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Date and Time of Festival |
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Ontario’s Best Butter Tart Festival is on June 10, 2023 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
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Location and Maps |
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The festival takes place in Midland’s downtown core between Yonge Street and Bayshore Drive and in David Onley and Harbourside parks. View our vendors page here with our Festival Map Click to view the Shuttle Map and Transit Map View the Road Closure Map |
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Admission |
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There is no admission to our family-friendly festival.*There are fees associated with activities at the Kids Zone |
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Dairy Farmers of Ontario Entertainment Stage |
Enjoy live music at the Dairy Farmers of Ontario Entertainment Stage from 10:00am – 5:00pm.
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Egg Farmers of Ontario Butter Tart Contest |
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The Egg Farmers of Ontario Butter Tart Contest takes place in Rotary Hall within the Midland Cultural Centre. There is no admission cost to sit in the audience and watch our judges tackle the sweet challenge of selecting the BEST butter tart. Looking for more contest information? Click here. |
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Faris Team Shuttles |
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Save yourself the hassle of trying to find a parking spot downtown and take the Faris Team Shuttle for no cost! For shuttles on the east side of Midland, parking is available at 1000 Wye Valley Road on Hwy 12.For shuttles on the west side of Midland, parking is available at Georgian Bay District Secondary School at 925 Hugel Avenue. The shuttles run from 8:45am and the last shuttle will leave downtown Midland at 5:30pm. Click to view our transit page for the Shuttle Map |
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Parking, Transit and Cycling |
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There is free parking in the downtown in municipal lots and side streets. Note that hourly parking fees are in effect in the parking lot at Midland Harbour and parking offences such as parking too close to an intersection, blocking fire hydrants, etc. will be enforced. In addition to regular accessible parking spots within the downtown, the municipal parking lot at Bayshore Drive and Midland Avenue is designated accessible and mothers-to-be parking only on festival day. Midland Transit will be running at no cost to riders (note the regular route will be impacted due to the festival). There will be a free festival shuttle running from Penetanguishene. Cyclists will enjoy a free bike valet located along the Trans Canada Trail provided by Cycle Simcoe. |
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Festival Information Booths |
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Have a question on festival day? Visit our festival information booths at King Street and Hugel Avenue or in David Onley Park. Festival maps are located at each intersection. |
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Pets |
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Due to the number of festival visitors and crowds, we strongly recommend leaving your dog at home. If you have your dog with you, please do not leave them unattended in your vehicle. |
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Washrooms |
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Porta potties are located at each intersection throughout the festival and in Harbourside Park, with hand washing stations. Washroom facilities are also available on the main floor and second floor of the Midland Cultural Centre and at the Midland Harbour. |
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Baby Care |
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The Midland Cultural Centre has baby care stations in their main floor washrooms. The Midland Cultural Centre and Midland Public Library, both located at King and Elizabeth Streets, are breastfeeding friendly locations and are air-conditioned spots for moms to nurse their babies. |
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Cooling Stations |
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If you need to step out of the heat, the Midland Cultural Centre, the Midland Public Library, and the Southern Georgian Bay Chamber of Commerce are designated cooling stations. |
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First Aid, Security, and Lost and Found |
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For emergencies, please call 9-1-1.For minor injuries, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is onsite to assist with first aid. CERT is set up at both ends of the festival and they also have volunteers walking throughout the festival. The festival hires a private security company to assist with any on-site issues. They wear identifiable clothing and you’ll find them throughout the festival. Lost and found is located at our Festival Information Booths. If you lose an item at the festival, please email us or phone us at 705-526-4275. We will respond at our earliest convenience on the next business day. |
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Smoking and Vaping |
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As our festival is family-friendly, we ask that visitors refrain from smoking tobacco and cannabis and vaping within the festival boundaries. Please see the Smoke Free Ontario Act, 2017. |
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Accommodations |
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Looking to stay overnight? Click here. We have a variety of accommodations options available in Midland and surrounding area. |
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Free Butter Tart Tasting |
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That’s right! Our contest judges only cut off a small portion of each butter tart and the rest of each butter tart is cut into smaller pieces. Our volunteers circulate throughout the audience with trays with these delicious little samples, allowing festival visitors to taste the same butter tarts as our judges! You can find the Egg Farmers of Ontario Butter Tart Contest in Rotary Hall within the Midland Cultural Centre. |
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Buying Contest Butter Tarts |
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Festival visitors will be able to purchase a six-pack of contest butter tarts for $15 each. There will be a limit of two packages per customer and tarts will be available for sale at specific times/location throughout the festival. |
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Other Fun Things to Do |
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Events below are community events, not Town of Midland events. Our friends at the Butter Tart Trot organize a fun-run in support of local youth charities on our festival day. With butter tarts along the route for runners to enjoy, it is the yummiest run race in Ontario! Visit The Butter Tart Trot for more information. Families will enjoy our new Kids Zone located in Harbourside Park. Please note there are fees associated with Kids Zone activities. “Sugar Sugar Sugar” Cookie Decorating Party with Jean and Rachel, authors of the new cookbook Baking Wonderland. Young bakers will have the opportunity to decorate a “butter tart” shaped sugar cookie to take home, as well as the recipe. Sprinkles will definitely fly! The Southern Georgian Bay Cancer Support Centre is hosting their inaugural Butter Tart Classic Pickleball Tournament from June 9 to 11. Click here to visit their website for more information. |
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Banks/ATMs |
If you run out of cash while at our festival, the following banks and ATMs will be available. In Midland:
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Don’t Forget to Bring |
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Re-fillable water bottles. We have a water bottle refilling station located in Harbourside Park. Stay hydrated! Sunscreen as our festival takes place mostly outdoors and dress for the weather. Wipes for sticky hands when enjoying all of the delicious butter tarts. Re-usable bags for to carry your butter tarts and other purchases so we can cut down on plastic use at our event. |
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Rain |
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Ontario’s Best Butter Tart Festival is a rain or shine event. While the weather gods love butter tarts, our event takes place outdoors, so please bring an umbrella or raincoat if the forecast calls for rain. In the event of severe inclement weather festival organizer may need to cancel the event. Watch for details on our social media accounts, announcements on local radio stations, at www.buttertartfestival.ca and at www.midland.ca |
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Vegan, Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free, Keto, Non-GMO Butter Tarts |
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Gluten Free
Vegan
Nut Free
Some Sugar Free Products
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Sunday Activities |
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The Southern Georgian Bay Farmers Market operates on Sunday morning from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Many of our downtown businesses will be open on Sunday, as well as eateries and restaurants. Visit one of our local attractions or historic sites. For more information, visit Shop Midland and Heart of Georgian Bay. |
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Thank You |
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A huge thank you goes out to all of ours sponsors, our volunteers, our contest judges, our vendors, and everyone else whose hard work and dedication goes into making Ontario's Best Butter Tart Festival the sweetest day of the year. |
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