Friendship over?? Festival of Friends leaving Gage Park

Ward 3 Clr. Bernie Morelli

Tara Crugnale

The Festival of Friends is leaving Gage Park. After 35 years, the largest free music festival is leaving for a larger location in Ancaster. The news was confirmed by Festival Board of Director Tara Crugnale, “the simple truth is that we have grown beyond Gage Park,” said Crugnale. The new home of the Festival of Friends will be located at the Ancaster Fairgrounds at the corner of Highways 53 and 52, just south of Highway 403. Councillor Bernie Morelli, who’s Ward 3 includes Gage Park, says he reluctantly agrees the park isn’t big enough for the festival anymore.
“I don’t want to see them leave the park, but it really is a growth issue,” he said Tuesday.
Morelli said it’s clear the festival has become a larger and more sophisticated operation.
Because the move to Ancaster keeps the festival in Hamilton, any annual grants from the city wouldn’t be affected. Ancaster Fairgrounds has parking for more than 5,000 vehicles, a 30,000-square-foot main building, a 36,000-square-foot show ring and close to a dozen outbuildings. The fairgrounds also have a paved bus loop for transit buses.
“This is a win-win-win” for Hamilton, Ancaster and the festival, Ancaster Councillor Lloyd Ferguson said Tuesday. “I am going to do whatever I can to make it a success.”

Ancaster Clr. Lloyd Ferguson

Ferguson said he plans to work with other councillors to advocate for free shuttle buses to take festival goers from Gage Park, downtown Hamilton and points on the Mountain to the fairgrounds.