Date: Friday, August 18 & Saturday, August 19, 2023
Location: Downtown Bradford
| About Carrot Fest |
| Voted as one of the Top 100 Events in Ontario by Festival & Events Ontario for more than a decade, Carrot Fest returns to Bradford West Gwillimbury! Carrot Fest will take place in downtown Bradford and at the Bradford & District Memorial Community Centre. This event includes a large vendor market with hundreds of vendors, Aqua Dogs, professional wrestling events, Kids Zone, live stage entertainment and more! The black organic soils of the Holland Marsh make Bradford West Gwillimbury one of Canada’s biggest carrot-producing regions and the ‘Heart of the Vegetable Industry’. Carrot Fest is a celebration of the region’s agricultural heritage, especially the role of the carrot in the local economy. Carrot Fest is a way to bring the community together to celebrate, encourage participation and generate pride. What started as a merchant-based community event has now developed into a historical event. |
| History of Carrot Fest |
| Did you ever wonder how Bradford West Gwillimbury ended up hosting a huge carrot-themed festival, which attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year? Carrot Fest has become BWG’s biggest annual event, however, it is not the first agricultural festival in BWG. In the 1970s, a Salad Festival was held each July and an estimated 20,000 people attended the 1976 Festival and parade. In 1977, the first Harvest Festival and Harvest Queen pageant was held at the former Ukrainian Cultural Centre in Bradford. In 1991, the Town of BWG was incorporated, composed of the former Town of Bradford, most of West Gwillimbury, and part of Tecumseth. Considering this amalgamation encompassed various communities, the Town was in need of a community event that would bring people together as part of BWG. The Heritage Environmental Agricultural Recreational Tourism (HEART) Committee was tasked with promoting tourism, economic development and downtown revitalization in BWG. As a result, the HEART Committee organized an open air market on summer weekends, with local farmers and merchants in downtown Bradford. In 1995, this open air market became the event “Super Saturday” on Labour Day weekend. The HEART Committee found that BWG produces more than 70% of Canada’s carrots, and subsequently renamed Super Saturday to “Carrot Fest”, hoping it would become the event that defines BWG, similar to Beeton’s Honey Festival or Alliston’s Potato Festival. The first Carrot Fest in 1998 added children’s entertainment, contests, and a main stage to the existing vendor market. Since 2005, Carrot Fest has been organized by the Town’s Department of Community Services. Carrot Fest has definitely become “a growing tradition” as the number of attendees has quadrupled since 2006, with an estimated 50,000 participants and $1 million generated locally. |
Event Schedule
| Friday, August 18, 2023 |
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Kids Zone 4:00-9:00pm Back Alley Cruisers 6:00-10:00pm Vendor Market 4:00-10:00pm Experience Simcoe Stage Schedule (Simcoe Road)
Licensed beer garden 4:00pm-midnight TD Stage Schedule(Courthouse parking lot)
Great Gulf Busker Pitch
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| Saturday, August 19, 2023 |
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Kids Zone 10:00am-6:00pm Experience Simcoe Stage Schedule (Simcoe Road)
TD Stage Schedule (Courthouse parking lot)
Great Gulf Busker Pitch
Bradford & District Memorial Centre
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| Event Map |
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Getting Here
| Parking & Transit |
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Carrot Fest takes place in Downtown Bradford, on Holland Street (see road closure details below).
Parking:Free parking is offered in various municipal lots surrounding the festival:
BWG Transit:BWG Transit will be offering FREE bus service on Saturday, August 19, 2023.
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| Road Closures |
The following road will be closed on Friday, August 18, 2023 at 11:00am:
The following roads will be closed on Saturday, August 19, 2023 at 6:00am:
All roads will re-open by 3am on Sunday, August 20, 2023 |
| Detour Routes |
| Detour routes and signs have been set-up to help traffic get through town during the festival, and to keep large vehicles off residential streets.
Detour 1 (follow signs for D1)Dissette Street to 8th Line to Professor Day Drive (Truck Route/Major Traffic)
Detour 2 (follow signs for D2)Marshview Boulevard to Simcoe Road to 6th Line to Melbourne Drive (Major Traffic)
Detour 3 (follow signs for D3)Church Street to John Street to Colborne Street (Local Traffic only)
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Vendor Market
| Vendor Market Hours |
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Friday, August 18, 2023 - 4:00-10:00pm Saturday, August 19, 2023 - 9:00am-6:00pm |
| Vendor List |
| 3 Scoops Barrie Street Aardvark 169, 171 Arbo Dental Care 200 Art Tekniks 47 Asiri's Treasures 99 101 Auntee Donna's Jerk Products 135 BeaverTails Simcoe Muskoka Mobile Barrie Street Believe Me Marketing Ltd. 173, 175 Bella Lovelee Beads 154 BIG LEAGUE GEAR 158, 160 Bling Face Painting Barrie Street Blooming Flower Farm and Jo's Juice Jazz Barrie Street Boreal Pet Food 10 Bradford Academy of Music 56 Bradford Bahai Community 193, 195, 197 Bradford Board of Trade 85 Bradford Comics 172 bradford eyecare 208 Bradford Farmers' Market 72, 74 Bradford Jewellery 84 86 Bradford Lions 82 Bradford North Dental Centre 62 Bradford Skin Clinic 68 BWG Fire Holland East & Colborne Carries Creative Collection 170 Casalingo Burger Inc. Barrie Street Central Hair Boutique Barrie Street Central York Girls Hockey Association 174 Century 21 22 Ceramic Concepts 132, 134 CHATS Community & Home Assistance to Seniors 199, 201, 203 Chung Chun Rice Hot Dog Barrie Street CHURRICOS 129 Close with Rose 103, 105 Code Ninjas East Gwillimbury 31 Community Living for South Simcoe 168 CONTACT Community Services 16, 18 Corey Quinlan Insurance - Desjardins Agent 108, 110 County of Simcoe 231 233 Crochet W Bay 144 Curiously Krafting 43 Darlingling Wooden Toys and Gifts 167 Decor by Darmora 136 Douglas Law Firm 32 Dream Destinations 190 Dutch Treats 94 El Tambache 114, 116 EVioletCrochet 198 FacePainting4U 148 Flint Innovations 58 Fruit and Nut Co. 151 Genesis Gymnastics 22, 24 Gents & Co Ltd. 2 Glad I Ate Here Barrie Street Glad I Ate Here 124 Global Pet Foods 1-15 GQ Tech 83 Gradience barbershop 100 Grandmother Chrysler Creations 138 Greater Life Community Church 70 Green Valley Alliance Church 178, 180 Handicraftdesire 40 Hay Caramba Restaurante 19, 19 Hearts of Gems 150, 152 Highlight Motors 80 Hola Dentistry 42 Holland Haus 65 Holland Street Dental 206 Ice Cream 4 U 210, 212 Innisfil Creek Honey 125, 127 Jaydee’s Market 21 Jellybean jewelry 142 Jenn's Busy Bees to go 186 Jennifer Donkin - Pampered chef 34 JMC Marble 66 John E's Woodcrafts & Creations + More 187 JUNGLE HOUSE CLOTHING CO 196 Just For Fun Concrete 163, 165 KabZza 115 KAL Solutions Inc o/a Liberty Tax 30 Kale + Clay 146 Kate's 126 Kawigga Pet Products 12 Kumon Math and Reading Centre of Bradford 29 La Mexicanada 109, 111, 113 Laseluxe Studio 194 LiteWave Media 102 Little Laura's Big Sweets 143 LittleGlamour / Crash+Duchess 36 Livstrong 4 Love My Leggs 107 Lyra's Furry Friends 192 Macrame Made Me Do It 181 Magical Events 23, 25 Marcia Talbot 162, 164 Marigold Prairies 28 Mark It Up by Anna 184 Michael Bailey Century 21 Heritage Group 92 Minervas Creations 27 Miss Richie's Kitchen 117 Mister Treats HW Busker Pitch Mr Bamboo Plus 93 Mr. C’s Freeze Dried Treats 157 My Lil Gem 53, 55 Nana, Mama and Me 176 Nature's Hug Pet Food 8 New Style Barbers 79, 81 Newmarket Ringette Association 205 Nick's Dairy Bar o/a Dairy Belle 120, 122 Nickel 9 Distillery Inc 45 Northwind Baits 91 Off Cut & Co 128 onefive1 179 OneUp International Inc 207, 209, 211 Origin Smoothies Barrie Street Ornament Craze 118 OSBORNE GODDARD TEAM 71, 73 Panetta Bros. Grooming Essentials 188 Paradigm Martial Arts Inc. 213, 215 Pet Furtography 14 Petkind 6 Pook Designz 140 Prime Event Rentals / Alpha Detailing 153, 155 Promise Church 49, 51 Red Heart Wine 204 redheadco scrunchies & accessories 191 Rosemary's Country Kitchen 159 Sabari Orthodontics 217, 219 Sandra’s Fitness Club 227, 229 Saree Boutique 96 Shelly's Crazy Critters 161 Sidewalk Artist 33 Silver Rose 89 Smokes Poutinerie Barrie Street South Simcoe Basketball Club 41 Speak For Success 202 StudioM 156 Sumak Arts 50, 52 Sunny Hotdog 131 Sunny Sky’s Designs 38 SUPERIOR MEATS 119, 121, 123 Sweet B’s 75 Sweet magnolia prints 182 The Amazing Andrew 166 The Campus Church Bradford 44 The Elden 90 The Kings Daughters 149 The Loving Soul 60 The Silver Galaxy 95, 97 The Sunny Side of Life Co 98 THE WHIMSICAL CRISPIE CO 141 Top Property Maintenance 221, 223, 225 Tresanas Decora 54 Trinity Anglican Church 177 Tupling Insurance Brokers Ltd 69 Tupperware 185 U at Home 104, 106 Uni Bubble Tea 139 Union FC 87 Verona Travel 37, 39 WE HELP! UKRAINE TO GTA 20 Well Care Medical 112 Wild Kernel Co. 145 147 Wild Rabbit Beads 189 Wing Zone 17 Women Lifestyle Clinic Inc. 61 Young Engineers Newmarket-Bradford 64 Zuccas Ristorante Barrie Street |
2023 Vendor Applications are CLOSED!
We are no longer accepting vendor applications for Carrot Fest 2023
| Vendor Application Information |
| Applications for Carrot Fest 2023 opened on January 30, 2023. Vendor spaces for local businesses and store fronts residing in the festival area are given priority. Applications will be evaluated by entertainment and uniqueness of booth and products. Due to a high volume of applications, please remain patient while your application is being reviewed.
Please review our 2023 Vendor Application Information Package
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| Vendor Fees |
| Friday, August 18, 2023
Payment is accepted once your application has been approved. |
| Food Vendors and Food Trucks |
| Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - Vendor Permit If you are a food vendor, interested in selling food at Carrot Fest, you are required by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit to fill out the Special Event/Farmers Market Vendor Application Form 10 days after acceptance. Failure to abide by these rules and regulations may result in removal from the festival.
Food/Beverage Truck Business Licensing As per the Town’s Business Licensing By-law 2014-70, all food vendors that are considered to be a refreshment vehicle or refreshment cart that wish to participate at Carrot Fest will require a temporary Business License from the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury. Please note that not all food vendors will have to obtain this license i.e. if they are a restaurant serving outside their store front or handing out food samples. |
| Vendor Market Hours |
| Friday, August 18:
Saturday, August 19:
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| Booth Size & Requirements: |
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Thank-you to our 2023 Event Sponsors
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