Common Ground Festival 2026: Land, Community, Learning

A full day of immersive workshops, live music, local food, and connection across two Northumberland County farms

📍 Get Directions Full Schedule

From skill shares and Barn Talks to guided and self-guided tours, live music, local food, artisans, vendors, and interactive hands-on demonstrations — discover everything waiting for you at Common Ground Festival across Headwaters Homestead and Foragers Farms.

🌾 Farm-based learning 🎶 Live music 🎨 Artisan marketplace 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family friendly

💡 This is only the second year of Common Ground Festival. Founded by four farmers across two adjacent properties, the festival is a gathering rooted in land stewardship, education, and building community.

Why Go Activities Schedule Essentials Getting There Tips FAQ

✨ Why This Festival Matters

Common Ground Festival is rooted in a big idea: that reconnecting with land, with each other, and with how food grows matters. In only its second year, this single-day gathering in the rolling Northumberland Hills is drawing visitors from across Southern Ontario who are hungry to learn, to participate, and to be part of a community that thinks differently about farming and food systems.

The festival stretches across two adjacent working farms — Headwaters Homestead and Foragers Farms — each with its own story. Headwaters, founded by Linda and Tony Armstrong, started with a vision of peaceful, sustainable living on 80 acres of field, forest, and wetland. Foragers Farms grew from that partnership: when Erin and Tyler reached out to collaborate, they created something special together — a model of regenerative farming that’s become a real draw for people who care about how their food is grown.

What makes September 6th different is the breadth of what’s on offer. This isn’t a market, and it’s not a concert series — it’s a day designed so that curious kids sit next to seasoned gardeners, that people who’ve never held a chicken can learn from those who have, and that there’s genuinely something new to discover around every corner. Barn Talks feature experts and advocates sharing knowledge. Guided tours and self-guided exploration let you pace yourself. Hands-on skill shares teach foraging, soil health, animal husbandry, and more. And threaded throughout is live music, local food, and the kind of gathering that leaves you thinking differently about where your food comes from.

🌾 Activities Across the Farms

Activities run throughout the festival day, clustered across different zones. Use the tractor-drawn wagon to hop between locations, or walk at your own pace. Early activities wind down around 4:30 PM to make way for the evening concert series.

🎶 Festival Schedule

The festival runs from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM on September 6, 2026. Daytime activities are clustered from noon to 4:30 PM, with the evening concert series and closing ceremonies taking center stage from 5:00 PM onward.

🍽️ Barn Talks (Daytime Seminars)

Short, TedX-style talks in the beautiful barn featuring passionate experts and advocates on land stewardship and practical living topics. Relax, listen, and learn.

📋 Essentials

🚗 Getting There & Directions

The festival is located in the rolling hills north of Cobourg, easily accessible from the Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa, and Peterborough regions.

From Port Hope, Peterborough, or eastbound on Highway 401: Take County Road 28, turn east onto Bethel Grove Road. Go 3 km to Rowe Road (bright blue mailbox on the left). Turn right on Rowe Road and follow parking signs.

From Cobourg or westbound on Highway 401: Take County Road 18/Burnham Road north to Dale Road (Precious Corners). Turn left on Dale Road, right on Williamson Road, left on Jibb Road, left on Bethel Grove Road. Go 1 km to the top of a hill to Rowe Road. Turn left (carefully — it’s a sharp left turn). Follow signs for parking.

💡 A Few Things Worth Knowing

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 All children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. This is for their safety while exploring the farms.

🐾 No pets permitted (except service dogs). This protects your pet, the resident farm animals, and the wildlife. Service dogs on leash are welcome.

🚫 Do not feed or touch farm animals. Do not climb fence enclosures. The animals are part of the working farm.

💧 Bring a refillable water bottle. Water stations are available throughout the farm to refill for free.

👟 Wear sturdy, comfortable shoes. The terrain varies — high heels and flip-flops have no place here. Waterproof boots are wise if rain is in the forecast.

☀️ Dress for the weather. Bring a hat and sunscreen for a warm day, or a raincoat and umbrella if rain is expected. Covered and tented areas are available.

🍝 Bring cash or a card. The festival accepts cash, debit, and credit for purchases and tips.

🚑 Lock your vehicle. Volunteer attendants manage the parking field, but always lock up before exploring the farms.

🌱 Support the Farm Vision

Common Ground Festival is a labor of love from four farmers working to steward the land, build community, and share knowledge. Every ticket supports their work and makes another year of learning and gathering possible.

❓ Common Questions