to take off in spring, including the Spin the Lakes cycling tour, that challenges riders with various routes in Muskoka’s scenic landscape. Similarly, as the weather warms, craft beer and food events start to line up as Victoria Day weekend approaches.

Summer

Sweet summer events range from concerts and music festivals in open-air amphitheatres, like Muskoka Chautauqua, Muskoka Music Festival and Tall Pines Music and Arts Festival, to triathlons, marathons, duathalons and fun runs that explore Muskoka’s roads and waterways. 

Summer regattas and boat shows, like the Muskoka Boat and Cottage Show, Rotary Dockfest, Muskoka Lakes Association Antique Boat Show, the Antique and Classic Boat Society’s Summer Vintage Boat Show, commemorate Muskoka’s boating past and present. Cruising the lakes is an iconic summer activity and, whether you’ve done it before or not, seeing historic boats in the water is incredible.

Sunshine, fresh air and warm nights also lead to outdoor art, with events like Baysville Arts and Crafts Festival, Nuit Blanche North, and Muskoka Arts & Crafts Summer Show, to name a few. While so many artists draw inspiration from Muskoka’s landscape, summer events connect directly to that creativity.

 Fall

As the days get shorter, the temperatures begin to drop and the trees start to change their colours, fall festivals celebrate both the end of summer and the preparation of the harvest for the winter. 

Rosseau Pumpkin Festival and Bala Cranberry Festival bring fall harvest to the forefront, highlighting foods and activities that peak during the season. While both events came to be thanks to their respective food items, their expansion celebrates the culmination of a fruitful summer.

Fall fairs take place in every community in the region to honour agriculture and the importance it plays in our lives, historically and today. What could be seen as a last hurrah before the snow flies is also a peak time to enjoy outdoor activities, sans snow.

Whatever the season, whether you have a favourite or not, Muskoka is filled with exciting opportunities to enjoy each one. Local or visitor, prepare