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Take your kids to the Markham-Milliken Children’s Festival on September 12 for a full day of fun, games and learning activities.
Credit: Photo by Sammy Xu/ Unsplash
Presented by Tim Hortons, the family festival in Markham offers free family-friendly activities, interactive experiences, and live entertainment, alongside toddler attractions, food vendors and paid rides. You can drop in for hands-on play, catch an animal or science show, or make a full day of it with a Play-All-Day Pass for the whole family to enjoy.
What to Expect:
You can enjoy a mix of free and ticketed activities for different ages.
Free options include sensory tables, STEM activities, building blocks and mini putt, while Toddler Town offers Fun Fair Park Jr. and a Fire Engine Slide with specific height and weight limits.
The main stage runs from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with animal shows, magic, bubbles, dance, science and music.
Food vendors, refill stations, contests and shuttle transportation are also part of the day for families too.
Free play for curious kids:
If your child likes to tinker, build or simply get hands-on, free activities include sensory tables, STEM activities, interactive building blocks and mini putt. Toddler Town adds Fun Fair Park Jr., for children 30 to 60 inches tall and up to 100 pounds, plus a Fire Engine Slide requiring a minimum height of 38 inches.
A stage schedule that keeps moving:
The main stage starts with an Interactive DJ at 10 a.m., followed by an Educational Animal Show, Mad Science, a Magic Show and the 1 p.m. Welcome Ceremony. Later, you can catch Miss Maia’s Bubble Show, Chris McKhool’s Global Dance Party, a Chinese Collective Arts Association performance and The Circus Drummer.
Rides with a Play-All-Day Pass:
A Play-All-Day Pass gives children unlimited access to rides and inflatables, subject to individual attraction restrictions. Advance passes cost $10 plus HST, compared with $15 plus HST on festival day. The advance Millie Doll and pass bundle costs $30 plus HST, while the doll alone is $20 on site, while supplies last.
Snacks, sips and coffee up for grabs:
Food choices include ice cream, hot dogs, bao, tacos, egg waffles, popcorn, BBQ squid, BBQ lamb and lemonade. You can bring a reusable bottle for the available refill stations.
Markham residents aged 18 or older can also submit one ballot, while supplies last, for Tim Hortons’ “Coffee for a Year” contest.
Getting there:
There is no public parking at Aaniin Community Centre except designated accessible spaces. You can park free at Milliken Mills Community Centre and use the complimentary shuttle running every 30 minutes. Limited free parking is also available at Middlefield Collegiate Institute, while bike racks will be available on site.
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Trip Planning: Markham-Milliken Children’s Festival 2026
This “must-attend” special summer event is a full day of fun for kids, featuring live entertainment, princesses and superheroes, play zones, inflatables and more.
When:
Saturday, September 12, 2026 from 10 AM to 6:30 PM
How Much:
There are a variety of fun and free activities and live entertainment for the whole family to enjoy.
Play-All-Day Pass (Advance Purchase): $10 + HST
(Available for purchase before September 12)
Play-All-Day Pass (Event Day): $15 + HST
(Available for purchase on September 12)
Millie Doll & Play-All-Day Pass Bundle (Advance Purchase): $30 + HST
(Available for purchase before September 12)
Millie Doll (On-Site Purchase): $20 + HST
(Available while supplies last)
Where: Aaniin Community Centre & Library, 5665 14th Avenue, Markham
Parking:
There is no parking at Aaniin Community Centre, except for designated accessible parking spots.
Free parking is available at Milliken Mills Community Centre & Library – 7600 Kennedy Road, where you can access the free shuttle service to the event site (to and from Aaniin Community Centre & Library).
Free parking will also be available at the Middlefield Collegiate Institute parking lot – 525 Highglen Ave. Space is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.
Shuttle services will run from Milliken Mills Community Centre to Aaniin Community Centre, every 30 minutes from 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM.
