Getting Here

Pembroke sits on the Ottawa River in the heart of the valley, and the festival takes over the middle of town along Pembroke Street. However you come, head for downtown, park once and walk — everything is within a few blocks.

From Ottawa and the east

Highway 417 west out of Ottawa becomes Highway 17 and carries you up the valley through Arnprior, Renfrew and Cobden. Leave it at the Highway 41 exit and follow Paul Martin Drive in — about three kilometres, and you are a block off Pembroke Street.

• Ottawa — 150 km, about 2 hours
• Arnprior — 85 km, about 1¼ hours
• Renfrew — 60 km, about 55 minutes
• Cobden — 30 km, about half an hour

From Petawawa, Deep River and the north-west

Petawawa Boulevard (County Road 51) follows the river and simply becomes Pembroke Street West, which carries you into downtown without a turn.

• Petawawa — 15 km, about 20 minutes
• Deep River — 50 km, about 45 minutes
• Mattawa — 150 km, about 2¼ hours
• North Bay — 215 km, about 3 hours

From up the valley

From the lakes and the Madawaska highlands, Highway 60 runs east to Eganville, where you pick up Highway 41 north into Pembroke.

• Eganville — 35 km, about 35 minutes
• Golden Lake — 45 km, about 50 minutes
• Killaloe — 60 km, about 1 hour
• Barry’s Bay — 75 km, about 1¼ hours
• Bancroft — 145 km, about 2½ hours

From Quebec

Highway 148 runs west from the Allumettes Bridge at Chapeau, follows the Ottawa River and becomes Pembroke Street — no turn needed.

Parking

Parking downtown is free, and these are the City’s lots. Two of them have no time limit at all over the festival weekend:

• Marina Lot — all-day free, no limit. Closest to the Friday site.
• Cockburn Lot — all-day free, no limit.
• First Responders Way, at the waterfront playground — two hours free.
• Alexander Street Lot — two hours free 9 am–5 pm, then unlimited until midnight. Right by Zone 5.
• Market Square Lot — three hours free 9 am–5 pm, then unlimited until midnight.
• City Hall Lot — at the Victoria Street end, nearest Zones 1 and 2.
• Pembroke Memorial Centre — the largest lot, a short walk west of Zone 6.

The two sites

The festival runs across two sites on two days, both in Pembroke.

Friday — Pembroke Waterfront Park

Friday evening is in the park beside the marina, 5 pm to 10 pm, closing with the drone show over the water.

Saturday — downtown Pembroke

Saturday moves downtown, 11 am to 6 pm, with the streets closed to traffic so the entertainment zones can take over the road.

Know before you go

• Free admission
• Free parking
• Washrooms available
• Accessible site
• Dogs welcome on leash
• Rain or shine — pausing only for severe weather