🎢 Midway, Parade & Family Fun
📅 May 14 – 18, 2026
📍 Southside Park, Woodstock
🅾 Free Admission
👦 Kid-Friendly
🎉 Woodstock 125th Anniversary
Woodstock Victoria Day Weekend 2026
The unofficial kickoff to Ontario summer. For five days over the May long weekend, Woodstock’s Southside Park turns into a midway, the streets fill up for the 78th annual Victoria Day Parade, and — new for 2026 — a throwback afternoon called Victoria Day Rewind rolls out to celebrate the city’s 125th anniversary.
It’s the kind of small-town weekend that just works: World’s Finest Shows brings the rides Thursday through Monday, the Lions Club and Rotary lean in with community events, and Monday wraps with marching bands, vintage cars, a knight school, a teddy bear picnic, and lawn games until 2 p.m. Admission to the park is completely free — you just pay for the rides if you ride.
🎢 Midway Rides
🎉 Parade
🪁 Knight School
🧡 Teddy Bear Picnic
🚗 Classic Car Show
🏈 Beach Volleyball
🍽️ Carnival Food
💡 Bring a non-perishable food item to the parade — volunteers collect donations along the route every year.
✨ Why This Weekend Is a Woodstock Tradition
The Woodstock Victoria Day weekend is one of those rare community events that’s genuinely for everyone. Locals plan around it. Families from neighbouring towns drive in for the day. The midway lights go up Thursday and don’t come down until Monday evening, and the Tilt-A-Whirl screams blend with marching band drum lines like they were always supposed to.
2026 is extra special — the City of Woodstock turns 125 years old, and a brand-new daytime celebration called Victoria Day Rewind is being launched to mark the milestone. Think retro lawn games, a band tattoo, beach volleyball, a knight school (yes, real swords, real armour), and a Teddy Bear Picnic for the little ones — all free, all in Southside Park.
Best part? Admission costs nothing. You only pay if you ride.
🎢 World’s Finest Shows Midway
The midway takes over Southside Park Thursday through Monday with rides, carnival games, and food vendors. Hours flex with weather and foot traffic — the midway may close earlier in bad weather, so plan accordingly.
Midway Hours
Thursday May 14: 5 – 11 p.m.
Friday May 15: 4 – 11 p.m.
Saturday May 16: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Sunday May 17: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Monday May 18: 11 a.m. – 5 or 6 p.m.
Friday May 15: 4 – 11 p.m.
Saturday May 16: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Sunday May 17: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Monday May 18: 11 a.m. – 5 or 6 p.m.
💵 Rides & Pricing
World’s Finest Shows is rolling out a new credit-based payment system in 2026. You buy credits at a self-serve trailer, get a reloadable card, and tap it to scan at each ride. A one-time $5 activation fee applies on your first purchase — and includes 25 bonus credits.
Ride Credit Packages
33 credits — $5
137 credits — $20
242 credits — $35
350 credits — $50
721 credits — $100
137 credits — $20
242 credits — $35
350 credits — $50
721 credits — $100
Each ride costs 29 – 52 credits per person.
🎯 Ride All Day wristbands are available Friday May 15 only for $40 (includes $2 activation). If you’ve got serious ride lovers in the family, Friday is the day to go.
🎢 Featured Rides
Pharaoh’s Fury
Alien
Elephants
Magic Carpet
Tornado
Super Slide
Alien
Elephants
Magic Carpet
Tornado
Super Slide
👦 Kiddie Rides
Bulgy the Whales (Nemo’s)
Hampton Tractors
Teacups
Hampton VW’s
Hampton Tractors
Teacups
Hampton VW’s
🎉 The 78th Annual Victoria Day Parade
Monday May 18 at 10 a.m. One of Woodstock’s most beloved traditions — marching bands, locally built floats, vintage cars, inflatables, entertainers, and Shriners weaving through downtown. The whole route fills up early. Bring lawn chairs, get there by 9:30 a.m. for a good spot, and plan to stay for Rewind afterwards.
Parade Route
Departs Woodstock Fairgrounds (875 Nellis St.)
→ South on McKenzie Street
→ West on Dundas Street
→ Left on Wellington Street South
→ Right on Henry Street
→ Disbands on Finkle Street
→ South on McKenzie Street
→ West on Dundas Street
→ Left on Wellington Street South
→ Right on Henry Street
→ Disbands on Finkle Street
🥭 Bring a food donation. Volunteers walk the parade route collecting non-perishable food items for the local food bank. Even one can helps.
🎉 New for 2026
Victoria Day Rewind — Southside Park
After the parade, head straight to Southside Park for a free throwback afternoon celebrating Woodstock’s 125th anniversary. Retro games, classic play, and all-ages fun — running until 2 p.m.
🚗 South Gate Centre Car Show · 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Vintage favourites and modern rides. No registration, no fee — just roll in with your classic and park up.
🎼 Band Tattoo · 12 – 12:30 p.m.
A reviving Woodstock tradition. A band tattoo is a static choreographed performance by a marching band or drum corps — this year featuring the Top Hat Marching Orchestra and the Burlington Teen Tour Band.
🪁 Knight School · 12 – 1 p.m. & 1 – 2 p.m.
A live steel sword fight between two knights, a brave volunteer suited up in real armour, plus a sword-fighting class for ten more participants. There’s also a child-safe replica spear throw and a full-sized quintain (that spinning target knights hit on horseback) for adults to try.
🎖 The Ultimate Team Day · 12 – 12:45 p.m. & 1 – 1:45 p.m.
Retro-themed community games — hula hoop contest, tic tac toe race, egg & spoon race, Pong My Bucket, parachute run, tug of war, water balloon toss. 20 people per team, no registration needed. Everyone gets a coloured bandana and an Olympic-style medal.
🧡 Teddy Bear Picnic · 12 – 2 p.m.
Presented by the Rotary Club of Woodstock. Bring a favourite teddy bear or stuffie for storytime with local author Alice Hatchard, the Teddy Bear Art Zone, a bubble station, and a “Can You Find the Teddys?” scavenger hunt.
🧘 Bella Magic Show & Carnival Stilt Walkers · 12 p.m.
Classic family magic and roving stilt walkers wandering through the crowd. A guaranteed kid favourite.
🏈 Beach Volleyball · 12 p.m. & 1 p.m.
City of Woodstock Recreation staff are running family-friendly games at the South Street beach volleyball court. All ages, all abilities welcome.
🍹️ Picnic in the Park · 12 – 2 p.m.
Pack a picnic, bring a blanket, or claim a park table. The classic Victoria Day move — lawn, food, sunshine.
🎿 Lawn Games · 12 – 2 p.m.
Bean bag toss, Jenga, sidewalk chalk, hula hoops, Connect 4 — the unstructured, drop-in-anytime part of the day.
Plus a Woodstock 125 merch booth (with commemorative coins from the Woodstock Coin Club) and a City of Woodstock voting information booth for the October 2026 municipal election.
📍 The Essentials
Dates
May 14 – 18, 2026
Thursday to Monday
Thursday to Monday
Location
Southside Park, Woodstock, ON
Parade ends at Finkle Street
Parade ends at Finkle Street
Admission
Free — pay only for midway rides
Parade
Monday May 18 · 10 a.m.
From the Fairgrounds
From the Fairgrounds
Best For
Families with kids · long-weekend wanderers · classic-car fans · carnival lovers
Special For 2026
Woodstock’s 125th anniversary — Victoria Day Rewind launches
🚗 Know Before You Go
Parking at Southside Park is very limited — the city is openly recommending transit and watching for no-parking signs. Here’s the breakdown:
🚌 Transit (Recommended)
Take Route 7 on Woodstock Transit straight to the park. Buses run 6 a.m. – 10 p.m. weekdays and Saturdays. No service on Sunday May 17 or Monday May 18. A group pass is $8.25 and gets up to 5 people riding all day — great for families.
🚚 Parking (May 14 – 17)
Accessible parking is in Southside Park near the main washrooms. General parking is very limited — watch for no-parking signs to avoid a ticket.
🚚 Parking (May 18 — Parade Day)
Accessible parking only inside the park — turn right from the Walter Street entrance, head across from the east baseball diamond by the outdoor exercise equipment. No general parking inside the park during the parade.
🚫 Road Closures (May 18, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.)
· All roads along the parade route
· Finkle Street from Henry Street to Parkinson Road
· All roads into Southside Park
· Finkle Street from Henry Street to Parkinson Road
· All roads into Southside Park
⚠️ Zero tolerance policy: No smoking, vaping, cannabis, or alcohol on site — including in city parks. Fines up to $250. Security, police, auxiliary unit and city bylaw will all be on patrol.
💡 Tips for Making the Most of It
🎢 Friday is wristband day. If your crew rides everything multiple times, the $40 all-day wristband (Friday only) is a no-brainer. Otherwise, the $20 credit pack is the sweet spot for casual riders.
🎉 Arrive at the parade by 9:30 a.m. The 10 a.m. start fills up fast along Dundas Street. Bring lawn chairs, water, snacks, and a non-perishable food donation.
🪁 Don’t miss Knight School. Two sessions, real armour, real steel swords — this is genuinely cool, not just kid stuff. Show up to the noon session if you can; it tends to draw a crowd by the 1 p.m. round.
🚌 Take the bus. Route 7 drops you right at the park — but remember there’s no Sunday or Monday service, so plan a ride home for the parade day.
☔️ Weather can shut things down. Midway hours flex with weather — if rain hits, rides may close early. Check the City of Woodstock’s socials before you head out.
🧡 Bringing little kids? The Teddy Bear Picnic with the Rotary Club is the highlight of their day — let them pack their favourite stuffie before you leave the house.
❓ Common Questions
🤝 Want to Get Involved?
The City of Woodstock is looking for Special Event Volunteers for Victoria Day weekend — perfect for high schoolers earning community hours, retirees who love a good crowd, or anyone who wants to be part of a Woodstock tradition.
Apply to Volunteer →
Schedule, hours and pricing may change — always confirm details on the official City of Woodstock Victoria Day Weekend page before heading out.
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