Note that the following information is for the 2023 Festival of Small Halls.
If you love hearing live music by Canadian artists in small communities, check out this year’s impressive and packed lineup for the Ontario Festival of Small Halls. The annual event will be staging over three dozen concerts in venues across Eastern Ontario from October 5 to 22, and tickets are on sale as of 10am on Tuesday, June 6.
“It’s an eclectic festival, with some remarkable venues featuring a variety of great acts,” said Ontario Festival of Small Halls executive director Mark Monahan in a news release.
This year, the festival has expanded beyond its Ottawa Valley roots to offer shows in places as far west as Peterborough. In and around Ottawa, host communities include Manotick, Almonte, Carleton Place, Perth, Russell, Winchester, Burritts Rapids (see the photo of the Burritts Rapids Community Hall at the top of this post), Morrisburg, Prescott and Brockville.
Acts on the list range from ’80s icons Kim Mitchell and The Spoons to country artist Corb Lund and jazz/soul singer Kellylee Evans.
You can buy tickets after 10am on June 6. Here’s the complete list of shows.
Weekend 1: October 5 to 7, 2023
Kellylee Evans, Thursday, October 5, 2023 – Wilton Community Hall / Odessa, ON
Mia Kelly, Thursday, October 5, 2023 – Union Hall / Mississippi Mills, ON
Corb Lund, Thursday, October 5, 2023 – Manotick United Church / Manotick, ON
Corb Lund, Friday, October 6, 2023 – Joshua Bates Centre / Athens, ON
The Once, Friday, October 6, 2023 – Almonte Old Town Hall / Almonte, ON
Kellylee Evans, Friday, October 6, 2023 – Burritts Rapids Community Hall / Burritts Rapids, ON
Devin Cuddy Band, Friday, October 6, 2023 – The Matawatchan Hall / Griffith, ON
Harry Manx, Saturday, October 7, 2023 – Bob Richardson Legion Branch 496 / Sydenham, ON
The Once, Saturday, October 7, 2023 – St. James Anglican Church / Morrisburg, ON
Corb Lund, Saturday, October 7, 2023 – McDonald’s Corners Agricultural Hall / McDonalds Corners, ON
Devin Cuddy Band, Saturday, October 7, 2023 – Carleton Place Town Hall / Carleton Place, ON
Weekend 2: October 12 to 15, 2023
Kim Mitchell, Thursday October 12, 2023 – Showplace Performance Centre / Peterborough, ON
The Abrams, Friday October 13, 2023 – Norwood Old Town Hall / Norwood, ON
The Irish Descendants, Friday October 13, 2023 – Coronation Hall / Omemee, ON
Matthew Good – Solo Acoustic, Friday, October 13, 2023 – Almonte Old Town Hall / Almonte, ON
Mikhail Laxton, Friday, October 13, 2023 – Elgin United Church / Elgin, ON
Terra Lightfoot, (w/ Aysanabee opening) Friday, October 13, 2023 – St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church / Prescott, ON
Jenn Grant, Saturday October 14, 2023 – Pontypool Community Centre / Pontypool, ON
The Abrams, Saturday October 14, 2023 – Lakehurst Hall / Lakehurst, ON
The Irish Descendants, Saturday, October 14, 2023 – DACA Community Centre / Dacre, ON
Matthew Good – Solo Acoustic, Saturday, October 14, 2023 – Almonte Old Town Hall / Almonte, ON
Terra Lightfoot, (w/ Tony D opening) Saturday, October 14, 2023 – Seeley’s Bay Community Hall / Seeley’s Bay, ON
Julian Taylor, Saturday, October 14, 2023 – Marble Arts Centre / Tweed, ON
Julian Taylor, Sunday, October 15, 2023 – Chaffey’s Lock Community Hall / Elgin, ON
Jenn Grant, Sunday, October 15, 2023 – Maberly Hall / Maberly, ON
The Irish Descendants, Sunday October 15, 2023 – Fenella Community Hall / Roseneath, ON
Weekend 3: October 20 to 22, 2023
Old Man Luedecke, Friday, October 20, 2023 – Oakfield Rugby Park / Perth, ON
Ben Caplan, Friday, October 20, 2023 – Delta Old Town Hall / Delta, ON
Spoons, Friday, October 20, 2023 – St. John’s United Church / Brockville, ON
Quote The Raven, Friday, October 20, 2023 – Tatlock Community Hall / Darling Township, Lanark Highlands, ON
The Arrogant Worms, Saturday, October 21, 2023 – Spencerville United Church / Spencerville, ON
Quote The Raven, Saturday, October 21, 2023 – Furnace Falls Farm / Lyndhurst, ON
Ben Caplan, Saturday, October 21, 2023 – Westmeath & District Recreation Centre / Westmeath, ON
Spoons, Saturday, October 21, 2023 – Winchester United Church / Winchester, ON
Charlie Cunningham, Sunday, October 22, 2023 – Althorpe Bolingbroke Community Hall / Maberly, ON
Old Man Luedecke, Sunday, October 22, 2023 – Morton Hall / Morton, ON
The Arrogant Worms, Sunday, October 22, 2023 – St. Andrews and St. Paul United Church / Russell, ON
Find a nearby place to stay
Why not plan an overnight getaway around one or more of these shows? You can use the map below to find accommodations. Just type the name of the community you’re visiting into the search bar in the top left-hand corner of the map, and accommodations nearby will be displayed. (Disclosure: If you book a place to stay using this map, I’ll receive a small commission—which will help support this site—at no extra cost to you.)
Looking for more tips on things to see and do in Eastern Ontario, the Outaouais, northern New York state and beyond? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or order a copy of my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your Weekend Getaway Guide.
As the owner of Ottawa Road Trips, I acknowledge that I live on, work in and travel through the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.