County grants 2026 status to Paris Drinks Fest, questions linger on location

Attendees gather for an evening of live music at Paris Drinks Fest at the Syl Apps Community Centre. The festival received its 2026 municipal significance designation this week, though council remains divided on whether the venue should continue to host the event long-term.

Casandra Turnbull

Managing Editor

Council support stops at one year as tied vote blocks multi-year commitment at Syl Apps

County of Brant council has agreed to issue a letter designating the 2026 Paris Drinks Fest as a municipally significant event but stopped short of offering long-term support for the festival to remain at Twin Rivers Stadium at the Syl Apps Community Centre.

At its Oct. 28 meeting, council voted 9-1 in favour of providing the municipal significance designation, which is required to obtain a Special Occasion Permit from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. Coun. Steve Howes opposed the motion.

The request from Noisemaker Presents Inc., the festival organizer, notes the event has been declared municipally significant for the past six years and highlights its economic impact and tourism draw. In 2025, the event hosted more than 4,200 attendees and generated an estimated $508,476 for the local economy, according to its submission to the County of Brant 

While council supported the required designation, the question of where the festival should be held in future years sparked debate.

The event launched in 2018 at Paris Lions Park but was moved in 2024 to Two Rivers Stadium at the Syl Apps Community Centre due to flooding and damage at Lions Park following heavy rain. Festival founder Tim Des Islets said the new venue has proven successful.

“Syl Apps has been an excellent location for us, and we’re hoping to return there,” he said. “Syl Apps and the community centre building that we have access to offers infrastructure, accessibility and safety options that, from what we’ve seen, no other park in the County of Brant is able to provide.”

Des Islets said organizers have attempted to explore the Paris Fairgrounds as an alternate site but have been unsuccessful.

“We reached out to the Paris Fairgrounds again this year to see if we can restart that conversation, and haven’t received a response from them,” he told council.

He added that food and non-alcoholic offerings have increased in recent years, with food sales now accounting for more than 25 per cent of purchases on site. To reduce disruptions for nearby residents, organizers delivered notices to surrounding homes ahead of the 2025 event and received no complaint calls or emails during the festival.

Despite the organizers’ efforts, Howes said the Syl Apps location is not appropriate for a festival operating until 11 p.m.

“I’m not convinced that’s a great property for a music festival,” he said. “I do believe that it’s time for you to graduate to the Fairgrounds, and I’m still hopeful that there’s an opportunity for you to connect with them.”

Coun. Lukas Oakley asked about noise levels, and Des Islets reported that sound readings for the 2025 event were “just under 100 decibels,” below the industry standard of 120 to 130.

Coun. John Bell argued that residents living near the fairgrounds expect noise, while those living near Syl Apps do not.

“The residents living near Syl Apps didn’t choose to live there in anticipation of a major festival being held in their backyard,” Bell said. He noted the fairgrounds have hosted major events for decades, including concerts. “I think we need to be fair to the people who live in that area and not impose something that they never expected to have.”

Councillors also discussed the future Gurney Sports Park as a potential long-term location once developed.

Oakley introduced a motion proposing that council issue the 2026 significance letter and offer in-principle support for Paris Drinks Fest to continue at Syl Apps for the next three years. His motion also sought to direct the county to collaborate with Noisemaker to ensure Gurney Sports Park is suited for medium-to-large events. 

The motion failed on a 5-5 tie, which could not be broken following the recent resignation of former councillor Christine Garneau.

The failed vote does not prevent the festival from returning to Syl Apps in 2026. It simply means Noisemaker will need to continue applying annually for venue approval.