Food & DrinkSepMarquee Event
Niagara Grape & Wine Festival
Canada's oldest wine festival spreads across three September weekends and closes with a 200,000-person parade through St. Catharines.
When
2026: September 11–27, 2026
2025: September 5–28, 2025
Where
Montebello Park
Area
St. Catharines / Niagara Region
Cost
Free + Paid · Free park and parade access; Discovery Pass winery tastings sold separately
Format
outdoor
Attendance
200K+ visitors
Running Since
1952 (74 years)
Family Friendly
Yes
VT Insider Tip
2026 is the festival's 75th anniversary — expect extra programming around the milestone. The Discovery Pass tasting tickets for the winery-hopping portion of the festival tend to sell out ahead of the weekends themselves, so buy early if tastings are the draw rather than the parade.
About
Running since 1952, the Niagara Grape & Wine Festival is Canada's oldest and largest wine festival, anchored at Montebello Park in St. Catharines but spreading across wineries throughout the Niagara region over three weekends each September. It's part harvest celebration, part civic institution — the Grande Parade alone typically draws around 200,000 spectators, making it one of the largest single-day gatherings anywhere in the Niagara area.
What to Expect
Free access to Montebello Park and the Grande Parade route, paid Discovery Pass tastings across participating Niagara wineries, and a mix of family-friendly daytime programming with adult-focused wine events layered on top.
Pro Tips
The Grande Parade on the final Sunday draws the biggest crowds by far — arrive well before the start time for street-side viewing space. Confirm GO Transit's seasonal Niagara train schedule ahead of time, since rail service to the region isn't guaranteed year-round.
Getting There
GO Transit runs seasonal train service toward Niagara via St. Catharines in summer/early fall — confirm current schedule before relying on it. Driving via the QEW takes about 1 hour 20 minutes from Toronto.