Save the Date: UAFest Returns to Riverside Park on September 13

The festival took place on September 13, 2026. This story was written before it.UAFest 2027: join the waiting list →

Mark your calendars: UAFest Lanark County returns to Riverside Park in Carleton Place, Ontario, on Sunday, September 13, 2026, from 12 PM to 6 PM. After welcoming more than 4,000 guests in 2025, the festival is back for its fourth year — free admission, and the same community spirit that has powered it from the start.

What began in spring 2023 as a single garage sale organized by Carleton Place resident Gloria Bradley, to support Ukrainian families newly arrived in Lanark County, has grown every year since: about 1,000 guests in 2023, 3,000+ in 2024, and more than 4,000 in 2025. For 2026, we're aiming for 5,000+ visitors — still volunteer-run, still community-first.

A portion of this year's proceeds will again support Kids of Ukraine, our charity partner, which helps children and families affected by the war overcome trauma and adapt to a new home. It's part of why a single day in Carleton Place reaches a lot further than Lanark County.

“UAFest is our way of saying thank you — sharing Ukrainian food, music, dance and craft with the community that welcomed us.”

— The UAFest Lanark County Team

Riverside Park, Lake Ave W, Carleton Place, ON — this year's festival site.

What to expect on September 13

The day brings together Ukrainian Cuisine, the Ukrainian Tavern, a full day of music and dance, the Ukrainian Market, an Exhibition of Ukrainian art and history, a Kids' Zone and hands-on Art Workshops — the same lineup of zones that welcomed more than 4,000 guests in 2025.