Slow down summer! But not to fear – there are oodles of fun family happenings coming up this August and September to make these fantastic Prince Edward County summer feels last as long as possible.

We hope you enjoy this guide to a fun, family-friendly second half of summer in the County! As always, we’ll be adding new events as we go, so check back frequently. If you’re still looking for summertime childcare options over the next month, check out our Summer Day Camp Guide.

Image – Early August ramble in the sunflower fields at Sunnydale Farms.

Special events

August

August 3rd – From 12-3 at Ameliasburgh Heritage Village, celebrate “Princess Amelia’s 241st Birthday” with the Ameliasburgh Heritage Hub! This is a community birthday honouring the namesake of Ameliasburgh with live music, bouncy castle, face painting, games, crafts, a “royal procession” and of course – birthday cake. Check out their Facebook page for details.

August 10th is Consecon Day and the Soapbox Derby! Kids 7-12 can participate in the Derby – registration is at 9:30, races at 10:30 (helmet, close-toed shoes, and long sleeve shirts required). Free food for kids, free face painting, street dance! See Ameliasburgh Recreation Committee Facebook group for updates.

August 9th-11th – Mini fans of “things that go” might enjoy a visit to the Prince Edward Auto Club’s annual Street Meet taking place from 9-3 each day at their Club House – 800 Whitney Road, Ameliasburgh. There will be a kids’ zone with goodie bags and more. Admission is $5/person. Facebook page here.

August 10th-11th – The Tyendinaga Traditional Pow Wow is back! The event will include 90+ Indigenous vendor booths and music and dancing. General admission is $12 per person, per day, seniors are $6 and children 5 and under get in free (you can purchase on the website here). First time or need a refresher? Here is a helpful Pow Wow Etiquette article.

August 17th is Hillier Park Day! Taking place from 12-4 at Jack Taylor Bicentennial Park (Station Road at Loyalist Parkway), there will Hamburgers & Hotdogs (12-2), free books from County Kids Read, face painting, kite flying, kids’ games and prizes, and more! There will also be a pancake breakfast from 10-11:30. Details on the Hillier Recreation Committee’s website.

August 18th is the H.J. McFarland Memorial Home Community Carnival! Free entry ($5 for BBQ meal) – face painting, games, obstacle course, inflatables, balloon twisting. Details here.

August 17th is Athol Day! The Athol Recreation Committee is hosting Athol Day from 11-3 at Athol South Marysburgh School. Community BBQ (by donation), live music, circus workshop, Department of Illumination’s Boxtopia, inflatables, balloon animals, and more! Info on their Facebook page.

August 17th and 18th – The County Museums are hosting a weekend of Midsummer Fun Days where visitors of all ages can create their own Fairy Garden! At Ameliasburgh Heritage Village from 11-2.

August 23rd – From 2-5 p.m. join the Bloomfield-Hallowell branch of the Library for their 101st birthday party! Kids’ activities, cake, lemonade, and entertainment will be on offer. Details here.

August 24th – From 10-12 join County Kids Read and friends for their 15th Birthday Bash at Benson Park! To celebrate CKR’s 15th anniversary, there will be storytimes, live poetry with Karen from Free Range Poetry, crafts with Nell Casson, bubble machine, lawn games, and of course – birthday cupcakes! Details will be posted on their Facebook page.

August 24th is The County Showcase, a fundraising event at The Crystal Palace for Baxter Arts Centre’s aerial rig and Pure Joy Dance’s new studio floor. From 10-5 is free access for community, with performances and vendors, and $10 mini aerial silks workshops for kids ages 5+ (sign up here). Facebook event here.

August 24th – The Sophiasburgh Recreation Committee is hosting their Summer Splash event again at Centennial Park in Northport from 11-3. Water curtain at 1:15 sharp, bouncy castles, dunk tank, live music, face painting. Free lemonade and hot dogs. Check their Facebook page for details.

August 25th – The Prince Edward County Chamber Music Festival is hosting a free outdoor concert featuring the Hannaford Street Silver Band at 2 p.m. in Macaulay Heritage Park – a unique opportunity to see and hear a top-notch brass ensemble in the County! Info here.

September aka…. Fair Time!

September 6th-8th – The Picton Fair celebrates its 186th year! Check out all the details on their website.

September 14th – The Milford Fall Fair returns for its 77th edition! Info here.

September 20th-22nd – The Prince Edward County Studio Tour takes place all weekend from 10-5 – little ones will love getting a glimpse into artists’ studios across the County. Some artists (including a glass-blower) will be doing live demonstrations!

September 21st is the Ameliasburgh Fall Fair! Check out the details on their website.

September 28th – The County Adaptation Film Festival is hosting several truth and reconciliation activities, including a VR experience. And from 1PM to 4PM the Whispering Winds Singers & Dancers, and the Tyendinaga Women’s Water Drum Singers will be performing at the Picton Armoury square – stop by for drumming, singing, dancing, story sharing. The Sidewalk Sale will also be on all day!

Weekly Events

Monday evenings – Art Kitchen, a free drop-in artmaking program takes place from 5-7 at London Avenue Park in the Macaulay Village / Picton Heights neighbourhood. Everyone is welcome, free! County Kids Read will also be on site giving out free books to kids.

Tuesday evenings – From June 11th to September 3rd, the Prince Edward County Lions Club’s Music in the Park summer concert series – live music and a hotdog BBQ – takes place on Tuesday evenings in Wellington Park. June-July shows start at 6:30, August-September at 6 p.m.

Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 12-2 – All ages, free, indoor rollerskating at the Picton Arena (no skating on Monday the 5th due to the holiday) – BYO rollerskates/rollerblades. They also have a nighttime skate coming up on Friday August 9th from 7-9. Brought to you by Save the Wheels PEC.

Friday evenings are Family-Friendly at Base 31’s Night Watch experience! “After nightfall, transport yourself into the nighttime world of illuminated spectacle. Equipped with a magical lantern, embark on a journey through 10 immersive exhibits brought to life with dynamic lighting, spectacular video projections and a soundscape for adventure.” On Fridays, groups of 4 or more adults and/or children can purchase a Family Ticket Bundle with a savings of 20% per ticket. Night Watch also runs on Saturday nights.

Saturdays in August 2024 from 10-3 – Heal with Horses is hosting Barnyard Bonanza Days – for $25 per person or $80 for a group of 4, you can cuddle with Heal with Horses’ brood of barnyard animals. Just drop in!

Harvest

Pick-your-own (PYO) Produce

Campbell’s Orchards in Carrying Place will be offering apple picking – possibly by late August, definitely by September! Check their website for updates. Say hello to the resident animals, hit the playground, and reward yourselves with apple fritters and other treats.

The Blueberry Patch in Waupoos offers PYO blueberries and also has a farm stand with a variety of ready-picked fruit. Once open for picking, they are open 7 days a week from 9-5. Cash only! Please call to confirm they are still open for U-pick – 613 476 1309.

(2024 season is over) – Waupoos U-Pick Highbush Blueberries offers PYO blueberries.

(2024 season is over) Laura’s Blueberry Farm, located close to Sandbanks’ Dunes Beach area, offers free picking – they simply ask that you pick one container for them for every one you take home. Otherwise, 1 pint = $5. BYO containers, or purchase on site for 25 cents. Pesticide-free! Their season generally runs until mid-August – check their website and social media pages for updates.

Farm experiences

Noble Beast Farms is offering a few different alpaca experiences. Check out the options and prices here.

Struisvogel Ranch offers $5 self-guided Ostrich Walks from Thursday-Monday from 11-5.

LOHA farms also offers farm tours to meet their pigs, goats, chickens, ducks, and sheep; message them to book a time.

There are a few other farms where kids can interact (mostly from a distance) with farm animals:

• Hagerman Farms, just outside of Picton on the way to Bloomfield, is one of our favourite spots – enjoy a treat from Farmhouse Eats cafe, pick up gorgeous local produce, and say hello to the animals hanging out in the outdoor pens.
• You can say hello (from outside the gate) to some furry friends including goats across from Waupoos Estates Winery & Restaurant. It would be unwise to leave without sampling from the winery’s extensive array of chocolate, candy, and gelato treats across the street!
• Carson’s Garden & Market has a friendly goat herd on site!

The fields at Prince Edward County Lavender will be in full bloom in July. You can take a wander through the fields for $8/person (kids 12 and under are free). The store carries a variety of lavender-flavoured treats, including gelato, shortbread, and chocolate bars.

Sunnydale Farms and Sunflower Fields Ice Cream Shoppe offer access to their sunflower fields for a small fee during their brief but beautiful mid-summer bloom period – check their social channels for updates on timing!

Farmers’ markets

Stroll the stalls and sample the treats at the Wellington Farmers’ Market (Saturdays 9-1:30), Wellington Community Market (Saturdays 9-1) and the Picton Town Hall Farmers’ Market (Sundays 9-2). Bonus – the latter two are both playground adjacent – Wellington Park and Benson Park respectively; and the Eddie Hotel & Farm where the WFM is located offers lots of gorgeous nature to run around in.

Mini-Putt, Model Train, and the Beach!

Here’s a special one – visit the Glenora Getaway‘s G Scale (outdoor) model train! The owner welcomes visitors during the summer months, but please message them first to confirm opening hours.

The County’s mini golf destination, Caddy Shack, is open for business on weekends, and as of June 27th will switch to 7 days a week. – $15/adult, $10/youth (7-15), $5/kids 6 and under (tax included). Hit the patio for wood-fired pizzas and sweet treats. Karaoke on Tuesday evenings, live music on Thursday evenings.

Hit the beach, but if you’re heading to Sandbanks (Outlet, Dunes, or Lakeshore Beach) or North Beach Provincial Parks, be sure to make a day use reservation first! You can reserve 5 days in advance, and print out and place the confirmation on your dash to skip the check-in line.

Check out our handy lists of County beaches and other outdoor recreation spots and playgrounds for more outdoor fun ideas during the warmer months. The Hub’s Early ON program also hosts outdoor playgroups!

Art and Film Appreciation

Enjoy art “en plein air” at the Oeno Gallery Sculpture Garden! A new exhibition is installed each May, and the garden is open every day from dawn ’til dusk. Free to enter, but donations welcome.

The Mustang Drive-In shows double features every Wednesday – Sunday; show-time is just after sunset. Entry is $30 per car load of up to 5 people. Check out the lineup here, and make sure to read through the Rules/FAQ section. Pro-tip – BYO mosquito covering for your windows!

County Creative Studio offers pottery painting sessions and other art workshops for kids and adults.

(Mostly) Indoor Fun

The Prince Edward Fitness and Aquatic Centre offers indoor public swims – check out the schedule and fees on their website (click on Aquatic Programs). Currently (summer 2024) it’s running Monday-Friday 1-3 p.m. and every 3rd Tuesday of the month from 7-8:30 p.m.

The PEC Public Library is running a wide variety of children’s programming all summer long!

Escape Camp Picton is offering one outdoor adventure (Master Spy Academy) and two indoor escape adventures (A Spy’s Workshop and The Secret Guild) this summer. Check out the “Age Restrictions” section in the FAQ for more info on playing with kids!

The Hub Child & Family Centre hosts playgroups across the County most days of the week – indoors and outdoors! Check the schedule here.

All of the County Museums are currently open! Ameliasburgh Heritage Village, Macaulay Church Museum, and Wellington Heritage Museum are open Wed-Sun 10-4, and Rose House Museum and Mariners Park Museum are open Fri-Sun 10-4. Check their website for details.

We haven’t had a chance to update it lately, but also check out this Indoor Activities In and Around Prince Edward County post!