Amherstburg is set to step back into the 1920s with the Barrels and Brass Weekend from August 21 to 23, 2026. The three-day event, part of the Amherstburg Open Air Weekends series, will turn the downtown core into a pedestrian-friendly celebration of Prohibition-era rum running, complete with jazz performances, speakeasy tours, and live actors.
The weekend is organized in collaboration with the Marsh Historical Collection, which will help bring the town’s rum running past to life. The event leans into the history of the Detroit River as a key route for bootleggers during Prohibition, a story deeply tied to Amherstburg’s waterfront identity.
Music will be a central feature, with Hugh Leal’s Speakeasy Quartet scheduled to perform classic jazz from the 1920s and 1930s. The quartet is known for playing the early music of Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Fats Waller, fitting the weekend’s speakeasy theme.
While details on all vendors are not yet confirmed, local craft beverage producers such as Wolfhead Distillery and Lot 10 Brewing Company could be part of the experience, offering residents the chance to discover regional spirits and beers.
The Open Air Weekends series runs every Friday at 3 p.m. until Sunday at 8 p.m., closing Richmond, Dalhousie, and Murray Streets to vehicle traffic. The series was named Best Street Festival at the 2025 Best of Windsor Essex Awards, and Barrels and Brass is the third-to-last themed weekend of the 2026 season, which wraps up on September 6.
