Your Guide to Kempenfest; The Artisans, The Musicians and Where to Park
375 Arts and Crafts exhibitors, Antique Dealers, beer gardens with entertainment day and night
Here's what Kempenfest looks like this long-weekend
Kempenfest weekend is here and it's bigger than ever https://bit.ly/2OIQFev
Posted by Rock 95 on Friday, August 3, 2018
Thousands of people are expected to visit Barrie’s 48th annual Kempenfest this long weekend. “We’ve added more food vendors now that we have all of Centennial Beach and South Shore parks back this year,” said Tom Aikins, Marketing and Entertainment co-ordinator for Kempenfest. Aikins says they have around 375 artisans, from arts and crafts exhibitors, antique dealers, food, beer and entertainment.
Parking, Free Shuttles
City Transit will be offering free shuttle rides to Kempenfest Saturday, Sunday & Holiday Monday. You can park at the Barrie Molson Centre, Allandale Recreation Centre, or the Bayfield Mall and take a free shuttle to Kempenfest. You can Park downtown, pick up the shuttle from the Transit Terminal (stop on Mary Street). You can also Jump on the shuttle at one of the stops along Lakeshore Drive to get from one end of the event to the other easily. Transfer to a free shuttle from any Barrie Transit route that services the Downtown Terminal or Allandale GO Station.
The Artisans
At the very core of Kempenfest sit the arts and crafts exhibitors. This year there are 375+ exhibitors across the entire 2km event. Aikens says they broke it down into three sub-categories.
Original Arts and Crafts Centennial Park is where the hand-made artisan’s show-off their craft on site
Tastes of Kempenfest Mostly on the South Shore, these goodies are for the kitchen – jams, preserves, fudges, chocolates
The Marketplace South Shore is where you will find the new products not sold at retail yet
Antiquing Anyone?
The annual antique show is in Centennial parking lot with 40 exhibitors from all over Ontario. You won’t find any reproductions here, only the real deal collector items. The dealers have everything from lamps to tables, jewelry to harvest tables.
The Bands Playing the Main Stage
Friday: 5:00pm until 11:00pm
Vinyl Flux
Dwayne Gretzky
Saturday: 12pm-10pm
Midland band, Kitty and the Boys
Neil Young Tribute – Larry Christopher
Memphis Mudd
Crown Lands
Big Sugar
Sunday: 12pm-10pm
Buck Twenty
Country Legends – Tribute
The Bare Back Riders
The Reklaws
JoJo Mason
Monday: 12pm-10pm
The Dreamboats – Hippy Hippy Shake (Live Off The Floor)
Vintage 45’s
The Bands Playing on the Indie Stage
Saturday: 12pm-10pm
Sophie and the Gentles
Sunshine Makers
Courtney Dubois & Dave Allen
Cat and the Queen
Only Yours
Brave Shores
Sunday: 12pm-10pm
The Tewit Youth Band
Barrie’s own, Shawn Steinhart
Rock Steady
The Alpacas
Singer/Songwriter Peter Elkas
Terra Lightfoot
Monday
The Noolands
The Mystics
High Road Pilots