St. John's 
Newfoundland & Labrador is a beautiful province with no shortage of fun things to do during the summer, especially in August. Along with hiking and camping at the national and provincial parks and campgrounds, there are so many festivals, parties, and dinners that you can go to, tours to take, and places to visit in Newfoundland that it’s so hard to decide where to start!
Photo Credit: Downtown St. John’s
If you haven’t already started making plans for August, you should check out the 50 ideas listed below.
Canada Strong Pass
Enjoy free admission to Parks Canada sites and free admission for children aged 17 and under, 50% off admission fees for youth aged 18 to 24 to provincial museums until September 2, 2025.
- Parks Canada National Parks and Historic Sites
- The Rooms — St. John’s
- Provincial Seamen’s Museum — Grand Bank
- Demasduit Regional Museum — Grand Falls-Windsor
- Labrador Interpretation Centre — North West River
- Colonial Building — St. John’s
- The Commissariat — St. John’s
- Newman Wine Vaults — St. John’s
- Cupids Cove Plantation — Cupids
- Heart’s Content Cable Station — Heart’s Content
- Trinity Sites — Trinity Interpretation Centre, Hiscock House, Mercantile Premises — Trinity
- Beothuk Interpretation Centre — Boyd’s Cove
- Cape Bonavista Lighthouse — Bonavista
- Mockbeggar Plantation — Bonavista
Ramea Rock Island Music Festival
The Rock Island Music Festival is an annual fundraiser for the local fire department. Come experience a fun-filled weekend of local Newfoundland music and a carnival-type atmosphere.
Details
August 8 – 10, 2025
Annual Cape Race Heritage Days
Cape Race Heritage Days 2025
Celebrate Portugal Cove South’s culture and heritage at the kitchen parties with local entertainment, dances, family fun days, and bonfires. The Annual Cape Race Heritage Days have so many activities for people to do and many displays that they can watch.
Details
August 1–3, 2025
Night Sky Celebrations
Learn about the stars and how to use sky-viewing equipment at the 6th annual Night Sky Celebration at Terra Nova National Park. You can also stay at the park at one of the campgrounds, so you can enjoy more time under the stars.
Details
August 22 – 23, 2025
Rockin’ Da Garden
Join The Masterless Men and The Reilley Meadus band + more at Paddy’s Garden to end the summer of 2025.
Details
August 23, 2025
IronFest
IronFest
Taking place in Labrador City, Ironfest is the city’s biggest outdoor concert. The 2025 performers include Josh Ross, April Wine, and Dwaune Gretzky.
Details
August 9, 2025
HOLD FAST 2025
HOLD FAST Festival celebrates contemporary performance, interdisciplinary art, and community engagement in St. John’s, NL.
Details
August 5-9, 2025
Winterset in Summer Literary Festival
Meet great filmmakers, songwriters, and authors from across Newfoundland and Canada at the Winterset in Summer Literary Festival. This is the festival’s 24th annual celebration and features famous writers, musical performances, cooking authors, past winners, new finalists, emerging writers, and much more.
Details
August 8 – 10, 2025
Shakespeare by the Sea
Shakespeare by the Sea; Credit: Alick Tsui
This is the longest-running outdoor summer theatre event in the St. John’s area. This year, Shakespeare by the Sea celebrates its 31st anniversary and will present two productions with their own unique takes – Love’s Labour’s Lost, The Merry Conceited Humours of Bottome the Weaver, and The Merry Wives of Windsor.
Details
July 12 – August 8, 2025
Gander’s Festival of Flight
The Gander’s Festival of Flight celebrates over 30 years of community pride. The weekend is packed with musical events, picnics, a traditional Newfoundland breakfast, a Demolition Derby, and much more. It is the perfect place to spend time with friends and family.
Details
July 31 – August 4, 2025
Norman’s Cove – Long Cove Beach Festival
Spend the weekend on the beach at the Norman’s Cove – Long Cove Beach Festival. The festival features a fishing derby, a cornhole tournamnet, local entertainment, games, parades, tournaments, dances, fireworks, and much more.
Details
August 8 – 10, 2025
Voices of Placentia Bay Festival
Listen to the unique stories and songs that explore Placentia Bay’s history. From the main stage to exploring the area that inspired the songs, it is a weekend packed with fun. The whole family will enjoy this event. Details
August 2, 2025
Photo Credit: Bakeapple Folk Festival
Bakeapple Folk Festival
For over 40 years, the Bakeapple Folk Festival has been highlighting traditional fun. Events include a dinner by lamplight, family day activities, an adult outdoor dance, bonfire, fireworks, and much more.
Details
August 7 – 10, 2025
Garnish Bakeapple Festival
From breakfast and dinner to plays, fair and flea market, and scavenger hunt, the Garnish Bakeapple Festival is packed with family fun.
Details
August 6 – 10, 2025
Botwood Flying Boat Festival
Enjoy the multi-day festival, featuring a craft fair, bingo, a pre-teen/teen dance, a soap box derby, Family Day, the Bayside Bash for adults, a religious open-air service, Botwood Day, a daytime community event, and a nighttime boat parade, along with booths offering food and games of chance, music, and an open-air dance at night, culminating in fireworks! Details
July 28 to August 4, 2025
NL Sun Run
Credit: NL Sun Run
Come sign up for the NL Sun Run. This year the course will be at Bowring Park. There will be Chip timed 5K and post-party Jack Astor’s after for a free beer.
Details
August 17, 2025
Gulch Days
Gulch days is a weekend of fun for family and friends! There will be an antique car show, local bands, kids activities, games and other fun activities for everyone to enjoy.
The Gulch Beach Festival is celebrating its 21st year this summer.
Details
August 2, 2025
Sunday Morning Bird Walks
Take a guided walk on the Gardens’ nature trails with a Friend of the Garden volunteer and learn about Newfoundland birds.
Details
Sundays, August 3, 17 & 31, 2025
Bay Roberts Klondyke Days
Experience the joy of Klondyke Days, a festive celebration starting with the vibrant Klondyke Parade and concluding with Bay Roberts Day, featuring a wide range of family-friendly events such as concerts, food festivities, family fun days, and an awe-inspiring fireworks show.
Details
July 23 – August 4, 2025
Digging through Time
With the earliest and best-preserved artifacts of their kind, take a short ferry ride to join a Parks Canada guide to visit the archaeological sites on Saddle Island. Walk around the breathtaking island to hear first-hand experiences of finding some of Red Bay’s most precious artifacts, check out where whale oil was processed, and explore the life and times of Labrador’s 16th-century Basque whalers.
Details
Brimstone Head Folk Festival
Brimstone Head Folk Festival is a unique outdoor music festival held in Brimstone Head, considered one of the four corners of the earth by the Flat Earth Society. The festival preserves the local culture through music.
Details
August 8 – 10, 2025
‘Music @’ Concert Series
Enjoy musical concerts at Harbourside Park every Friday at 12:30 pm. The series features a wide variety of musical genres.
Details
July 4 through September 19, 2025
Southern Shore Dinner Theatre
Experience a traditional Newfoundland time on Ferryland’s historic waterfront premises. The program includes traditional music, live theatre, and a meal while experiencing Newfoundland hospitality at its finest.
Details
Until September 5, 2025
Dildo Cove Vendor Market
Every weekend in Dildo, the S.U.F. Lodge is packed with local vendors. You can find local art, crafts, jewelry, produce, eats, and more at this popular market.
Details
Saturday & Sunday, Until September 2025
Quilt Show
Mingle among local quilters and their quilts during the Annual Quilt Show and Dessert Tea. Quilts will be displayed throughout the magnificent Our Lady of Mercy Heritage Church.
Details
August 17, 2025
Twillingate-New World Island Dinner Theatre
Enjoy a show at one of Newfoundland’s most popular dinner theatres. The theatre entertains more than 10,000 visitors a year, providing scrumptious meals and great local music and skits to patrons from all over the world.
Details
May 26 – September 20, 2025
Rising Tide Theatre – Seasons in the Bight Theatre Festival
More than 40 of Newfoundland’s most talented artists come together. Since 1978, the Rising Tide Theatre has hosted award-winning plays that reflect Newfoundland’s history and culture.
Details
May – September 2025
Downtown Busker Festival
Downtown St. John’s is full of performances during the Downtown Busker Festival. Local, Canadian, and International buskers entertain audiences of all sizes and ages.
Details
August 8-10, 2025
Carbonear Days Weekend
Bring the whole family to the Carbonear Day’s Weekend. It is a weekend packed with events including the showcase of the World Cup of Tiddly, which is a unique Carbonear event that you cannot find anywhere else. Other events include the Accordion Fest, the Raisin Bun Bakeoff Contest, and the Carbonear Day Parade.
Details
August 2025
Fortune Head Geology Centre
Come and explore 4.54 billion years of geologic time at the Centre. They have an extensive collection of rocks and minerals and even 2.3 billion-year-old fossils! Learn about the 1929 Burin Peninsula Tsunami and check out the tsunami simulator!
Details
June-September 2025
Mussel Bed Waterfront Festival
Mussel Bed Waterfront Festival
There is endless fun to be had at the Mussel Bed Waterfront Festival. There will be live music, food trucks, carnival games, and more. Don’t miss this fantastic community festival!
Details
August 7 to 11, 2025
Music in the Sound
Come and celebrate traditional Irish and Newfoundland music at the lovely Terra Nova National Park.
Details
August 8 – 9, 2025
Sinners and Spirits Tour 2025
Listen in terror to tales of murder, intrigue, duels to the death, false love, prostitution, torture, and more! Descend into the dark underbelly of St. John’s and explore its sordid past. This tour highlights the murderous history of the capital city and its chilling paranormal legacy.
Details
Sundays & Mondays, July & August 2025
Jigs & Wheels
Enjoy a 10-day celebration filled with unforgettable events and inspiring concerts.
Details
July 25 to August 3, 2025
Brigus Blueberry Festival
Just 50 minutes outside of St. John, you can enjoy a traditional Newfoundland folk festival. Brigus Blueberry Festival celebrates all things blueberry, so there is, of course, a pie-eating contest. There is also a parade, a Kitchen Party, live music, brunch, loonie dash, fireworks, and traditional Newfoundland food.
Details
August 8 – 10, 2025
Paradise Summer Jam Series
Enjoy an amazing lineup of local musicians in the Summer Jam Series. Each performance will be held at a different location around Town for everyone to enjoy!
Details
Summer 2025
George Street Festival
George Street Festival
The 40th Annual George Street Festival features an incredible lineup of artists, including Arkells w/ Neon Dreams, Blue Rodeo w/ Kellie Loder, Kitchen Party featuring Celtic Connection, The Punters, and Kitchenparti, DJ Pauly D, and Shanneygonock and Rum Ragged.
Details
July 31 – August 6, 2025
Shining Seas Summer Festival
Shining Seas Summer Festival features family-friendly fun and entertainment including breakfast, free swim, kids activities, fireworks, fish fry, block parties, and more.
Details
August 15 – 17, 2025
Newfoundland Rocks: a Cow Head Shed Party
Filled to the brim with popular Newfoundland tunes, writers Allison Crowe and Adam Brake have created a musical loaded with song, dance and the antics of friends on a mission! With a stellar cast to keep you entertained, and perhaps even entice you to the dance floor, a fun-filled evening is in store. Food and bar service are available throughout the show as you settle in for a Cow Head shed party musical like you’ve never been to before!
Details
July 5 – August 15, 2025
Bay de Verde Festival of Quilts
Come by for an exhibition that showcases quilts and quilting culture. Tour the exhibits in the Churches and Halls on Saturday and Sunday.
Details
August 16 – 17, 2025
Harbour Lights Festival
Harbour Lights Festival
Join the Annual Harbour Lights Summer Festival in Rocky Harbour, featuring music, food, fireworks, and kids’ activities against stunning sunsets. Enjoy moose burgers, local mussels, and live local music, and get Screeched In! A waterfront weekend you won’t want to miss!
Details
July 31 – August 3, 2025
La Scie Crab Festival
The annual La Scie hosts its Annual Crab Festival offers a week packed with local entertainment, concessions, seafood delights, comedy shows, dances, Texas Holdem, and gospel nights.
Details
August 4 – 9, 2025
2025 Bonavista Biennale: String Games
See contemporary artworks by Newfoundland and other Canadian artists during this multi-site art festival. The festival is held in a variety of indoor and outdoor venues. The visitors are provided with a map to guide visitors from site to site.
Details
August 16 to September 14, 2025
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Writers at Woody Point
Celebrate literature and the arts at the annual Writers at Woody Point Literary Festival, featuring a captivating blend of author readings, musical performances, and other artistic events, commencing with two nights of acclaimed musicians and taking place in the picturesque Woody Point Heritage Theatre and various venues nestled in the heart of Gros Morne National Park during the third week of August.
Details
August 19 – 24, 2025
Triton Caplin Cod Festival
Taking place annually in first weekend in August, the festival features activities throughout the week including variety shows, fireworks displays, food booths, games of chance, and an adult dance.
Details
July 28 to August 3, 2025
Makkovik Trout Festival
There is fun for all ages at the Makkovik Trout Festival. The cardboard race is a popular activity, along with the family sand sculpture contest. So, spend some time with the family drying off and listening to live music, beach fire, storytelling and more.
Details
2025 TBA; August 3 – 10, 2024
Taste of Gros Morne
Give your taste buds an unforgettable treat when you go on a Taste of Gros Morne food tour. This popular food tour features 3 of Gros Morne’s top restaurants where you will savour the freshest local seafood, smell the fragrant garden-grown herbs, and savour the sweetest handpicked berries during this sumptuous 3-course gourmet meal.
Details
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Point Amour Lighthouse Provincial Historic Site
Visit the Point Amour Lighthouse if you want to check out the gorgeous panoramic view from the tallest lighthouse in Atlantic Canada since it is 33 meters high. The lighthouse is a tribute to the past where it played a significant role in the lives of the people of Southern Labrador. It has also been designated a Provincial Historic Site.
Details
Stephenville Theatre Festival
STF is the longest-running professional theatre festival in Newfoundland and Labrador. The 47th season lineup ranges from emotionally charged and internationally recognized Broadway odysseys to traditional song and storytelling that will have you howling with laughter for the rest of the summer!
Details
July 18 – August 17, 2025
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G0 Glamping
Relax under the stars without all the hard work by going on glamping or glamorous camping trip. While you are glamping, you may get to stay in yurts. walled tents, small cabins or even your own tent. Here are some places to stay in NL.
Come From Away
Directed by Jillian Keiley, the breathtaking musical written by Tony Award nominees Irene Sankoff and David Hein tells the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the communities in Newfoundland and Labrador that welcomed them on 9/11.
Details
June 29 – August 31, 2025
