Bradford West Gwillimbury is a culturally diverse community which makes us lucky to have plenty of restaurants that feature cuisine from all over the world. Authentic and tasty are words to describe all the different foods you can try while at #CarrotFest2018.

​To make things easier, we divided things up for you:

Asian 

• Golden Taste of Asia 

Caribbean

• Auntee Donna's Jerk Products
• La Novela food truck – food truck that features Cubano sandwiches, tacos and burritos
• Iris Sauces - Caribbean sauces and rubs 

Drinks

• Philip Varley- homemade lemonade
• McDonalds McCafe Truck – Friday Carrot Fest only
• Davids Tea

Ice Cream

• Mister Treats – local to Bradford and is an ice cream truck
• Ice Cream 4 U – ice cream truck
• 3 Scoops – local to Bradford and sells Kawartha Dairy ice cream
• Nick's Dairy Bar O/A Dairy Belle – local to Bradford and is an ice cream truck
• Heavenly Dreams Ice Cream Inc – ice cream truck

Italian

• Bestia – food truck that features traditional Naples-style, wood burning oven pizzas
• Milanoz Pizzeria – local to Bradford, an authentic Italian Pizzeria
• The Original San Francesco – local to Bradford restaurant that features Italian veal sandwiches, panzerottis, gelato and more

Mediterranean

• Paparika Restaurant – local to Bradford and features authentic Middle Eastern dishes like Shawarma

Mexican

• La Mexicanada Restaurant – local to Bradford and features authentic Mexican dishes like Flautas
• Chacha Churros – food truck featuring Churros, Empanadas, Milanesa and more
• Made in Mexico – local to Bradford restaurant features Mexican dishes like Chimichangas
• Hay Caramba Restaurant – local to Bradford restaurant that features authentic Mexican dishes like Tostados

Pub Food

• Tornado Potato Festival – food truck that sells tornado potatoes
• Pierre's BBQ Pit Stop – food truck that sells pulled pork sandwiches, hamburgers, poutine and more
• Glad I Ate Here – food truck that sells Canadian classics like poutine and chicken fingers
• The Mighty Cob – food truck that features summer classics like corn on the cob, hot dogs and lemonade
• Kenzingtons - local to Bradford restaurant that features gourmet burgers 
• Hearth, Water and Stone - BBQ at their store front

Pizza

• Popular Pizza – local to Bradford
• Bestia – food truck that features traditional Naples-style, wood burning oven pizzas

South American

• Cafe Amada by Chanchitos – food truck that sells authentic South American dishes

Sweets and Snacks

• The Strudel Lady – classic strudels from Vienna
• Mad Macarons
• The Crumby Cookie Dough Company – food truck selling cookie dough cups
• Hutchinson Maple Syrup
• Sweet B’s – local to Bradford bakery
• Smoochies- local to Bradford bakery
• JoJo’s Crepe Café – local to Bradford 
• Dutch Treats – local to Bradford and sells treats, cheeses, speciality and deli foods
• Auntie Jo's Kettle Corn
• R & D Jammin Preserves – Homemade Jam
• Sweetie Pat's – homemade sweets 
• Midtown Convenience - snow cones and cotton candy 

Carrot Fest is planned all year long to ensure that there is plenty of free entertainment and activities going on throughout the event. You can find stuff going on at the Main Stage, the Busker Pitches, the Community Centre, the 4 Corners (Holland St. and Barrie St.) and the Courthouse. 

Below is a schedule so you know where and when to be! *Subject to change.

Friday
Vendor Market
4:00-10:00pm
Main Stage
5:00pm Louisa and the Planets
6:30pm Official Ceremonies
8:00pm Joy Brigade - high energy 70s Dance Music
Other events
4:00-10:00pm Party Tyme – Holland Street West
4:00-10:00pm – Crafts, cupcake decorating, games and contests – Kids Zone, Holland Street West
5:00pm – Balloon Show
5:30pm – Scarlett Circus Show
6:00-8:00pm – Balloon Twisting
6:00-10:00pm – Legends & Classic Cars
7:00pm – Scarlett Circus Workshop
8:30pm Balloon Show

Saturday
Vendor Market
9:00am-6:00pm
Main Stage
9:00-9:30am Neema Children’s Choir
9:45-10:15am Lucas Wilson Illusionist
10:30-11:00am Elite Dance Corps Award Winning Dancers
11:15-11:45 Lucas Wilson Illusionist
12:30-:2:00pm Bon Jovi Forever
2:30-3:00pm Elite Dance Corps Award Winning Dancers
3:15-3:45pm - Lucas Wilson Illusionist
4:15-5:30pm The Cara Lea Band
5:30pm Lions Early Bird Draw
6:00-7:30pm Who Made Who (ACDC Cover Band)
8:00pm Skip Tracer
Alectra Busker Pitch
10:00am Ito Fire Show
11:00am Theatre Arcturus - Lumberjack Show
12:00pm Hoop You
1:00pm FireGuy
2:00pm Theatre Arcturus - Lumberjack Show
3:00pm Hoop You
4:00pm Theatre Arcturus - Lumberjack Show
5:00pm Hoop You
​Tim Hortons Busker Pitch Times
10:00am FireGuy
11:00am Rockability Joe
12:00pm Tim Holland
1:00pm Rockability Joe
2:00pm Ito Fire Show
3:00pm Rockability Joe
4:00pm Tim Holland
5:00pm FireGuy
Community Centre
10:00am Aqua Dogs
10:00am-4:00pm Pony Rides
9:00am-6:00pm - Youth Zone - various booths, food trucks, MOBYSS bus, music, giveaways and more! 
11:30am Professional Wrestling – Quest for the Cup featuring former WWE Superstars
6:30pm Professional Wrestling – Quest for the Cup featuring former WWE Superstars
Other Events
9:00am-5:00pm Bradford Fire Department Fire Prevention (Holland St. East)
10:00am-6:00pm Party Tyme Treats & Amusements
11:00am Beer Gardens open (4 Corners)
11:00am BMX Stunt Show at the Courthouse
11:00am Shuttle Buses begin from the GO station and the Leisure Centre to Carrot Fest
12:00pm 24 Carrot Holdem Poker Tourney at the Village Inn (4 Corners)
1:00pm 3 Scoops Ice Cream Contest sign up (12 years and under)
1:00pm Freestyle Soccer Show at the Courthouse
2:00pm BMX Stunt Show at the Courthouse
3:00pm Freestyle Soccer Show at the Courthouse
3:00pm 3 Scoops Ice Cream Contest (Barrie St.)
5:00pm Freestyle Soccer Show at the Courthouse
6:00pm BMX Stunt Show at the Courthouse
7:00pm The Flaming Carrot Fire Show (4 Corners)

​Carrot Fest has one of the largest vendor markets found at an outdoor festival. Vendors include both local and non-local businesses and fill Holland St. and Barrie St. You could easily spend hours just shopping up and down the streets for the unique items at each booth. Though there is over 200 vendors that set up for Carrot Fest, they are hand selected to ensure that there is a variety and are categorized based on what they are selling or promoting. Be sure to check out the face painters, henna and airbrush tattoos, jewellery, candles, spices and sauces, food and desserts, clothing and many more this year!

Since we are ONE WEEK AWAY from #CarrotFest2018, here are some tips to remember when shopping through a vendor market:

• Buying directly from businesses ensures that they proceeds are going right in to the organization. By shopping at vendor markets, know and feel good that you are supporting your local economy!
• Bring reusable bags to put your items in.
• Bring the green – having cash can sometimes save you money and some vendors don’t have debit machines.
• Arrive early to get the best selection – Carrot Fest’s vendor market opens at 4:00pm on Friday and 9:00am on Saturday.
• Get to know the seller! Vendor markets tend to bring smaller businesses that are knowledgeable and passionate about what they are selling. 
• Explore all the different goods and services that are available to you. Be sure to check out everything the #CarrotFest2018 vendor market has to offer! 

Amongst all the vendors, food trucks, face painters and buskers, some seriously talented entertainers attend Carrot Fest to please the crowds of people attending the street festival. They are not your typical entertainers that play live music on stage or juggle objects, you will see only the best at #CarrotFest2018. Be sure to head to the courthouse parking lot on Saturday at 11:00am, 1:00pm, 2:00pm, 3:00pm, 5:00pm, and 6:00pm.

This year we are pleased to welcome back the BMX Stunt Show – a team of BMX bikers showing off their tricks and flips! For more information check out their website. 

We are also pleased to introduce for the first time Freestyle Soccer – the most interesting game of keep up you will ever see! For more information check out their website. 

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​Bradford West Gwillimbury is lucky to have a fire department that is so actively involved in and supportive of our community events. Each year, for Carrot Fest, the crew and the truck set up at the bottom of Holland St. East, one of the entrances to the festival. Here, they have on display from 9:00am-5:00pm the truck and their supplies to promote fire prevention to attendees. They allow those that are interested to explore the truck and sit in the seats. Walk down to the bottom of Holland St. and Colborne St. on August 18 to check it out! 

Every major city or festival is filled with street buskers – street performers that are simply there to provide entertainment. Thanks to our sponsors, Alectra and Tim Hortons, Carrot Fest is filled with different acts and performances.
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During the festival there are two locations in which you can see the performances over the course of the day. The first is at Alectra Busker Pitch at 49 Holland St. West along with Tim Hortons Busker Pitch found at the corner or Nelson St. and Holland St. East. If you don’t’ know what that means, simply just look for the large crowds circling around the different acts (we also have maps available at the festival)! Busker performances begin at 10:00am and start on the hour, every hour until 5:00pm. 

​Keep an eye out at #CarrotFest2018 for the following street buskers:

• The Twisted Ones - specializing in balloon shows and balloon twisting.
• Scarlett Circus Workshop Show - specializing in circus acts and shows.
• Ito Fire Show - fire performers that light up the streets.
• Hoop You - specializing in fire performers, glow shows and hoop dance parties.
• Theatre Arcturus - a lumber jack show. 
• Tim Holland - ventriloquist 
• Rockabilly Joe - juggler and acrobat. 
• Fire Guy
• Flaming Carrot Finale

Do you love dogs? Do you love watching dogs do tricks? Then you will love Aqua Dogs!

Coming to #CarrotFest2018 is Aqua Dogs – a competitive dog docking jumping league that features dogs and their trainers competing in the most serious (and fascinating) game of fetch. Dogs from all over, are showcasing how well they can Go Long, Go Fetch and Go High by launching themselves off a dock in to water to catch an object for a prize. Only the experts can compete and it is incredible to watch how well these good boys and girls can fetch no matter their size or breed.
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Bleachers and a comical commentator are present to ensure the best view and audio for the audience.
This spectacular free event will be hosted in the Bradford & District Community Centre portion of Carrot Fest on Saturday August 18 starting at 10:00a.m.    

​Check out their Facebook page for more details. 

Bradford West Gwillimbury’s annual Carrot Fest is returning to the downtown area and Bradford & District Memorial Community Centre on Friday August 17 and Saturday August 18.

​Here are 10 reasons to love the Canada’s largest Carrot Festival:

1. It supports local businesses and the Bradford West Gwillimbury community.
2. It has been rated among the top 100 events in Ontario for eight years in a row.
3. The festival has grown so much that it is now become a two day event.
4. It has a HUGE vendor market that has hundreds of vendors selling their goods and services.
5. There is plenty of delicious food to eat! Ranging from the local Mexican, Portuguese, Italian and Middle Eastern to Food Trucks and Ice Cream on every corner.
6. There is always something going on whether it be live performances on stage, BMX competitions, Freestyle Soccer, Fire Shows, Wrestling or Dog Docking Competitions.
7. It is easily accessible with shuttles running to and from the festival all day long and a nearby GO station.
8. It’s fun for everyone – featuring beer gardens, kid zones, pony rides, poker tournaments, inflatables, games and contests.
9. There are free carrots for everyone provided by the Holland Marsh Growers' Association! In the middle of the festival there is tractor that is full of bags of fresh, locally grown carrots.
10. And finally, it’s a street party! The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury closes down the two main streets to allow for all of the festivities to go on safely.

Join the fun this summer and come to #CarrotFest2018!