Harborfest is a summer tradition, a free festival held each summer since 1988. With more than 50,000 people in attendance each year, this popular event features live music from acclaimed bands and performers, fun carnival rides, delicious food from a variety of local vendors, and a spectacular fireworks display by the renowned Fireworks by Grucci.
The festival is so large that it spans across multiple locations: Breitbeck Park, Cahill Pier Stage, the Midway Carnival, East Park/Washington Square, and Water Street Pocket Park. Breitbeck Park acts as the headquarters of Harborfest, with the largest assortment of live music, food, local vendors, and activities happening there. Cahill Pier Stage and the Midway Carnival are both within walking distance of Breitbeck Park, while free trollies can take attendees downtown to East Park/Washington Square and Water Street Pocket Park.
Harborfest officially kicks off with live music performances on the Breitbeck Park stage on Thursday evening. Live music, delicious meals, treats and drinks will be at Breitbeck Park throughout the entire festival.
On Friday, bring your children to participate in Harborfest’s annual Children’s Parade! This year’s parade theme is “Happy 250th Birthday, America!” Participants are invited to wear red, white and blue and decorate their wagon or stroller. Themed crafts will be offered before the parade. The crafts begin at 9:30 a.m. and the parade departs at West Park at 10:30 a.m.
Fun begins at Cahill Pier, East Park/Washington Square and Water Street Pocket Park on Friday and continues through Sunday! All locations will have live music, and East Park will also have a variety of food and shopping vendors.
Midway Carnival, run by Dreamland Amusements, also offers days of family fun! Ride tickets can be purchased individually or as unlimited wristbands. Hours of operation are Wednesday and Thursday from 5 to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to midnight, and Sunday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Visitors should note that parent/guardian supervision is required at Midway Carnival for those age 17 and under.
Live Music Schedule:
Thursday, July 23
Breitbeck Park:
6:30 p.m.: Dangerous Type
8:30 p.m.: John Waite
Friday, July 24
Cahill Pier Stage:
1:30 p.m.: Faded Vinyl
3:45 p.m.: The Rail Ramblers
6 p.m.: Mike Powell and the Echosound
East Park/Washington Square:
1:30 p.m.: The Marshall Brothers
3:45 p.m.: Flat Face & Friends
6 p.m.: Bill Schmitt & the Blues Masters
8:15 p.m.: Nate Gross Band
Water Street Pocket Park:
5 to 8 p.m.: Cam Caruso
Breitbeck Park:
5 p.m.: Sydney Irving & The Creatures
7 p.m.: Lanie Gardner
9 p.m.: Ashley Cooke
Saturday, July 25:
Cahill Pier Stage:
12:30 p.m.: Downshift Southern Rock
2:15 p.m.: MK Ultra Sonics
4:15 p.m.: Gridley Paige AM Gold
6:15 p.m. The Nasty Flyers
East Park/Washington Square:
1:15 p.m.: Trio Los Claveles
3:30 p.m.: Heartland
5:45 p.m.: Voyagr
8 p.m.: JT Hall Jazz Consortium
Water Street Pocket Park:
5 to 8 p.m.: Gadgets
Breitbeck Park:
1:45 p.m.: Mike Farrar and the Houserockers
3:45 p.m.: Scars N’ Stripes
5:45 p.m.: Surf School
7:45 p.m.: Brass Inc.
Sometime between 9 and 10 p.m.: Spectacular Fireworks over Lake Ontario (Fireworks by Grucci) –
10 p.m.: ColdFront
Sunday, July 26:
Cahill Pier Stage:
Noon: Side Piece
2 p.m.: Mimicking Mars
4 p.m.: Specialist
East Park/Washington Square Park:
12:45 p.m.: FatBack
3 p.m.: Haggis X-1
Water Street Pocket Park:
5 to 8 p.m.: Watson Thieban & Friends
Breitbeck Park:
Noon: McConnell, Caruso, Carpentier
1:45 p.m.: Prime Time Horns
4 p.m.: Frost Bit Blue
5:45 p.m.: The Shaelyn Band
Ski Extreme Productions’ water thrill shows return to Harborfest this year! Shows take place in the harbor on the east side of Cahill Pier. They feature performers being launched six feet above the water, freestyle jet ski flips and spins, barefoot waterskiing with speeds up to 40 m.p.h., a human pyramid of skiers, a performer flying 70 feet in the air on a water jetpack, and more.
Water Show Schedule at Cahill Pier:
Friday, 12:30 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5:15 p.m.
Saturday, 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Another attraction you won’t want to miss are helicopter rides by LX Helicopters. See Lake Ontario from a birds’ eye view! Helicopter rides cost $60 per person for a five-minute flight and are available from noon to 8 p.m. Friday-Sunday. Payment is cash only.
2026 Harborfest T-shirts are available for purchase. Wear them to the festival or bring them home as a souvenir! To get your Harborfest merch, visit Breitbeck Park at Harborfest or order online at https://www.valtigraphics.com/shop/harborfest.
Transportation:
Worried about finding parking at Harborfest? No problem! Throughout the festival, trollies will continuously travel between Breitbeck Park, Midway Carnival/Cahill Pier, the Best Western/ Clarion Hotels, East Park/Washington Square, and the corner of West First Street and Bridge Street. Trollies will run from 5 to 11:30 p.m. on Thursday; 10 a.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday; and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Attendees can also park for free at the Romney Field House lot along State Route 104 and take a free shuttle to Breitbeck Park and back.
Shuttle rides require purchasing a “Shuttle Button” for $5 that covers all four days of the festival. Children aged 10 and under ride free. To purchase a button, visit Valti Graphics before Harborfest or purchase at the festival on the shuttles. Payments are cash only.
For more information about Harborfest, visit https://www.oswegoharborfest.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/oswegoharborfest.