07-06-2013
As things heat up in Canada for the summer, be one of thousands of travellers to the north and enjoy the myriad festivals available for locals and visitors alike. Be sure to check your admissibility to Canada while you are preparing to enjoy Canada’s cornucopia of festivals this season.
Culinary Festivals
Canada boasts an array of culinary delights especially during the summer and fall. Highlights include the Niagara New Vintage Festival from June 15-23rd where visitors can tour and taste from the area’s impressive number of wineries. In July, be sure to check out the taste festival in Victoria, British Colombia. Prepare yourself for an array of seminars on seafood, wine, tea, and more for this weekend-long festival from July 25-28. As the weather cools down in September, your taste buds will get a kick out of Prince Edward Island’s Fall Flavours Festival where you can harvest lobster, pick potatoes, and enjoy the best food that PEI has to offer.
Music Festivals
Visitors flock to music festivals in Canada every year. Particularly popular is the Montreal International Jazz Festival (June 28 to July 7), where travellers can choose from a selection of 300 free concerts to attend! The Manitoba Electronic Music Festival (August 15 to 18) showcases a different type of music, highlighting both local and international electronic artists at a free public venue called the Cube. Last but not least, the Craven Country Jamboree in Saskatchewan (July 11 to 14) holds the title as Canada’s longest-running multiday music festival and is a must-attend for country music enthusiasts.
Sporting Events
The Calgary Stampede is a lively festival held in the heart of Alberta. The July festival hosts an impressive array of activities from the rodeo to the rangeland derby! Some of Canada and the world’s top golfers also flock to Ontario in July for the RBC Canadian Open, which will be held this summer from July 22nd until the 28th. Finally, watch your favourite tennis stars go head to head at the Rogers Cup at the beginning of August. This year, the Men’s’ tour will be held in Montreal from August 2nd until the 11th and the Women’s’ Tour will take place in Toronto from August 3rd till the 11th.
Cultural Festivals
The tail-end of summer is no short of cultural activities for visitors to Canada, including Caribana. Lauded as North America’s largest street festival with millions of attendees, travellers to Canada should not bypass this opportunity to enjoy the biggest Caribbean Carnival that Toronto has to offer. Folkorama in Winnipeg, Manitoba is also held in August and has been billed as the world’s largest and longest-running multicultural festival. Something for every traveller can be found at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) from August 16th till September 2nd as visitors can enjoy rides, games, food, and live entertainment.
Plan Your Trip
You know you want to visit Canada this summer, but the next step is to make sure that you are admissible to Canada. American citizens need a valid passport when travelling to Canada. If you have a DUI or have been convicted of a crime equivalent to a Canadian federal offence such as fraud or assault within the last ten years, you may be inadmissible to Canada. This will result in your rejection from the Canadian border. Inadmissibility to Canada can be resolved with either a Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) or through the process of Criminal Rehabilitation. Allow your options to be assessed by a legal professional and avoid embarrassment at the border by contacting FWCanada so that your travel to Canada can be made possible this summer.
