Almonte Celtfest 2026 – Almonte, ON

Almonte Celtfest 2026: 30 Years of Celtic Spirit

A by-donation weekend of Celtic music and heritage in Gemmill Park

📍 Get Directions Full Schedule

Leahy, Lennie Gallant, and the Derina Harvey Band headline a special 30th-anniversary edition — and for the first time, all three days are by donation, including the usually-ticketed Friday night show.

🎻 3 days of live music 🛍 Celtic Market 👫 Little Celtz kids’ area 🎓 Music & dance workshops

💡 Every year the Friday night show has been ticketed — this year, to celebrate 30 years, it’s by donation too. Bring cash for the gate if you can.

Why Go Schedule Lineup Essentials Getting There Tips FAQ

✨ Why This One’s Extra Special

Founded in 1997 by Brian O’Connell, Dan O’Connell, and Terry Currie, Almonte Celtfest has spent nearly three decades turning the natural amphitheatre of Gemmill Park into one of the Ottawa Valley’s best-loved summer weekends. 2026 marks the 30th anniversary, and the festival is marking it in the most fitting way possible: for one year only, all three days of programming — including the usually-ticketed Friday night concert — are by donation at the gate.

The lineup matches the occasion. Celtic family band Leahy headlines alongside P.E.I. singer-songwriter Lennie Gallant and Celtic rockers the Derina Harvey Band, with a supporting bill running from Québécois folk to bluegrass to Irish traditional music. True to its roots, Celtfest also keeps a strong local presence on the bill, with area favourites like the Barley Shakers, the Almonte Legion Pipe Band, and the Ottawa Celtic Choir sharing the stage with the touring acts.

Beyond the main stage, expect Saturday morning workshops in step dancing, fiddle, and guitar, a Celtic Market of artisans and food vendors, Gaelic sports matches from the Ottawa Gaels, buskers along Mill Street, and a late-night jam session on Saturday for anyone still going after the main stage wraps.

🗓 Weekend at a Glance

Set times for the 2026 main stage are still being finalized and will be posted on the festival’s website closer to the date. Here’s how the weekend is structured.

🎤 30th Anniversary Lineup

Headlined by Leahy, Lennie Gallant, and the Derina Harvey Band, with touring and local acts spanning trad, folk, and bluegrass.

Leahy Lennie Gallant Derina Harvey Band

Also on the bill

Kelly Sloan & Jig Bon Débarras Cécilia CR5 Bluegrass Chelsey June & the Woven Ones Ailíse Barley Shakers Almonte Legion Pipe Band Ottawa Celtic Choir Graham Lindsey & Friends Nichols School of Highland Dance Joe Ray McDonald Band

📋 Essentials

🚗 Getting There & Parking

Gemmill Park sits right in the heart of Almonte, about a 30-minute drive from Ottawa’s west end.

Parking: Free parking is available at Gemmill Park near the splash pad and ball diamond, at the John Levi Community Centre/Arena, and on nearby town streets.

💡 A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Go

💸 Bring cash for the gate. All three days are by donation this year, including Friday night, so budget accordingly if you’d like to support the festival.

🪑 Pack a lawn chair or blanket. The main stage sits in a natural amphitheatre — comfortable but open lawn seating, so come prepared.

🎻 Get there early for workshops. Saturday morning’s music and dance sessions are popular and space can be limited.

👕 Consider volunteering. Even a couple of hours helps out this all-volunteer-run festival, and registered volunteers may get a commemorative 30th-anniversary T-shirt.

❓ Common Questions