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Carrot Fest


  • Downtown Bradford Canada (map)

Date: Friday, August 16 & Saturday, August 17, 2024
Location: Downtown Bradford 

About Carrot Fest

Voted as one of the Top 100 Events in Ontario by Festival & Events Ontario for more than a decade, Carrot Fest returns to Bradford West Gwillimbury! Carrot Fest will take place in downtown Bradford and at the Bradford & District Memorial Community Centre.
This event includes a large vendor market with hundreds of vendors, Aqua Dogs, professional wrestling events, Kids Zone, live stage entertainment and more!

The black organic soils of the Holland Marsh make Bradford West Gwillimbury one of Canada’s biggest carrot-producing regions and the ‘Heart of the Vegetable Industry’. Carrot Fest is a celebration of the region’s agricultural heritage, especially the role of the carrot in the local economy. Carrot Fest is a way to bring the community together to celebrate, encourage participation and generate pride. What started as a merchant-based community event has now developed into a historical event.

History of Carrot Fest 

Did you ever wonder how Bradford West Gwillimbury ended up hosting a huge carrot-themed festival, which attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year?
Carrot Fest has become BWG’s biggest annual event, however, it is not the first agricultural festival in BWG. In the 1970s, a Salad Festival was held each July and an estimated 20,000 people attended the 1976 Festival and parade. In 1977, the first Harvest Festival and Harvest Queen pageant was held at the former Ukrainian Cultural Centre in Bradford.
In 1991, the Town of BWG was incorporated, composed of the former Town of Bradford, most of West Gwillimbury, and part of Tecumseth. Considering this amalgamation encompassed various communities, the Town was in need of a community event that would bring people together as part of BWG.
The Heritage Environmental Agricultural Recreational Tourism (HEART) Committee was tasked with promoting tourism, economic development and downtown revitalization in BWG. As a result, the HEART Committee organized an open air market on summer weekends, with local farmers and merchants in downtown Bradford.
In 1995, this open air market became the event “Super Saturday” on Labour Day weekend. The HEART Committee found that BWG produces more than 70% of Canada’s carrots, and subsequently renamed Super Saturday to “Carrot Fest”, hoping it would become the event that defines BWG, similar to Beeton’s Honey Festival or Alliston’s Potato Festival. The first Carrot Fest in 1998 added children’s entertainment, contests, and a main stage to the existing vendor market. Since 2005, Carrot Fest has been organized by the Town’s Department of Community Services.
Carrot Fest has definitely become “a growing tradition” as the number of attendees has quadrupled since 2006, with an estimated 50,000 participants and $1 million generated locally.

Event Schedule

Friday, August 16, 2024

Kids Zone 4:00-9:00pm

Back Alley Cruisers 6:00-10:00pm

Vendor Market 4:00-10:00pm

Experience Simcoe Stage (Barrie St) 

*Limited seating available. Bring your own chair.*

  • 5:00pm - Duvet Cover Band

  • 6:15pm - Official Ceremonies

  • 7:00pm - Pearl Jamming

  • 9:30pm - Feedback

TD Stage Schedule(Courthouse parking lot) 

*Limited seating available. Bring your own chair.*

  • 5:00-10:00pm - Canadian Musicians Cooperative Showcase

Great Golf Busker Pitch (Holland St W) 

  • 4:00pm - The Funny Waiter Show

  • 5:00pm - The Twisted Ones

  • 6:00pm - The Funny Waiter Show

  • 7:00pm - The Twisted Ones

  • 8:00pm - The Funny Waiter Show

Saturday, August 17, 2024

Kids Zone 10:00am-6:00pm
Vendor Market 9:00am-6:00pm

Experience Simcoe Stage (Barrie St)

*Limited seating available. Bring your own chair.*

  • 10:00am - John Park (Busker)

  • 10:30am - Scarlett Black (Busker)

  • 11:00am - Marky Monday

  • 11:30am - Spencer Scurr (Busker)

  • 12:00pm - BDHS Band

  • 1:15pm - Boathouse Blues

  • 2:00pm - Trulee Odd (Busker)

  • 2:30pm - Marky Monday

  • 3:30pm - The Coin Collective

  • 5:15-7:00pm - UK Calling

TD Stage Schedule (Courthouse parking lot) 

*Limited seating available. Bring your own chair.*

  • 10:00am - Spencer Scurr (Busker)

  • 11:00am - Trulee Odd (Busker)

  • 12:00pm - Elite Dance

  • 12:45pm - Marky Monday

  • 2:00pm - Elite Dance

  • 3:00pm - Sonshine & Broccoli 

  • 4:00pm - Karaoke 

  • 5:30pm - John Park (Busker)

  • 6:00pm - Flaming Carrot Finale

Great Gulf Busker Pitch (Holland St W) 

  • 10:30am - Aygul & Daughters (Busker)

  • 11:00am - Hercinia Arts (Busker)

  • 12:00pm - Aygul & Daughters (Busker)

  • 1:00pm - Hercinia Arts (Busker)

  • 2:00pm - Scarlett Black (Busker)

  • 3:00pm - Hercinia Arts (Busker)

  • 4:00pm - Aygul & Daughters (Busker)

  • 5:00pm - Trulee Odd

Bradford & District Memorial Centre (125 Simcoe Rd) 

  • 10:00 - 5:00pm - Aqua Dogs

  • 12:00pm - 365 Pro Wrestling (Free show)

  • 7:00pm - 365 Pro Wrestling (Ticketed show) Please purchase your ticket using the link below.

Event Map

SOURCE and FOR MORE INFORMATION: CLICK HERE

Earlier Event: August 12
VBS 2024 - River Rafting Adventure
Later Event: October 19
Pumpkin Fest