Slow down. tune in.
Three days of live music, local food and fun for everyone!
Sept. 26 - 28, 2025
Haute Goat Farm - Port Hope, ON
Live Music
Immerse yourself in a diverse cultural programming experience celebrating Canada’s deep pool of artistic excellence. Feel-good, family friendly programming over two stages, never overlapping so you don’t have to miss a thing. This year features Elliott BROOD, Danny Michel, Urban Science Brass Band and more!
Cultivate Kids
Always free, the Cultivate Kids creative village offers a vibrant blend of hands-on experiences and endless play. Explore art, music, and nature through interactive workshops, engaging performances, and fun, open-ended play spaces, fostering their curiosity and imagination in an inclusive and joyful environment.
Art Hive & Farm Fun
Dig into creativity and country life! The Art Hive offers all-ages, skill-building art activities led by local facilitators - contributing to our first-ever Cultivate Community Zine! Nearby, Farm Fun brings tractor rides, Shmurgles (yes, really), and hands-on farm adventures for all ages. It’s participatory, playful, and perfectly Cultivate.
Local Food and Drink
Embark on a farm-to-festival journey! Born a local food festival, Cultivate will forever feature the finest in local food and drink, celebrating our region’s agricultural abundance, food and drink professionals and taste-of-place! PS - our lineups are short too!
Live music
Cultivate’s music experience is designed for discovery as much as celebration. On the Nightingale Stage, you’ll hear full-band performances from artists like Elliott BROOD, Altameda, and Danny Michel. The Alpaca Stage offers a closer, more personal setting for stripped-back sets and songwriting showcases. In the Cultivate Academy, musicians such as Wyatt C. Louis join others in the round, trading songs and stories in a way that feels part concert, part conversation.
The weekend also spills beyond the stages—roaming brass parades, spontaneous collaborations, and the chance encounters that happen only on the farm. Whether you’re front row at a mainstage show or following a parade through the fields, music at Cultivate feels immediate, unpolished in the best way, and impossible to duplicate.
Friday Sept. 26th
Altameda blends prairie soul with gritty rock and rich harmonies, crafting cinematic songs filled with heartache, highways, and hope. The Edmonton-born, Toronto-based band brings a vintage warmth and raw emotional energy to every performance, earning them critical acclaim and a devoted fanbase across Canada and beyond.
Saturday Sept. 27th
Alyson McNamara crafts luminous indie folk with heartfelt lyrics and velvet vocals. Her songs explore love, longing, and the quiet power of vulnerability, carried by lush arrangements and timeless melodies. A rising Toronto singer-songwriter with an old soul and a bright future.
Sunday Sept. 28th
Danny Michel is a beloved Canadian troubadour known for thoughtful lyrics, adventurous collaborations, and a sound that blends folk, pop, and global influence. With over a dozen albums and a reputation for generosity and heart, he brings soul, smarts, and a sense of wonder to every performance.
Saturday Sept. 27th
DYSTOH is a powerhouse duo from Souljazz Orchestra founders Ray Tabana and Phil Motion. Blending baritone sax, congas, and tight harmonies, they channel afrobeat, Latin, and reggae into hypnotic, high-energy sets. Their debut album Heat of the Times offers raw reflections on global unrest with unstoppable groove.
Friday Sept. 26th
Elliott BROOD’s signature sound fuses folk, rock, and storytelling into a high-energy, foot-stomping experience. This JUNO-winning trio brings raw grit and cinematic intensity to the stage, delivering songs steeped in history, memory, and emotion—like a ghost story you can dance to.
Saturday Sept. 27th
Kazdoura fuses Arabic pop classics with funk, soul, and electronic grooves, creating an exhilarating East-meets-West sound. Fronted by powerhouse vocalist Zeina, this Toronto trio reimagines traditional music with a modern twist—serving up irresistible rhythms and dancefloor heat with deep cultural roots.
Friday Sept. 26th
Nicolette & The Nobodies is heavily influenced by the songs and stage presence of 60's and 70's country starlets but retains the gritty rough edges of outlaw country. They dress for the occasion and bring set of upbeat sad songs and ballads of lonely hearts.
Saturday Sept. 27th
Multiple instruments, languages and countries together help define the music of Okavango African Orchestra, winners of the 2017 JUNO for World Music Album of the Year and the 2025 Canadian Folk Music Award for Global Roots Album of the Year.
Friday Sept. 26th and Saturday Sept. 27th
School House is a folk band from Ottawa. After moving in together in 2021, the three best friends discovered that their new home was a century-old school house — inspiring the name and giving them a dedicated space to create. Their sound was born around a campfire, taking turns sharing songs and joining in three-partharmony. They combine upbeat singalongs with emotive folk ballads to bring a wise, yet youthful perspective to the Canadian folk music scene.
Sunday Sept. 28th
Shania Twink is an all-Queer band from Toronto, doing pop country and adjacent fierce femme bangers — think Shania Twain, Sheryl Crow, Tracy Chapman and others. They certainly hit hard within Queer spaces, but their appeal is much broader as well. They’re world-class musicians and performers, including a crossover in members of Dwayne Gretzky, as well as successful Canadian bands like July Talk, Bahamas, and more.
Saturday Sept. 27th
Urban Science Brass Band reimagines hip-hop with the explosive energy of a New Orleans-style brass band. Mixing classic rap anthems, freestyle cyphers, and raw horn power, they turn every street corner or stage into a full-blown block party. Beats, brass, and bars—this is hip-hop in high gear.
All Weekend
Wyatt C. Louis is a Nehiyaw (Cree) singer-songwriter whose warm voice and honest storytelling shine through tender folk songs rooted in Indigenous experience, hope, and healing. Based in Moh’kinsstis (Calgary), Louis invites listeners into a space of reflection, resilience, and deep emotional resonance.
Saturday Sept. 27th
One-third of award‑winning trio Good Lovelies, Kerri Ough steps into her own with intimate, artful pop‑tinged folk. Her solo debut One Day Soon unfolds with airy vocals, nuanced storytelling, and emotional depth—inviting listeners into reflective moments and lyrical sincerity that build on her rich collaborative legacy.
All Weekend
Pete Moss writes playful folk-pop songs that celebrate birds, plants, and the hidden wonders of nature. With catchy, kid-friendly tunes and heartfelt storytelling, he inspires curiosity and connection across generations—bringing joy, ecology, and a touch of magic to every performance.
Saturday Sept. 27th
Ontario folk quartet (Millie, Fern, Willow, Murray Shadgett) blending Irish, bluegrass, and contemporary traditional styles with charming warmth. Their self‑titled EP earned a 2023 Canadian Folk Music Award nomination; latest single Highland Cow dropped July 2023. They tour coast‑to‑coast and beyond with unbridled joy and tight harmonies.
All Weekend
Matt Bazinet is a soulful folk-rock singer-songwriter with a voice that carries grit and tenderness in equal measure. Drawing on roots, blues, and Canadiana traditions, his songs balance honesty and swagger—intimate one moment, anthemic the next. A natural storyteller, he brings warmth and raw conviction to every performance.
Saturday Sept. 27th
Ryan Scott is a 22-year-old country singer-songwriter from Cobourg, Ontario, known for his big, classic country voice. A self-taught guitarist, he started writing songs at 19 and played his first show in March 2024. Influenced by Zach Bryan, Cody Johnson, and even Kid Cudi and J. Cole, Ryan blends heart, grit, and honesty—and he’s just getting started.
cultivate kids
Always free, the Cultivate Kids creative village offers a vibrant blend of hands-on experiences and endless play. Explore art, music, and nature through interactive workshops, engaging performances, and fun, open-ended play spaces, fostering their curiosity and imagination in an inclusive and joyful environment.
All Weekend Long
Open Art Studio
Discover creativity at our outdoor art studio in the Cultivate Kids village, where children can engage in open-ended, process-oriented art-making.
Baby Care Yurt
This serene yurt is set up to meet the needs of babies and their parents and caregivers. Here, you’ll find seating for feeding your baby in a calm and comfortable environment. Changing stations are equipped with all the essentials. The baby care yurt ensures that both you and your little one can relax and recharge amidst the festival excitement.
Thin Edge Puppets
This family troupe of performers return to Cultivate with their delightfully over-sized, wildly charming puppetry. Remember those GOATs last year? Leading the magic is Josh Lyon: master puppeteer, multidisciplinary artist, Nordland Visual Theatre alum, and founding member of Kingston’s Calliope Collective.
Tractor Rides
Slow down and take a load off. The views of this amazing property are what it’s all about. That and the extremely photographable moments!
Mini Shmurgles
It's all about the goats! Enjoy a taste of Haute Goat's signature experience - the Shmurgle. Join us in the Goat Playground to cuddle, snuggle and love on the Haute Goats. Prepare to do a lot of giggling. Shmurgling will leave you feeling joyful and just plain happy. Make sure to bring your camera.
Friday
Cardboard Construction Site
A hands-on maker space where kids’ imaginations run wild! With safe tools and mountains of cardboard, they can build forts, spaceships, furniture, or anything they dream up. Creativity + cardboard = endless possibilities!
Glitter Tattoos
Add some sparkle to the festival experience with these glamourous temporary tattoos!
Nature Field Games with Pete Moss:
Join performer and festival pal Pete Moss for a session of nature-connected field games where we'll embody local creatures avoiding forest fires, pretend to be squirrels avoiding sneaky foxes, become a team of chipmunks trying to protect our cache and more! These active, hands-on games are great for getting out energy while embracing our wild sides! Games are designed for children ages 5-12 and sunscreen, water bottles and hats are highly recommended.
Saturday
Cardboard Construction Site
A hands-on maker space where kids’ imaginations run wild! With safe tools and mountains of cardboard, they can build forts, spaceships, furniture, or anything they dream up. Creativity + cardboard = endless possibilities!
Glitter Tattoos
Add some sparkle to the festival experience with these glamourous temporary tattoos!
Pete Moss: Musical Performance at the Academy Stage
Sing, dance, and explore the wonders of the outdoors with beloved children’s performer Pete Moss! Families and kids will join in joyful songs and stories about local plants, birds, wildlife, and weather — complete with bird calls, plant spotting, animal tracks, and moving like our favourite local creatures. A fun, musical way to celebrate nature together!
Messy Masterpieces - Toronto Theatre Collective
Kids will be guided through a playful telling and reimagining of the classic tale The Bremen Town Musicians, craft their own masks, and then bring the story to life in a playful barnyard procession through the festival. A joyful mix of art + theatre!
Nature Prints with Lee Higginson
Join local artist Lee Higginson for a hands-on kids’ workshop in nature printmaking! Known for stunning, collaborative works with Mother Nature herself, Lee will guide little artists in creating their own unique prints inspired by the natural world
Family Nature Walk with Pete Moss
Join performer and nature expert Pete Moss for an immersive nature walk around the farmland that Cultivate calls home. Participants will learn to identify bird species, how to interpret bird language and identification of key wild edibles. Using a playful, beginner-friendly approach, Pete will support kids and families in engaging their senses and curiosity to connect with the natural world.
Making Friendship Bracelets
Grab your festie bestie or show up to meet a new pal at our hands-on art studio in the kids village where you can make your own wearable art, using beads, embroidery thread, or both. As Taylor said “make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it!”
SUNDAY
Pete Moss: Musical Performance at the Academy Stage
Sing, dance, and explore the wonders of the outdoors with beloved children’s performer Pete Moss! Families and kids will join in joyful songs and stories about local plants, birds, wildlife, and weather — complete with bird calls, plant spotting, animal tracks, and moving like our favourite local creatures. A fun, musical way to celebrate nature together!
Collage Workshop
Dive into creativity and the art of the unexpected at our collage workshop with local paper collage artist. Veronika Beaulieu! Veronika will introduce participants to the unexpected delights of paper and scissors, and kids can snip, glue, and layer cut paper to build magical fantasy worlds.
Family Nature Walk with Pete Moss
Join performer and nature expert Pete Moss for an immersive nature walk around the farmland that Cultivate calls home. Participants will learn to identify bird species, how to interpret bird language and identification of key wild edibles. Using a playful, beginner-friendly approach, Pete will support kids and families in engaging their senses and curiosity to connect with the natural world.
Parade Flag Art Workshop
Join in a colourful, hands-on parade flag-making workshop just for kids! 🎨 Using fabric, paint, ribbons, and more, children can design bold, imaginative flags to wave proudly in the children’s parade — a joyful mix of creativity, community, and celebration.
Parade with Trash Panda Brass Band and Giant Puppets
Dress up fancy, grab a flag, we’re going on parade to show off for all of Cultivate to see just how wonderful and wacky Cultivate Kids can get! Meet in the heart of the kids village to don your parade-wear and set out for a fun promenade through the festival grounds to the tune of Trash Panda’s big sound!
art hive
The Art Hive is where hands-on creativity comes to life at Cultivate. It’s a welcoming space to slow down, play, and discover new ways of making. Every activity is designed to spark imagination and connection, whether you’re young or just young at heart. All workshops are free, all materials are included, and everyone is invited to join in.
Please note: kids 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
Hands on Learning
Short Order Poetry - All Weekend
Join the Short Order Poetry crew for this novel way to make a collaborative poem. It’s a Cultivate Festival tradition! You’ll connect you with a poet who will write some original verse, prompted by a few broad questions and compose a poem that will be printed with a manual typewriter and provided to you. Free of charge. Full of charm.
Flower Crowns - Friday
A beloved Cultivate tradition, this workshop led by From Scratch Farm invites you to gather seasonal blooms and greenery and weave them into a crown that feels uniquely yours. It’s part art, part ritual, and entirely joyful. As you craft, you’ll carry a piece of the farm’s beauty with you — a wearable reminder of slowing down and tuning in to the natural world.
Punk Patches - Saturday
Celebrate DIY culture and self-expression in our Punk Patches workshop. Design and create a patch that tells your story, shares your message, or simply adds some flair to your jacket, bag, or hat. Just like Cultivate itself, this is about individuality and community all at once — your patch becomes a small but powerful symbol of belonging.
Poetry (with Short Order Poetry) - Saturday
At Cultivate, words become music, and poetry is a conversation. In this workshop with Short Order Poetry, you’ll be guided to craft a poem of your own or have one created just for you. It’s a chance to reflect, connect, and carry away a few lines of inspiration — a reminder that sometimes slowing down to listen to language is its own form of art.
Bug House Building - Saturday
Tiny creatures play a big role in keeping our world in balance. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll build a bug house — a safe little shelter for the pollinators and crawlers who help our environment thrive. It’s equal parts play, learning, and care for the earth, perfectly aligned with Cultivate’s values of community and sustainability.
Creative expression
Photography - Saturday
Learn how to see the world differently through the lens of a camera. This workshop teaches simple tricks for taking a great photo, invites you to capture a moment at the festival, and then prints it for you to take home. It’s about pausing, noticing, and preserving the magic of Cultivate — memories you’ll hold onto long after the weekend ends.
Write Your Own Song at Cultivate! - Saturday
Are you a music lover who wishes you knew how to write songs? At Cultivate you can make that dream come true! Drop in to our Write Your Own Song booth on Saturday evening between 5:30 and 8 pm for a beginner-friendly guided songwriting experience, and you'll leave with lyrics, chords, and a voice recording of your own personal song.
Air-Dry Clay - Sunday
Get your hands in the clay and shape something playful, practical, or purely imaginative. With air-dry clay, there’s no need for a kiln — just your creativity. This workshop is about slowing down, feeling the texture of the earth in your hands, and seeing what emerges. You’ll leave with a one-of-a-kind piece that holds the memory of Cultivate.
Printing with Nature - Sunday
Discover the textures and patterns hidden in leaves, flowers, and other natural materials. In this workshop, you’ll press these treasures onto paper, revealing art that’s as surprising as it is beautiful. Just like Cultivate, it’s about finding joy in what surrounds us and transforming everyday nature into something extraordinary.
Nature Pressing - Sunday
Forage a leaf, flower, or found treasure from the festival grounds, and press it into a keepsake. We’ll also have a collection of materials ready to use. This workshop is about slowing down, paying attention to the details we often miss, and carrying home a tangible piece of the Cultivate landscape.
Food and Drink
Get ready to feast your senses! Cultivate Festival offers something for every craving, with a lineup of incredible local vendors. Sink your teeth into Smashed Patties’ smash burgers, savor Papa Ganoush’s falafel, shawarma, and hummus, or grab a refreshing treat from The Pop Stand popsicles. Don’t miss Haute Goat’s wood-fired pizza, Mohawk Soda’s indigenous sodas and soups, or Loco BBQ’s brisket and bubble tea. For classic comfort, The Mill serves fries and fries supreme, and Rozenberg Bakery and Drunken Doughnuts will satisfy your sweet tooth. Holy Crepe brings the perfect handheld treat, while Latte Da Mobile Cafe keeps the coffee flowing.
Wash it all down with fantastic drinks from Town Brewery, Cold Springs, Ganaraska Brewing Co, and refreshing options from Red Fox seltzers or The Grange Winery / Spirit of York canned cocktails. Whether you’re craving hearty, sweet, or just a little indulgence, Cultivate has you covered!
How else can you participate?
There are so many ways to get involved. Volunteer your time, sell your handmade goods or donate to the cause. Got any other ideas? Let us know!
Get Tickets
Tickets that make sense for real life.
We keep Cultivate affordable, accessible, and welcoming — with prices that reflect our values as a nonprofit music charity.
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Weekend Passes from $0–$99
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Day Passes available
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Kids under 18 are always free
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Free & sliding-scale tickets available — no questions asked
Every ticket supports live music in our small community all year round.
Buy your pass. Or donate one forward.
Either way, you’re helping something good grow.
Cultivate Kids
Passes
- Weekend Passes for kids 18 and under.
Three days of live music, local food and fun for the whole family!
Weekend
Passes
- Weekend passes to Cultivate Festival. Adult passes from $105. Young Adult Passses (19 - 25) from $49.
Three days of live music, local food and fun for the whole family.
Camping
Passes
- Stay the weekend at Haute Goat Farm and enjoy a number of perks exlcusive to campers. All campers need a general admission pass in addition to a camping pass.
No questions asked
Cultivate events cost a lot to produce and we couldn't do it with out the support of ticket holders. Truly. We know, though, that it's not easy for everyone and we'd like to remove as many barriers as possible to the Cultivate experience.
If you need a ticket and can't otherwise afford, choose your ticket through the link below and enter the promo code NQA100 and it's all yours. No questions asked.
Haute Goat Farm
200 acres of stunning landscapes, complete with farm animals, trails, a cafe, 18 hole disc golf course, farm experiences and more. The perfect feel good venue for the perfect feel good festival!
Sustainability
Cultivate Festival is deeply committed to sustainability, embracing practices that nurture both the environment and the community. From renewable energy sources to zero waste initiatives, we strive to create a festival experience that celebrates nature while minimizing our ecological footprint. Together, we cultivate a greener future.
Inclusivity
Cultivate Festival embraces inclusivity at its core, creating a vibrant space where diverse voices and perspectives flourish. With a celebration of art, music, and culture, it fosters a welcoming environment that promotes unity, acceptance, and the power of shared experiences. We are also committed to access for all - if you’d like a free ticket send us an email to info@cultivatefestival.ca and we’ll send you some with no questions asked.
Free Programming
Cultivate Festival by offering exclusively free programming within its gates. With a commitment to accessibility, attendees can immerse themselves in a vibrant cultural experience, enjoying diverse performances, workshops, farm experiences and interactive artistic programming, all without any cost barriers. Even the parking is free!
FAQs
You've Got Cultivate Questions? We've Got The Answers!
Cultivate Festival takes place on September 26 - 28 at Haute Goat Farm, rural Port Hope.
Friday - 5 - 9:30 P.M.
Saturday - 11 A.M. - 9:30 P.M.
Sunday - 11 A.M. - 5 P.M.
Funding Partners
Year Round Partners
Sponsors
Dobri Engineering Ltd.
The Grange
Battlefield
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