Mississauga Festivals to Check Out This Summer

Festival season is officially upon us in Mississauga.  The weather is warming up (finally!), the layers are coming off, and it’s the time to spend days outside with live entertainment, pints of beer and food trucks.  We have quite the summer ahead of us in Mississauga, so we’ve nailed down festivals you’d be crazy to pass up! 

Carassauga: Mississauga’s Festival of Cultures

WHEN: May 23^rd-25^th
WHERE: Hershey Centre
COST: $10 for the weekend 

Entering its 28^th year, Carassauga represents cultural diversity at its best.  This 3 day festival allows you to experience the culture of 72 different countries, including Egypt, Greece, Africa, and Croatia.  There are 28 pavilions which feature activities relevant to their respective country, such as music, cuisine, fashion, art, and dance.  The festival also has a new addition this year: George Kent Marketplace.  The marketplace will feature goods from cultural vendors and artisans.  The Toonie Taste is a great choice if you’re looking to sample international cuisine; you can purchase small taster plates at the pavilions for only a toonie.  If you’re planning on bringing along the little ones, there’s a Kid Zone which has children friendly activities and musical entertainment.  As a bonus, when you purchase a weekend passport for the festival, you can ride free on MiWay Transit during festival hours. 

What you need to check out: Cooking classes with samples of exotic food!

MWF (Mississauga Waterfront Festival)

WHEN: June 13^th-15^th
WHERE: Port Credit Memorial Park
COST: Free! 

Started in 1998, Mississauga Waterfront Festival has established itself as a family festival.  In its 17 years it has more than quadrupled its numbers, averaging 50,000 attendees in recent years.  MWF features ample entertainment for kids including a children’s stage, face painting, educational programs, and pony rides.  As for adults hoping to get the full festival experience, there’s a beer garden, food trucks (since pulled pork poutine is best enjoyed with brews), and classic carnival carts used to sell local goods and arts and crafts.  The Monster Rock Orchestra, who just won the People’s Choice Award at the MARTYS, will be rocking the main stage again this year on both nights of the festival.  This year is particularly exciting for us as we have announced the InSauga.com Roller Jam.  On Friday the 13th, Port Credit Arena will be turned into a roller rink featuring Russell Peter’s tour DJ, DJ Starting From Scratch.  The roller jam as well as the festival are both all ages, so you can bring out the whole family; there’s something for everyone this year! 

What you need to check out: The insauga.com Roller Jam, because you love us, right?

Port Credit Buskerfest

WHEN: August 15^th-17^th
WHERE: Port Credit Memorial Park
COST: Free, but bring a pocket full of change for the buskers 

Buskerfest is a unique event that takes place in the streets of Port Credit.  This three day festival has a circus-like feel to it, with street performers performing wild feats to appease the onlookers for hopes of some change to rattle in their hats.  With over 40 professional buskers, the festival calls attention to mimes, sword swallowers, acrobats, contortionists, and the list goes on and on.  There are astounding fire shows and a thrilling finale on Sunday, where all the buskers perform together in one huge show.  This festival is a must attend if you’re hoping to see something different from the typical festival ensemble.  Prepare to be amazed. 

What you need to check out: Buskerfest is still preparing to announce this year’s performers, so we’ll keep our ears to the ground to let you know what to look forward to! 

Rock The Coliseum
WHEN: August 15^th-16^th
WHERE: Mississauga City Hall Amphitheatre
COST: Free!

There’s a bit of a hidden amphitheatre attached to City Hall and it is home to Rock The Coliseum; a two day music festival which showcases local talent of various genres, from funk to post-punk and everything in between.  RTC is held with a clear goal in mind: to emphasize on the importance of celebrating the local music scene.  Putting aside the live music aspect of the festival, they also include a live break dancing battle and local vendors can register to put up shop for the duration of the festival to sell their goods to attendees.  If you’re looking for somewhere to rock out for the weekend, this festival is definitely for you. 

What you need to check out: The break dancing battle.  The energy is incredible! 

Tim Hortons South Side Shuffle
WHEN: September 5^th-7^th
WHERE: Port Credit Memorial Park
COST: Free-$10 per day, or $20 for a weekend pass

At the end of the summer, if you don’t feel like rocking out, there’s a festival that will allow you to relax and enjoy the cooling temperatures in September.  South Side Shuffle is the premier Jazz and Blues festival in Port Credit.  The festival presents over 150 Canadian and International acts on four stages in Memorial Park, as well as a free Street Shuffle on the 6^th so that you can dance in the streets while enjoying the musical talent that takes over the patios, doorsteps and streets in the village.  In typical festival fashion, Memorial Park has a vendor area, beer garden, and food court so that you can spend the day relaxing and gearing down from your festival filled summer with a weekend of blues, jazz, beer, and dancing.  Sounds like my kind of weekend. 

What you need to check out: The Street Shuffle, touted as channeling a Mardi-Gras type atmosphere that’s sure to get your toes tapping.

Mississauga Rotary Ribfest
WHEN: July 17^th-20^th
WHERE: Celebration Square
COST: Free entry

What kind of festival guide would this be if we left off Ribfest?  This annual event is your chance to spend your day gorging on delicious ribs, drinking beer, enjoying live music and going home slightly (or very) sticky with barbecue sauce.  I can hardly think of a better way to spend my time.  With 12 ribbers setting up shop in Celebration Square, you have the overwhelming task of deciding how to narrow down where you plan to stuff your face for the day.  There’s also a beer garden, other delicious food vendors (if you even have room for that), live music and silly foam hats that I’ll never quite understand.  

What you need to check out: If you’re looking for something to complement your rib plate, go for the pulled pork sandwich or a bloomin onion.

Click here to view the rest of the exciting festivals going on in Mississauga this summer>