Ontario festivals to receive $20 million to navigate tense summer season

Twenty million dollars has been left on the table to help Ontario festivals navigate a summer marred by economic uncertainty.

On April 24, Ontario’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming opened a pool of funds to over 350 eligible provincial festivals and events.

The Experience Ontario grant is offered annually and helps eligible festivals and events enhance operational capacity.

This relief comes at a time of change in national leisure activity, as most people across the country (and province) are opting to spend their vacation days domestically instead of abroad.

According to top figures within the festival industry, this $20 million comes at a much-needed time, as festivals and events have been licking wounds left over from the pandemic era since last summer.

“I’m keeping track of a lot of positive announcements that [festivals] have been sharing,” Andrew Siegwart, CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO), told INsauga.com. “There are many benefits to this, and one of the major ones is that this announcement has been made well in advance of summer.”

With an adequate application window now secured, Siegwart is confident these funds will support a once-limping festival industry, specifically, by giving events breathing room to focus on ticket sales, sponsorships, and other ways to leverage their investments.

One of the qualifying festivals–Thunder Bay’s Wake the Giant Music Festival–received $55,000 through the funding push.

The celebration, one of northern Ontario’s largest events, is known to showcase some heavy hitters and create a space where up-and-coming Indigenous artists and youth can gather.

“[The funding] helps us continue growing something truly special, and welcome hundreds of Indigenous youth to Thunder Bay while creating a space where they feel celebrated and connected. At the same time, it gives festival-goers an unforgettable experience that blends music, art, and culture,” Sean Spenrath, a representative with the festival, told INsauga.com via email.

Scheduled for Sept 6, 2025, Wake the Giant will host the massive pop supergroup, The Black Eyed Peas, as its headliner.

INsauga.com contacted the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Gaming to inquire about this year’s grant and what it means for the wider spectrum of Ontario’s economy outside festival season.

“Festivals and events supported by Experience Ontario benefit communities and boost local economies by drawing more visitors who stay longer in local accommodations, eat in restaurants, shop at local retailers, and support main street businesses,” a spokesperson with the ministry told INsauga.com.

Beyond its trickle-down nature, authorities like Siegwart also view the grant as a great equalizer for Ontario, as in his opinion, too often do provincial bankrolling initiatives focus on bigger and flashier festivals and not the little guy.

“Sometimes big strategic investments are made in certain markets because there are solid cases for it. But in this program, these investments get spread across every community and strengthen tourism, destinations, and communities across the whole province, which adds to a more vibrant festival season.”

Operating alongside this, while travel to the U.S. may not be on everyone’s mind this summer, Siegwart attests that a stronger network of Ontario festivals can entice American dollars to be spent up north, resulting in a tandem economic boost between domestic and foreign spenders.

However, significant hurdles remain ever present, as according to Siegwart, many events in Ontario are still struggling to acquire sponsorships amid the cost-of-living crisis and ongoing trade war with the U.S.

“One of the things that is really important for the sector right now is looking at the landscape post-election season and what is happening with tariffs. The idea is to look at many different ways in which we can get economic investment,” says Siegwart.

Until the dust settles, Siegwart encourages any festivals looking to apply for this year’s grant to get a solid portfolio together, as just because these funds are available does not mean they are easy to access.

“These applications are metrics-driven, so you have to deliver results, and beyond that, demonstrate results.”

For more information on Experience Ontario 2025, visit the province’s official website.