City of Oshawa wins two Festivals & Events awards

The City of Oshawa is thrilled to announce that Peony Festival and Kars on King have been recognized by Festivals and Events Ontario (FEO) for offering some of the best festivals and events in Ontario. The two signature events have been named as Top 100 Festivals and Events for 2024.

The City of Oshawa is celebrating its centennial anniversary in 2024 and the recent FEO Top 100 award recognitions add to the excitement. A Top 100 award represents festivals and events across the province that excel within the industry.

Peony Festival

This is the 12th consecutive year that the Peony Festival has received recognition as a Top 100 festival! Our signature Peony Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2024 and will take place on Saturday, June 8 and Sunday, June 9 at the beautiful Oshawa Valley Botanical Gardens. The free event displays 300 types of peonies in the gardens. In addition to the gardens, artisans, live music, gardening advice, a judged Peony Show, Children’s Garden, an art competition and a photo contest are all part of this remarkable flower festival. For more details, visit Oshawa.ca/Peony.

Kars on King

Kars on King received its first FEO Top 100 Award this year! This annual festival celebrates classic vehicles, bringing together enthusiasts, car clubs, and car lovers of all ages in downtown Oshawa. The event highlights Oshawa’s rich automotive history and showcases classic cars from all genres and models from 1991 or earlier. The free outdoor event provides an accessible, family-friendly experience, featuring classic vehicles, live entertainment and community activations. The event will take place on Friday, August 23. Learn more about Kars on King at Oshawa.ca/KarsonKing.

Volunteer of the Year

The City of Oshawa congratulates Durham Region resident Judi Denny who was named FEO’s Volunteer of the Year. A renowned peony grower, Judi was awarded for her remarkable expertise in cultivating peonies and her dedicated service to the Peony Festival and Oshawa Valley Botanical Gardens over the past two decades.

In 2014, the City renamed the peony gardens at the Oshawa Valley Botanical Gardens as the “The Michael and Judi Denny Peony Gardens.” A plaque recognizes Judi and her late husband Michael Denny for their contributions toward the establishment of Oshawa’s Peony Garden and the Peony Festival.

For more information about FEO and its achievement awards, visit www.festivalsandeventsontario.ca.

Centennial Celebrations

The City’s centennial will be celebrated throughout the year with numerous events and initiatives. For up-to-date information on events and activities, visit Oshawa.ca/100 or subscribe to our “Events and Culture” e-newsletter.

For City of Oshawa updates, visit Oshawa.ca/NewsCentre to follow us on social media, subscribe to news and alerts, and have your say on Connect Oshawa.

Quotes:

“We are thrilled that Oshawa’s Peony Festival has been recognized as a Top 100 event once again and excited to have Kars on King added to the esteemed list of festivals and events not to miss in 2024,” said Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter. “Thank you to Festivals and Events Ontario for this recognition! We look forward to welcoming thousands of guests this summer to the great City of Oshawa to celebrate Oshawa’s centennial year.”

"Oshawa is truly becoming a dynamic metropolitan city that continues to shine with its exceptional signature events, including our signature international Peony Festival, the highly anticipated Kars on King, and the 50th annual multicultural Fiesta Week. These events attract thousands of visitors from across the Canada and around the world each summer to our great city, helping to further put Oshawa on the big map,” said Councillor Tito-Dante Marimpietri, Chair of the Economic and Development Services Committee. “It is an honour for the City of Oshawa to be included among the Top 100 prestigious events and festivals, alongside the Toronto Caribbean Carnival, Niagara Falls Winter Festival of Lights and many more of the popular events across Canada."

“Congratulations to Judi Denny and to our many volunteers and community partners who help make the City of Oshawa’s Peony Festival and Kars on King among the best events in Ontario,” said Councillor Bob Chapman, Vice-Chair of the Economic and Development Services Committee. “Mark these events on your calendar for this summer – these exceptional events are not to be missed!”