The 48th annual Canal Days Marine Heritage Festival returns to Port Colborne, Ontario, from July 31 to August 3, 2026, bringing a packed long weekend of music, food, and a free fireworks display over the Welland Canal on Sunday, August 2.
The fireworks run from 10:00 to 10:30 p.m. and are sponsored by Port Colborne Quarries and Rankin Construction. City staff say the show is free and remains one of the festival’s most popular traditions.
Greg Zwiep, the city’s recreation and tourism manager, says the four-day event typically draws 60,000 to 70,000 visitors each summer. For many local shops, restaurants, and vendors, the long weekend is a make-or-break stretch. “This is like their Christmas,” Zwiep says. “This is where they make a lot of their revenues and profits for the year.”
The festival started in 1979 when communities along the Welland Canal marked the 150th anniversary of the first canal’s opening. Port Colborne’s Historical & Marine Museum kept the celebration going, and it has since grown into the city’s signature summer event. This year, more than 110 vendors and 150-plus volunteers will support activities along historic West Street, the festival’s main hub.
Organizers say they have a record 80 sponsors in 2026, with GIO Rail returning as the presenting sponsor. Mayor Bill Steele calls the sponsor turnout the highest in Canal Days history.
Residents who want to get involved can apply to be vendors through the Canal Days website or reach events and volunteer coordinator Luke Rowe at [email protected]. The full festival schedule, including concert lineups and marine heritage displays, is posted at canaldays.ca.
