Residents of Pembroke, Ontario who want to help out at this year’s Ottawa Valley Buskerfest can now skip the email and sign up directly through a new online form. The festival’s planning committee has replaced its old email-based registration with a simple web form, making it easier for volunteers to get involved in the August 14 and 15 event.
The 2026 Buskerfest kicks off Friday evening from 5 to 10 p.m. at the Pembroke Waterfront, then moves downtown on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The volunteer sign-up form is featured on the festival’s website under its volunteer section.
Joanna Els, founding chair of the Buskerfest Planning Committee, said the shift to an online tool responds to the festival’s rapid growth since its debut in 2024. That first year, more than 1,000 visitors showed up in the first hour alone, backed by over 60 volunteers. In 2025, opening night at Waterfront Park drew thousands of people, with even bigger crowds filling Pembroke Street West on Saturday.
“Use this link to apply,” the official Ottawa Valley Buskerfest site instructs, pointing residents to the Buskerfest Volunteer Form. The form collects basic contact information and availability, eliminating the earlier method of sending an email to [email protected].
The festival is organized by the Pembroke Business Improvement Area, with executive director Bethea Summers supporting a 12-member planning committee. Last year, the Ontario government awarded $20,000 to the event through the Experience Ontario program, helping to boost its profile as a key summer attraction in the region.
