THUNDER BAY — Residents in Thunder Bay, Ont., and the surrounding district can expect a weekend filled with fairs, festivals and fundraisers.

For those interested in getting out in the citizens, there are quite a few options from Aug. 15 to 16, including, but not limited to, the Murillo Fair, Westfort Street Fair, Pawchella, Festival of India and the Summer Matsuri. The Oliver Agricultural Society will host its annual Murillo Fair at the Murillo Fairgrounds in Oliver Paipoonge, Ont., from Friday to Sunday, with times respectively from 5 p.m.

to 10 p.m., 10 a.m. The traditional agricultural weekend festival will feature livestock competitions, homecraft exhibits, midway rides and lawn mower races. General admission is $10, youth and senior admission is $5 and children five years old or younger can enter for free. The Westfort Street Fair will also return on Saturday from 9 a.m.

to 8 p.m., residents can join in Jagannath Rath Yatra, a chariot parade pulling an 18-foot chariot of Lord Jagannath, accompanied by kirtan, traditional music and dancing.

to 5 p.m., showcasing numerous area vendors, new events, businesses, artists, musicians, beer gardens, street food, food contests and more on Frederica Street East. The free fair will celebrate the business neighbourhood and the area of Westfort. This year, a new dog-friendly festival fundraiser will also be coming to Kamview Nordic Centre on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m., raising funds in support of appendix cancer care and research through the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation’s Northern Cancer Financial allocation. Pawchella, an afternoon filled with wagging tails, will offer the region the chance to stop in for community vendors, the Ontario SPCA with games and information about adoptable dogs, agility demonstrations, St. John Ambulance Therapy Dogs, two-to-five-kilometre dog walks starting at 1 p.m. The event was created in memory of Hannah Deley, who worked at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and passed away in May of 2025 at the age of 25 following a battle with appendix cancer. Attendees can also create “Pledge Your Paws” fundraising pages for their furry best friends and compete to become the Top Dog Fundraiser and win a pet prize package. After being postponed due to the forest fire situation, the Festival of India and the Festival of Colours will also make a comeback to Marina Park on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. As part of the Festival of India from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., residents can join in Jagannath Rath Yatra, a chariot parade pulling an 18-foot chariot of Lord Jagannath, accompanied by kirtan, traditional music and dancing. The parade will start at 1 p.m. outside the Waverley Resource Library. For free, the public can also check out a lineup of live cultural performances — musicians, singers and dancers — yoga and wellness activities, henna and cultural exhibits, the region and artisan vendors, children’s activities and family entertainment and a vegetarian dinner feast. In addition, attendees can participate in colour throws with interactive dances, live kirtan bands, DJs, yoga, cuisine and more the next day from 3 p.m. The Lakehead Japanese Cultural Association will also present the Summer Matsuri on Saturday from 4:30 p.m. at the West Thunder The public Centre. Whether it is rain or shine, the public can stop by the free festival to celebrate Japanese Canadian culture, food and arts. The evening will feature live entertainment such as taiko drumming, kimono dressing and martial arts demonstrations, as well as a vendor market offering Japanese and Asian food and more. Brother John will also play live from 1:30 p.m. for free at this week’s Sundays in the Park Concert on the main stage at Chippewa Park. Nicky Shaw is a reporter for CBC Thunder Bay. She graduated with a Bachelor of Journalism and a minor in Environmental and Climate Humanities from Carleton University. Aligning with her passion for covering global environmental and humanitarian issues, she has worked to develop in-depth multimedia content that shares the diverse experiences of people in Northwestern Ontario. It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered onCBC Gem..

Community members are encouraged to stay informed and share this information with friends and family. Following trusted local news sources helps ensure everyone stays up to date with events and announcements affecting Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario.

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📍 Source: CBC News Thunder Bay · By: CBC News Staff · 🗓️ August 16, 2026 · 🏠 ThunderBay.Online