58-year tradition continues in Simcoe

Chris Abbott

Editor

The 2025 Simcoe Heritage Friendship Festival was a celebration of Norfolk music and arts.

Held August 1st to 4th at Wellington, Clifton and Lynnwood Parks, and this year adding an Argyle Street kickoff party, the four-day festival featured local entertainment, vendors, food trucks and fun, reached out beyond Norfolk.

“We’ve been coming to the Friendship Festival… since I was a little boy. Probably 30 years we’ve been coming,” said Ryan Kichler, from Simcoe. “Definitely like to bring the kids and let them experience it all. It’s kind of a tradition around here. It used to be bigger back when we were younger, but it’s still great for the kids – they love it.

“Since we’ve been bringing the kids, the last five or six years, they really enjoy it,” he said, watching his children at the Tye Dye By Hez station in the YTP Kids Zone. “We did all the stuff.”

The festival kicked off with Friday, Aug. 1 with the Downtown Simcoe BIA hosting children’s activities and music on Argyle Street. Shakespeare In the Park entertained at the gazebo Friday and Saturday.

Canada’s only four-time Guinness World Record holding illusionist, Lucas Wilson, from Port Dover, performed three times Saturday, first on the main Wellington Park stage, and twice more at the community stage.

“He is a great supporter of the festival,” said Sara Moody Veldhuis.

From the many local vendors and service clubs to musical artists and buskers, the heart of the festival continues to be ‘local.’

“That’s what it is all about,” said Moody Veldhuis. “It’s community, building partnerships, being able to do it for the community.

“A lot of the people that you see on the main stage now started out busking on our youth stages back in the day. I’ve been with the festival since 2009, and some of them were kids in high school then. Like the Hannah Dolsons and the Nolan Gibsons and Jessica Rayners – they were all high school students when they started here.

“It gives them experience, it gives them confidence. It gives them that chance to perform in front of a crowd. I spoke to some students this year who said, ‘We’re not quite ready, we’ll try for next year…’ Fair enough. That stepping stone approach is kind of great. They go, they feel confident, and I’m not asking for a lot of time - 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and if they’re feeling confident, they can go for more than that. It just gives them that next step. From there, maybe we’ll get them on the community stage, maybe we’ll get them on the main stage.”

Sunday’s main stage musical lineup was loaded with local talent.

“We started the day with Kathy Tyrrell and Friends – she’s wonderful. We’re doing our Sunday Morning Gospel jam with them. Ryan Morrison and Friends, a nine-piece group, very much local people. Syncronicity Duo is local, Albatross is local. Hannah Dolson, Old Barn Doors, Jessica Rayner. Murray Williams (Burford) is not from Norfolk, but he’s close and he also does our sound. The Jesse Murphy Band, local. After the Lounge, they are from London but their lead singer was originally from Norfolk.

“Benjamin Dakota Rogers, he’s a big one. He’s a Juno-nominated singer-songwriter from Waterford. He was on our community stage (Sunday) in a fantastic song circle, then on the main stage Sunday night.”

Sunday’s entertainment concluded with the local Felicia McMinn Band.

“Sunday is very much a local day,” said Moody Veldhuis, who was livestreaming and active on social media most of the weekend, noting Monday’s main stage artists included Nolan Gibson, Courtney DeDecker, Beggars for Hire, Amber Banks, JD Semple and West ¼ Line… Honey Static, then concluded with Pure Vintage.

The entire four-day festival was free to attend - a tradition Moody Veldhuis and the non-profit organizing committee are proud to continue.

“The consensus is all the way around, this will never be a ticketed event. It has to be a free event. It has to be something that we give to the community – a gift to the community – which we are more than happy to do.

“We have wonderful support from local businesses and service clubs and we love supporting them as well, giving them a chance to raise their annual funds here… and that in turn goes back to the community. So it’s a partnership, and the audience that comes here probably doesn’t realize that. They are helping out, they are helping their fellow citizens out and that’s a fantastic thing.”

The 1st annual Simcoe Heritage Classic Auto Show was held in Lynnwood Park on August 3 with approximately 220 cars and trucks participating. In honour of a former festival chairman, the first Terry Reece Memorial Trophy was presented.

“A beautiful weekend in every way, shape and form,” said Moody Veldhuis on Monday, August 4. “Lots of people attending, everyone seems to be very happy. The vendors and food trucks are very pleased. We had a fantastic car show on Sunday. Great music all weekend long. Fantastic kids zone – it was jam-packed with people all weekend. It’s just been really great.

“We’ve been blessed by incredible weather this weekend. The weather was fantastic, probably the best weather this festival has ever had. Not too hot, no rain. I think we lucked out this year. But I’m proud to say, since I’ve been doing this, we’ve never got an act on stage. Everyone has had a chance to perform. We’ve had some weather delays, but all the years I’ve been here, we got everyone on.”

The Heritage Friendship Festival will return in 2026, and Moody Veldhuis said they are always looking for more volunteers.

“We’re looking for the kind of people who are saying ‘What can I do? Where do you need me?’”

“It’s a well-organized festival and we know what we’re doing. We know what we have to do and we are always interested if anyone has any suggestions on how to make it even better. And we are always looking for people who are super positive and want to volunteer. People who are willing to step up and do anything that is needed – that’s what makes Friendship Festival what it is. It’s the coming together of like-minded people that are just here to give back to the community.”

A new Heritage Friendship Festival foundation is being planned, which will allow them to issue tax receipts for donations, and help the festival continue to thrive in the future.