It's promising to be a series of fantastically fortunate events in Northeastern Ontario this summer! The Northeastern Ontario travel region is a premier destination for festivals in northern Ontario. Whether you're looking for a musical experience, or a more culturally uplifting exploit, there's an event planned to suit you. With most of our locales situated only 3 1/2 hours from the major cities of Toronto and Ottawa (see map), we could easily become your next weekend getaway.

Events will  be added as more information becomes available, so please feel free to bookmark the article and check back throughout the summer!

French River Rubber Boots Festival
May 11
The French River Rubber Boots Festival is a foot-stompin' fun celebration of spring, maple syrup, and the four cultures that make up the French River area. Enjoy Métis, Francopohone, First Nations & Anglophone music.
rubberbootsfestival.com

New Liskeard Bikers Reunion
June 28-30
The New Liskeard Bikers Reuinion sets out to be a fun, family oriented weekend celebrating the sport of riding motorcycles. It also fundraises to help people who are battling cancer through the Temiskaming Hospital Community Cancer Care Unit. Last year $110,000 was donated to the Cancer Care Unit as part of their efforts!
bikersreunion.ca

Timmins Rotary Ribfest
June 28 - 30
Join the 10th Annual Timmins Rotary Ribfest for award winning ribs and chicken prepared by some of the best Ribbers (yes, we said Ribbers) in North America. There will be a refreshment tent, live music, children’s activities and sporting events all weekend long.
ribfest.ca

Northern Lights Festival Boreal - Sudbury
July 5 - 7
Northern Lights Festival Boreal has been a long-standing tradition in Sudbury, and invites the global community to Bell Park to enjoy soulful music, local food & drink, and good times with family and friends. The 2013 line-up includes Serena Ryder, The Good Brothers & The Sadies, Buck 65, and more!
nlfbsudbury.com

River & Sky Camping/Music Festival
July 19 - 21
River & Sky is not a folk festival, but it has a folky feel. It's a friend and family friendly festival, and has a simple mission to be all about the music, the camping, the swimming, and the hanging out. Use it as the perfect launch to your summer vacation, and BYOB/C/K (bring your own bike, canoe or kayak).
riverandsky.ca

Mattawa Voyageur Days
July 26 - 28
'Rock Where the Rivers Meet' this summer with Mattawa Voyageur Days. Performances by Blue Rodeo, Night Ranger, David Wilcox and Collin James will grace the stage set in Explorers Point, where the Ottawa and Mattawa Rivers converge. The community will be bustling with events and programs all weekend.
voyageurdays.com

Summer in the Park North Bay
Aug 2 - 4
Summer in the Park promises to be three days of family fun, on the beautiful North Bay waterfront. Concerts will be happening throughout the weekend, and free family events as well as the Nipissing Country Music Open Concert will be in Lee Park.
northbaysummerinthepark.ca

Wikwemikong Cultural Festival
Aug 3 - 6
The 53rd Annual Cultural Festival is an impressive display of culture for all ages to enjoy. Join the community of Wikwemikong for traditional Pow Wow dances, cultural workshops, art demonstrations, fireworks, and special presentations that are sure to take your breath away.
wikwemikongheritage.org

Manitoulin Country Fest
Aug 8 - 11
Manitoulin Country Fest is a 4 day festival that features Canadian artists, and special surprises each year. Enjoy your favourite artists in an intimate, and family friendly venue just outside of the quaint community of Little Current, Manitoulin Island, ON.
manitoulincountryfest.com

Sturgeon Falls Step & Fiddle Festival
Aug 11 - 18
The name (almost) says it all! The town of Sturgeon Falls welcomes step dancers and fiddlers of all classes to perform and compete, and for enthusiasts to enjoy uproarious good times. Camping is available near festival grounds, and smaller events will be hosted throughout community during the week.
westnipissingouest.ca/dancefiddle

Summerfest Sudbury
Aug 22 - 25
Summerfest Sudbury is an unforgettable weekend packed with concerts, shows and carnival - all of which is set in Sudbury's beautiful Bell Park.
sudburysummerfest.vianet.ca

Windsong Music Festival
Aug 23 -24
Windsong welcomes music fans that want a unique opportunity to get 'up close and personal' with amazing indie-Canadian artists. Camping is available on the rural Powassan site, to complete the festival experience. To keep it a small, intimate setting only 200 tickets are sold.
windsongmusicfestival.com

Great Canadian Kayak Challenge & Festival Timmins
Aug 24 - 25
The Great Canadian Kayak Challenge is only the beginning of a great weekend. Paddlling events include Heart & Stroke Foundation 3 man kayak sprints, kayak clinics and guided family leisure paddle & shore lunch, all of which will take place on the Mattagami & Mountjoy Rivers.
thegreatcanadiankayakchallenge.com

Downtown Sudbury Ribfest
Aug 31 - Sept. 2
Downtown Sudbury Ribfest has quickly become one of northern Ontario's largest festivals and attracted over 40,000 visitors from the community and across the provice last year. Six professional rib teams, family fun zone, demonstrations, live music and a huge car/motorcycle show make this event a perfect summer send-off.
visitsudburynow.com/events/downtown-sudbury-ribfest

View Northeastern Ontario Summer Festivals 2013 in a larger map

Your travel weary body will thank for you a stop at Cedar Meadows Resort & Spa. At Spa Grande Nature, the only spa of its kind in Northern Ontario, is a true gem to be found by adventurers. You will receive the royal treatment with body and soul nourishing treatments inspired by mother nature herself.

Looking for a perfect vacation? Look no further than Timmins' pre-packaged one week adventures; a Summer Package, a Winter Package, and an ATV Package have been carefully put together to give you seven days of exotic adventure in Northeastern Ontario wilderness.

The Timmins Museum: National Exhibition Centre has been host to cultural services for over thirty-seven years. In recent years, the museum archives were moved throughout the city until a permanent location could be found. They have since found a permanent location, and are open to the public at 325 Second Avenue, in downtown Timmins, Ontario. 

You're invited to learn about Timmins' unique mining and cultural heritage. Participate in their presentations of exhibits, public/educational programmes, revival of artifacts/research collections and special events happening throughout the summer. Their goal: to preserve, present and promote the history, arts, culture and science of Timmins, Northeastern Ontario and Canada.  

New Exhibit Summer 2013

Our Feathered Friends
May 12 - July 17, 2013

Our Feathered Friends introduces you to the world of birdwatching. Learn how to identify the birds of Ontario, and attract them into your backyard. The exhibition includes workshops and demonstrations with birds, books, activity sheets for visitors. Brought to you in partnership with the Canadian Museum of Nature.

The Timmins Museum: National Exhibit is open year-round, 7 days week, and admission is always free. 

Many Northeastern Ontario operators have begun to use TripAdvisor as a place to gather customer testimonials. A place for past and present customers to share their experiences for the good of the business and their future customers. One of my responsibilities as a tourism officer is to search the best regional testimonials, in which I turn around and post them here, to gain more reach and frequency for our Ontario operators. It's a very fulfilling task, especially when I find testimonials like the one below. A look at the WildExodus Glamping experience, through the eyes of TripAdvisor member, Ken008. Enjoy!

WildExodus

We went Glamping with WildExodus and had a blast. Boating, fishing, four wheeling and canoeing. The yurts were a bit of a disappointment but WildExodus took care of us when we needed a change. The guides are very knowledgeable and did everything to make our Glamping trip an experience to remember. The wildlife was incredible, the food was excellent and the Glamping accomodations made us forget that we were actually in the middle of the woods. This truly is Glamour Camping.

TripAdvisor - Ken008

It was a Monday. I was on my way back to Timmins, after a long day of travel to and from Sudbury on the eventfully scenic Highway 144, when something caught the corner of my eye. Standing there, peacefully. She was beautiful but in such a dangerous way. I turned the Jeep around, parked on the shoulder, pulled out my camera and started shooting.

Lorsqu’on met les pieds dans les grands espaces du nord de l’Ontario, un processus de relaxation se met tout naturellement en branle. Après tout, on s’éloigne de la ville et du stress, et la vue de cette nature immense procure un immense bien-être. Pour faire durer le plaisir, pourquoi ne pas visiter un spa ou participer à une retraite pour mieux conserver cet état d’esprit!

L’offre de traitements et d’expériences alliant repos, nature et santé foisonne. Quelques propositions parmi les villes nordiques qui ont à cœur votre santé.

Cedar Meadows Resort and Spa 

Situé à Timmins, ce centre de villégiature a prévu la totale pour les voyageurs en quête de repos. Inspiré par la tradition des bains finlandais, le propriétaire Richard Lafleur a fidèlement reproduit un spa scandinave. Dans ces hauteurs ontariennes, on se croirait à Helsinki à l’heure de la détente. Sauna de bois blond, bains extérieurs, rien n’est laissé au hasard, et ce, dans une ambiance minimaliste.

Le concept des bains nordiques est d’alterner la chaleur et le froid pendant une période de deux à trois heures. Ceci permet d’éliminer les toxines pour ensuite se revigorer au contact de l’eau froide pour jouir d’une dose d’endorphines qui donnent une sensation de bien être et de relaxation.

Des traitements d’hydrofusion combattent la cellulite tout en nettoyant en profondeur, et le sauna à infrarouge vous fait brûler des calories sans bouger. Une foule d’autres services typiquement offerts dans les spas sont disponibles : massages, épilation, soins du visage.

Adjacent au centre se trouve un parc animalier de 70 hectares qui héberge wapiti, chevreuil, orignal, bison, bœuf musqué. Un tour guidé de 90 minutes à bord d’un wagon tiré par un tracteur vous mettra en contact avec la nature de près. Il en coûte 12 $ par adulte.

Anishinabe Spiritual Center 

Dans le comté de Manitoulin-North Shore se trouve un centre de spiritualité dont la mission est de vous ressourcer physiquement, mentalement et émotionnellement. Pour ce faire, on y propose des ateliers et des retraites dans un cadre rustique et confortable. Le centre est magnifiquement positionné au bord du lac Anderson et jouit d’un panorama qui invite au repos. Inspiré de la spiritualité autochtone et de la tradition jésuite, c’est l’endroit idéal pour méditer.

Le centre offre des retraites de yoga qui fournissent les outils pour grandir intérieurement. À l’aide d’exercice et de techniques de respiration, les amateurs de tous niveaux peuvent approfondir leur connaissance d’eux-mêmes et de cet art millénaire à leur propre rythme.

Spa au Clarion Resort

Pour une retraite de luxe et pour se gâter, un séjour au spa de l’hôtel Clarion de North Bay vous dorlotera d’attentions. Dans l’environnement serein du spa Revive Your Senses, vous avez le choix entre une multitude de traitements avec des produits de haute qualité. Facial antiâge hydradermie, la vedette des traitements, laissera votre peau radieuse et fraîche. Pour une cure minceur, laissez-vous envelopper d’huiles essentielles et d’argile selon une technique française ou profiter d’un massage sensoriel. Piscines intérieures et extérieures, restaurant de cuisine santé et vous voilà remis sur pied.

Salt Cave Eco Cafe and Spa 

Pour une expérience hors de l’ordinaire, la « pièce de sel » crée par cette entreprise de  Sudbury vaut le détour. Selon les principes bénéfiques de la mer pour la santé, cette entreprise a utilisé 6000 lb de sels de la mer Morte pour en tapisser murs plancher et plafond. Les ions négatifs générés par ceux-ci ont la propriété d’augmenter les défenses du système immunitaire en plus de calmer l’esprit. Les visiteurs s’allongent dans des chaises tout en écoutant de la musique douce. Un espace de jeu avec carré de sable a été pensé pour les enfants.

Northern Lights Resort

Au sud du lac Nipissing  se trouve le centre de villégiature Northern Lights Resort. En plus des activités extérieures, on peut profiter de traitements tels que le Reiki, la réflexologie et le toucher thérapeutique. Nommé le Spa Shack, le bâtiment est isolé du reste des installations et bénéficie d’une superbe vue sur le lac.