Make a splash this summer in Rideau Lakes! Start planning your family fun now, as summer vacation is just around the corner. Read on for some banner annual events to make the most out of summer in Rideau Lakes!
Elgin’s Disco Rollerskating – Every summer Friday evening
It’s a wheely-good time! People of all ages are invited to enjoy roller skating or roller blading on Friday nights at the Elgin Outdoor Rink, where lights, music and a canteen can be found. Rentals are available. Look for weekly music themes and yard games, too! Grab your friends or family and come try something new in town, every Friday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Cow Island Fireworks Display – June 28, 2025
Celebrate being Canadian and take part in the annual tradition of viewing the Cow Island fireworks from your boat moored off Cow Island or from land in Portland or at your cottage. Starting at dusk. We hear there are usually folks gathered at Hanna Park on the water’s edge in Portland, too! Organized by the Big Rideau Lake Association.
Chaffey’s Lock Canada Day Celebration - July 1
In the beautiful waterfront village of Chaffey’s Lock, enjoy a hotdog barbecue with the Chaffey’s Lock and Area Heritage Society, and the Chaffey’s Area Lakes Association Duck Race at the lock. Look for face painting, pirate games and live music by Trevor Walsh!
Rideau Lakes Canada Day Celebration and Parade in Newboro – July 1
The little community with a big heart is celebrating Canada Day in style from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on July 1, 2025. Watch (or be in!) the CEC’s community parade and eat birthday cake to honour the occasion. Most activities in and around the Newboro Community Hall.
Rideau Lakes Studio Tour – June 28 and 29, 2025
Discover the art of creative minds at work on Canada Day weekend! Enjoy incredible original art, sculptures, pottery, weaving, carving, painting much more. As always, the Rideau Lakes Studio Tour promises to be a spectacular showcase of the region's finest artists. The event will feature over 20 artists opening their studios to the public, allowing visitors to see how these talented creators work their magic. Learn more at https://rideaulakesstudiotour.ca/
Artwork by Shaun Seaman
The Historic Rideau Canal at Elgin’s Red Brick School – summer weekends 2025
In this intriguing new exhibit, the Elgin and Area Heritage Society is showcasing an extraordinary collection at the Red Brick School in Elgin, inviting visitors to take a trip along the Rideau Canal through historic photos. Come aboard at the Red Brick School and navigate the historic Rideau Canal every weekend, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., from June 28 to August 31 through a pictorial display of the Locks of the Rideau Canal, expertly compiled by EAHS Partner Glen Russell, in collaboration with Rideau Canal Researcher Ken Watson. The exhibit presents 67 remastered colour prints of the historic Rideau Canal from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Not to be missed!
Canada Day in North Crosby - July 1, 2025
Events throughout the day around the village, at Lions Sand Lake Beach in North Crosby and at the Royal Canadian Legion Upper Rideau Lakes Branch 542! Look for lots of festivities, including face painting, breakfast, Rideau District Museum, a fish fry, geocaching at Foley Mountain, the wonderful annual bicycle parade, touch a truck, Canada Day bingo, and more! Don't miss the fireworks at about 10 p.m., at the Royal Canadian Legion Upper Rideau Branch (10099 10, Westport).
Elgin Days – July 12 & 13, 2025
Picture this: streets full of yard sales, a chicken barbecue, loads of live music, children’s events, a parade, petting zoo, vendor market, fire trucks, library book sale, face painters, legendary bake sales, and Elgin Days so much more! is a village wide celebration of community taking place every year on the second weekend in July.
Delta Fair – July 24 to 27, 2025
One of the longest running agricultural fairs in Ontario, The Delta Fair is a summertime highlight for the area for generations. The Delta Agricultural Society is celebrating 195 years of the fair in 2025! Enjoy fun for the whole family with children’s shows, a midway, games, truck pull, horse and animal shows, lawn mower races, live entertainment, homecraft exhibits, and much more.
Lombardy Fair – August 1 to 3, 2025
Giddy up and head to the Lombardy Fairgrounds for a long weekend agricultural fair! The Lombardy Agricultural Society is celebrating more than a century and a half of country hospitality with something for everyone. Popular events here are the demolition derby and the Monster Madness – have a sneak peek at how the fair is shaping up and mark it on your calendar!
Lombardy Fair
Doors Open Rideau Lakes - August 16 and 17, 2025
In coordination with the Ontario Heritage Trust, sites of historical, cultural and natural significance will be open with free admission throughout the township. From a former jail to a stunning mansion, and from a working heritage mill to private tours of a national scientific resource, see more at www.doorsopenontario.on.ca/rideaulakes
Planning for the rest of the year? Look what else is coming up in Rideau Lakes!
Delta Harvest Festival – September 2025
The Delta Harvest Festival is a village-wide celebration of harvest. Food, vendor sales and tours of the Old Stone Mill National Historic Site are among village-wide events.
Skate the Lake – January 2026
This annual speedskating competition in the village of Portland sees skaters from near and far race on a 1 km outdoor oval on Big Rideau Lake! Be sure to check back about Skate the Lake this coming winter.
Delta Maple Syrup Festival – April 2026
The Delta Maple Syrup Festival is a weekend celebration taking place in April inviting families to the village of Delta to enjoy sweet maple syrup and pancakes, wagon rides, and more.
Delta Maple Syrup Festival - Delta Agricultural Society
Dive into events in Rideau Lakes! For more information or to see what else is happening in the township, visit the Events page. Summer is sizzling in Rideau Lakes!
