Wasaga Beach’s Epic “Memories of Summer” Beachfront Concert Named One of Ontario’s Top 100 Festivals & Events

Wasaga Beach, ON — It’s official! Wasaga Beach’s most loved and most attended beachfront concert event, Memories of Summer, has secured a place on Ontario’s Top 100 Festivals & Events list.

The highly coveted recognition is awarded by Festivals & Events Ontario (FEO). The annual Top 100 list highlights standout events across Ontario that demonstrate strong community engagement, high-quality programming, and significant tourism draw. 

This year’s honour highlights how Memories of Summer, which takes place under the stars on the sandy shores of the longest freshwater beach in the world, is unlike any other live music event in Ontario or Canada.

Every year, thousands of people travel to Wasaga Beach to celebrate the last long weekend of summer — with crowds in past years exceeding 12,000 visitors enjoying the beach, live music, beer tents and food trucks.

Past headliners have included Canadian rock icons April Wine (2023), and Tom Cochrane (2024) with the 2025 festival featuring an electrifying performance by Queen Flash, Canada’s leading Queen tribute band. General admission is free.

Big Plans for Summer 2026

Wasaga Beach is preparing for another exciting live music festival season. Details on the Town’s 2026 Memories of Summer headliner and full summer event lineup will be announced later this month.

QUICK FACTS

• Each year, the Town of Wasaga Beach welcomes upwards of 2 million visitors to its iconic Ontario beachfront community, drawn by local businesses, live music festivals and events, and 14 km of sandy beach — the longest freshwater beach in the world.
• To celebrate the last long weekend of summer, up to 12,000 attendees gather at Beach Area 1 for Memories of Summer, featuring live music and a large fireworks display.
• Memories of Summer has previously featured performances by Canadian music legends including Tom Cochrane and April Wine.
• In 2025, Festivals & Events Ontario recognized Trail Tunes, the Town’s regional music event in collaboration with Springwater and Collingwood, to its Top 100 list.
  
  

Additional Resources

Plan your visit to Wasaga Beach.
Learn more about Festivals and Events in Wasaga Beach.

About Festivals & Events Ontario
Established in 1987, Festivals & Events Ontario (FEO) is the province’s leading association supporting the growth and stability of Ontario’s festival and event industry. FEO provides leadership in education, advocacy and promotion, delivers Canada’s largest dedicated festivals and events conference, publishes an annual consumer guide, and oversees one of the industry’s premier awards programs. Ontario’s festivals and events sector contributes more than $2.3 billion annually to regional GDP, supports approximately 50,000 full-year equivalent jobs, and generates nearly $1 billion in tax revenue across all levels of government.

About Wasaga Beach
For over one hundred years, the Town of Wasaga Beach has been Ontario’s iconic summer playground — a place people come to have fun and create summer memories that will last a lifetime. Today, we’re on a mission to become an iconic, four-season recreation and nature-based destination. Building Destination Wasaga, investing in year-round festivals and destination events, and reimagining our downtown and main commercial area at Beach Area 1 supports Council’s priorities: to diversify the economy, grow tourism, create jobs, and build a complete community. Destination Wasaga is part of the Town’s plan to become a leader in sustainability, creativity, innovation, and fun. We’re building a community with thriving businesses and safe, inclusive, and complete neighbourhoods—a place that celebrates our rich history, cultural diversity, and natural beauty, including the Nottawasaga River, Georgian Bay, and the longest freshwater beach in the world.

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Karla Findlay
Special Projects Leader
Email Karla

Sandra Watts
Director of Communications, Destination Marketing and Intergovernmental Affairs
Email Sandra