There are many terrific August events happening in Guelph & Wellington County, it’s going to be hard to decide how to fit them all into your calendar.

Our region is a fantastic place to get out and explore the great outdoors, enjoy live music, take in some culture, check out some fine art, and have fun with the whole family.

Here are a few of the wonderful, local events happening this month:

39th Annual Insights Juried Exhibition of Fine Arts

Insights is one of the most important and highly-regarded annual juried art exhibitions in all of Ontario. Held at the Wellington County Museum, the exhibition encourages and honours excellence, high levels of accomplishment, and innovative approaches to artistic expression in the work of local artists.

The exhibition is open daily and entrance is by optional donation. For more information, visit the Insights website.

Aberfoyle Antique Market

The Aberfoyle Antique Market is Canada’s oldest, and largest, outdoor antique market. The market hosts over 100 antique dealers, offering a wide range of collectibles, furniture, folk art, and more. A family-friendly location, the market has a play area, onsite restaurant, patio space to relax, and a delicious ice cream vendor.

The market is open every Sunday and entrance is $2 per adult. For more information, visit the Aberfoyle Antique Market website.

Fergus Scottish Festival

The Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games is the largest highland games event outside of Scotland. The Festival is a fun salute to Scottish tradition and celebrates all things Scottish with a focus on traditional events, dancing, piping, clans, interactive family fun, and community involvement.

The festival takes place from August 10-12 and tickets are available online. For more information, visit the Fergus Scottish Festival website.

The Pirate Festival

This year marks the 12th year of The Pirate Festival and features a cast and crew of pirates and vendors from across North America; live demonstrations of blacksmithing, leather-working, and boat building; and a variety of live music and shows. Fun for the whole family, this event offers a wide variety of entertainment, a marketplace, and a dining area.

The festival takes place in Guelph from August 4-6 and tickets are available at the event. For more information, visit The Pirate Festival website.

Riverfest

Now in its 10th year, Riverfest is a celebration of music in the heart of Elora. Featuring a wide variety of solo musicians and bands, the festival has something for everyone. Offering arts and craft vendors, food trucks, and community engagement, Riverfest is an outdoor music festival that celebrates “epic summer living”.

The festival takes place from August 17-19 and tickets are available online. For more information visit the Riverfest website.