Owen Sound is known for its annual festivals that bring in visitors from all over the world. In summer, the Summerfolk Music & Crafts Festival features world-class and local performers over one great weekend of music, dancing and great food. At the end of summer, the Salmon Spectacular fishing derby is a two-week-long celebration of fishing, food, and friendship.

September brings the sophisticated Concours d’Elegance at nearby Cobble Beach golf resort community with its showcase rare and international cars. And just in time for Christmas, the Festival of Northern Lights displays hundreds of Christmas light displays all over the downtown and into Harrison Park.

As a port city, Owen Sound features a large harbour with public and private boat launches. Located along the Niagara Escarpment, there are many easy and challenging hiking trails connecting to the Bruce Trail, and the beautiful Inglis Falls is just south of the city. 

As a cultural centre, Owen Sound is home to a vibrant arts and music community, the Tom Thomson Art Gallery, the Roxy Theatre, the Billy Bishop Home & Museum, a dynamic public library, the Grey Roots Museum & Archives, the Community Waterfront Heritage Centre, the Artist’s Co-op, and the Owen Sound Attack OHL hockey team.

The city has a campus of Georgian College, a regional hospital, and a weekly Saturday Farmers’ Market.

Owen Sound is also close to the other attractions in the area: Hibou Conservation Area (with a sandy beach, picnic areas, and 2.6 kilometres of trails with boardwalks across wetlands), the beaches along Lake Huron including Sauble Beach, the Bruce Peninsula, and ski mountains and resorts at the Blue Mountains and Beaver Valley. 

Ready to visit? It’s not too far from Ontario’s big cities: Barrie (119 km away), Guelph (140 km), Kitchener (147 km), Waterloo (146 km), Cambridge (167 km), and Toronto (190 km).