Richmond Hill

Ontario Moonshine Festival Returns for a Fifth Year of Sips, Sounds & Summer Fun

Craft spirits, live music and local makers take over Perth for a full-day celebration this August.

Angel Oceana

Angel Oceana

Aug 17, 2026

16 Comments

The Ontario Moonshine Festival is back for its fifth year, bringing a full day of craft spirits, live music and local flavour to Perth, Ontario.

Hosted by Top Shelf Distillers, the festival began as a small gathering and has grown into a celebration of the people, makers and traditions that make Eastern Ontario unique.

Visitors can sample locally crafted spirits, browse goods from artisan vendors and enjoy live entertainment throughout the day. As evening arrives, the festivities continue with music under the stars.

Whether you're a craft-spirit enthusiast or simply looking for a fun summer road trip, the Ontario Moonshine Festival offers a chance to discover local makers, enjoy some music and experience a different side of Ontario.

Cheers to good spirits, good music and a summer day in Perth!

16 Comments

Join the conversation

  • P
    PatrickH· Aug 19, 10:46 PM

    Cool that it keeps growing every year. A lot of small festivals like this disappear after year two so making it to five is a good sign.

  • JW
    Jules W.· Aug 18, 8:06 PM

    Love seeing local makers get this kind of spotlight. Perth deserves more events like this.

  • MA
    Mike Arsenault· Aug 17, 1:35 PM

    Hope they have some shade this year. It got really hot last time and there was not much relief from the sun.

  • C
    carol_eastern_on· Aug 17, 12:52 PM

    Not really my thing but my husband loves craft spirits so I guess we are going lol

  • DP
    Dave Poulin· Aug 17, 11:13 AM

    Perth is worth the drive from Ottawa for sure. Beautiful little town and this just makes it even better.

  • LM
    Linda M.· Aug 17, 10:14 AM

    Do they have food vendors or just the spirits and artisans? Wondering if we need to eat before we go.

  • LT
    Linda Tremblay· Aug 17, 10:06 AM

    Music under the stars in a small Ontario town sounds like a perfect summer night to me.

  • TR
    Tom Rafferty· Aug 17, 9:19 AM

    Top Shelf always puts on a good event. Their rye whisky is no joke either.

  • B
    brett_owo· Aug 17, 8:40 AM

    fifth year already?? Time flies honestly

  • M
    mark_b77· Aug 17, 8:07 AM

    Never been to Perth honestly. This might be the reason to finally go.

  • SK
    Sandra K.· Aug 17, 7:01 AM

    We went last year and it was so fun. Perth is such a cute town too, made a whole day of it.

  • S
    ShelleyK· Aug 17, 5:06 AM

    Top Shelf Distillers puts on a really good event. Tried their stuff at a market a while back and it was impressive.

  • D
    DaveOttawa· Aug 17, 5:04 AM

    I love craft spirits but I always wonder if these festivals are more about tourism than actually showcasing local makers. Hope the vendors are truly local.

  • C
    carol_m· Aug 17, 3:37 AM

    Five years already? Time flies. I remember hearing about this when it was just getting started.

  • GF
    Greg Fontaine· Aug 17, 2:28 AM

    Perth is such a cute town. Adding a festival like this makes it even more worth the trip.

  • T
    TammyR· Aug 17, 1:08 AM

    Went last year and had a blast. The live music at night was so good. Already planning the drive up from Kingston this summer.

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