Muskoka’s favourite fall festival, October 16-18, 2026
For more information, visit the Festival website
The Bala Cranberry Festival is a 3-day celebration of Muskoka’s beloved cranberry, and is one of the biggest harvest festivals in the country. With 3 full days of exceptional shopping, exciting entertainment, and culinary delights, it is one of Muskoka’s can’t miss events.
Always the weekend after Thanksgiving, the Cranberry Capital of Ontario has welcomed over 500,000 visitors to town over the last 40 years. For a town with an estimated population of 700, that is no small feat.
If you have never been, you are in for a treat! The Bala Cranberry Festival is many things, but first and foremost, it is a fun-filled weekend for everyone. Over the years, the festival has grown into:
- A shopping destination, as one of Ontario’s premier arts and crafts shows.
- An entertaining festival with a fall fair atmosphere.
- Live music, entertainers/performers and attractions all weekend long.
- A family-friendly event with kids’ entertainment, kids’ activities, attractions and more.
Advance Ticket Sales: Festival-goers can pre-purchase their weekend pass online via credit card. Click here to buy tickets
Admission provides: free midway rides, live music entertainment, roaming & stationary busker entertainment, entrance to the art exhibition, juried vendors located in the Arena, Community Centre; Maple Ave; and at the Farmers Market at Portage Landing, use of shuttle buses in town, and many other activities for all ages on Maple Avenue. In turn, you help support extending the tourist season in Bala and support the myriad of community groups and organizations that make this festival happen!
Each person upon entry will have their ticket scanned and receive an official Cranberry Festival button & wristband for their allotted day. Tickets are non-transferable between days.
Activities occurring at the Cranberry Marsh are not included. You will need to book your own passes in advance to partake in events at the marsh. Muskoka Lakes Farm & Winery.
2026 Activities Schedule: Included in your festival pass: the Art Exhibition by Bala Plein Air, entertaining buskers, & street performers, interactive kids zones, midway rides and more!
The best way to experience the festival
The best way to experience the festival is to start at one end of the town and stroll your way to the other, taking in all of the vendors, attractions, entertainment and food along the way. Purchase that perfect piece for your home or cottage, or start your Christmas shopping early with thousands of unique gift ideas all at one location. You will most certainly be charmed by the town of Bala, and this unique festival that has taken on a life of its own.
A visit to Muskoka Lakes Farm & Winery should definitely be a part of your festival experience to get a true appreciation for this tart, red berry and how it shaped Bala. Take a guided marsh tour and sample local craft beers, ciders, and their very own cranberry fruit wines. You can even put on a pair of waders and head into the berries for an epic Instagram or Facebook photo.
- Shuttle buses will NOT be running between farm & town
Join us in celebrating the wonderful cranberry at the Bala Cranberry Festival, and experience one of Ontario’s truly remarkable events.
For more information, visit the Bala Cranberry Festival website
