Enjoy Oakville Along With the Festival

Travel Information for Visitors to the Fall Celtic Festival

The Town of Oakville--where the Fall Celtic Festival takes place—is an attractive destination in its own right.

Quick Oakville Snapshot: Oakville (population 233,700) lies on the shores of Lake Ontario, halfway between two of Ontario’s major cities, Toronto and Hamilton (roughly 32-38 km/20-23 miles either way), and about an hour's drive from the U.S. border crossings at Lewiston, Niagara Falls, or Buffalo, New York. The beauty of Oakville’s natural surroundings and its early history as a commercial and shipbuilding port have helped to shape its character. Its present-day attractions include three active harbours, two beaches, over 200 km/124 miles of recreational trails for hikers and cyclists, and more than 200 parks and public gardens—31 of which offer water frontage with stunning views of the lake and surrounding areas. Well-preserved heritage homes, an antique lighthouse, and other landmark buildings and historic sites recall the town's past. Yet Oakville also houses a growing modern commercial sector, including large corporations and an impressive array of small independent businesses offering boutique shopping and a wide variety of gastronomic treats. Popular options for mealtimes include patio dining and Hexagon, a local Michelin-starred restaurant serving contemporary cuisine. As a travel destination for stopovers, day trips, and vacations, Oakville combines the charm, tradition, and relaxed atmosphere of a smaller community with sophisticated big-city delights.

Activities: Not surprisingly given its nautical past, Oakville offers a wide range of water sports, including boating, canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and charter fishing. Indoor and outdoor playgrounds abound, along with excellent facilities for all types of sports--including reputedly the largest soccer and rugby clubs of their kind in North America. 

Arts & Culture: Oakville’s varied and vibrant arts scene includes a Centre for the Performing Arts, a symphony orchestra, museums, galleries, and a Culture Days celebration held annually around the same time as the Fall Celtic Festival--this year from September 19 to October 12, 2025. The Culture Days event enlists local creators to stage free exhibitions, workshops, and performances at locations all across town. In last year's Culture Days, of the over 350 total participating communities in Canada, Oakville was ranked as the number one overall participating community, and for the third year in a row, the top mid-size city.

Books, Movies, TV, Social Media: Historically, Oakville was a stop on the Underground Railroad, providing an entry point into Canada where Black people escaping slavery in America could establish themselves. Multi-award-winning Canadian author Lawrence Hill features this aspect of Oakville’s history and some of its actual locations in his novel Any Known Blood. Oakville's unique appeal and proximity to Toronto also make it an increasingly popular shooting location for major motion pictures and television shows, including The Santa Clause starring Tim Allen; Dream House starring Naomi Watts, Rachel Weisz, and Daniel Craig; and The Handmaid’s Tale starring Elisabeth Moss. In a June 2025 article, Narcity Media lead travel writer Madeline Forsyth reported: "Recently, we asked readers on Narcity Canada's Facebook page to name the best small towns to live in Canada, and [Oakville] was one of the picks." (Link to Forsyth's article: https://bit.ly/3FZtfAY.)

Visit Oakville: To obtain a Visitor Guide and more information on Oakville’s amenities, attractions, and accommodation options, click on the following link to the Visit Oakville website: http://visitoakville.com.