The Emancipation Festival invites you to the annual picnic and festival to celebrate Emancipation Day and 162 years of the longest continuous festival in North America!

Bring your picnic basket and join us for a day filled with camaraderie, reflection and story telling,

Live entertainment, information tables, food vendors, silent auction, robotics demonstration, races and more!
9 am - Welcome and registration (picnic entrances)

10 am - Light breakfast ($10) and mingling

11 am - Black History Cairn Ceremony

• Greetings by Town Crier of the Emancipation, Land Acknowledgment, M`Wikwedong Indigenous Friendship Centre Drummers, Blessing (Tania Meikle), Remarks by Dignitaries (Deputy Mayor of Owen Sound Scott Greig, Mayor of Georgian Bluffs Sue Carleton, Member of Provincial Parliament of Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound Rick Byers, and Member of Parliament of Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound Alex Ruff) , Black History Cairn presentation (Bonita Johnson deMatteis) & 20th anniversary group photo

Noon - 6 pm

• Live entertainment - Joel Morelli, Kaiya Cade Smith Blackburn, and the Blackburn Brothers (tent)

• Written word presentations and races (Black History Cairn)

• Enjoy the performances, mingle, visit the information booths and food vendors, check out the silent auction and robotics demonstration, prize draws and more ! (picnic grounds)

This event is free. As a not-for-profit organization, donations are welcome and appreciated. You will receive a souvenir token of appreciation and a ticket for a draw.

Help us reach our annual fundraising goal!