Valley East Days: 49 Years of Northern Ontario’s Biggest Free Festival

Three days of vendors, family fun, and two nights of live concerts in Hanmer

📍 Get Directions Full Schedule

Over 100 vendors, free family entertainment all weekend, and two ticketed nights of live music — Andrew Hyatt headlining Country Night, Big Sugar headlining Rock Night — capped off with fireworks over the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre.

🎡 100+ vendors 🎸 2 nights of concerts 🎪 Free kids’ activities 🎆 Fireworks finale

💡 This is a genuinely community-built event — over 120 local small businesses sponsor the weekend, which is why it’s grown into one of the largest free festivals anywhere in the province.

Why Go Schedule Concerts Family Fun Essentials Getting There Tips FAQ

✨ Why Valley East Days Draws 30,000+ People

Hanmer isn’t a city most people outside Greater Sudbury could point to on a map, but for one weekend every September, its shopping centre parking lot turns into one of the largest free festivals in the province. Organizers put attendance at over 30,000 people across the three days — a genuinely remarkable number for a community event that charges nothing for entry.

What makes it work is the sheer breadth of local buy-in. More than 120 small businesses sponsor the festival every year, something festival co-organizer Chris Vitiello has pointed to as almost unheard of for an event this size — that level of grassroots support is what funds free daytime programming for kids, over 100 vendor booths, and two full nights of concerts without ever charging for general admission.

Now in its 49th year, the festival has built a reputation for weathering genuinely rough Northern Ontario weather — past editions have run in everything from summer heat to 7°C afternoons — without losing momentum. The two ticketed concert nights, Country Night and Rock Night, are the festival’s main fundraising engine and consistently bring in touring acts that punch well above what you’d expect from a small-town community festival. Big Sugar headlining Rock Night in 2026 is a good example of that pattern — a genuinely major Canadian rock act playing a shopping centre parking lot in Hanmer, because the festival’s reputation and reach have grown enough over five decades to attract that level of booking.

📅 Festival Schedule

Three days at the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre, with free daytime programming leading into the two ticketed concert nights.

🎸 The Two Big Nights

Tickets for both concert nights are available online through TicketScene (7% surcharge applies) or in person, cash only, at Cousin Vinny’s in Hanmer.

🎪 Family Fun

Daytime programming across all three days is free and built specifically for kids — inflatables set up like a mini amusement park, a petting zoo, magic shows, and free treats have all been festival staples in past years. Past editions have also handed out free glow sticks to children as part of the closing fireworks show, a small touch that’s become one of the festival’s most-anticipated family traditions.

Dr. Von Houligan’s Family Extravaganza runs as part of the Sunday programming — check the festival’s Entertainment page for exact show times closer to the date.

📋 Essentials

🚗 Getting There & Parking

The festival takes over the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre grounds on Old Highway 69, roughly a 20-minute drive north of downtown Sudbury.

Parking: The shopping centre’s large surface parking lot serves as festival parking, though expect it to fill up during the Friday and Saturday evening concerts — arrive early for the best spots.

💡 A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Go

🎫 Buy concert tickets ahead of time. Big Sugar and Andrew Hyatt draw serious crowds — online through TicketScene or cash in person at Cousin Vinny’s.

🧥 Pack for Northern Ontario weather swings. September evenings in Hanmer can turn cold fast — layers are worth it even if the afternoon starts warm.

🅿️ Arrive early on concert nights. The shopping centre lot is large but fills quickly once Rock Night and Country Night crowds show up.

👨‍👩‍👧 Come during the day if you’re bringing young kids. The free daytime programming — inflatables, petting zoo, magic shows — is the best fit for younger children, with concerts reserved for the evening crowd.

❓ Common Questions