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A Trail Town Along the Trent-Severn Waterway

National Historic Site of Canada

Peterborough

Welcome to Peterborough

With urban amenities just steps away from green spaces, Peterborough has something for everyone. Discover a downtown packed with culinary delights, unique local shops, and lively arts venues. Feeling outdoorsy? Explore quiet forest trails in Jackson Park without leaving the city limits, or follow the Otonabee River on a stroll through Millennium Park’s gardens along the Trans-Canada Trail. Summer visitors may catch a show at Musicfest, Canada’s longest-running free summer concert series. The Canadian Canoe Museum, with over 600 historic watercraft, calls this city home, as does the engineering masterclass that is the Peterborough Lift Lock. Whether visiting for a cultural experience or heading outdoors, you’ll find something to love.

Discover Peterborough

Interior of a cedar-ribbed canoe

Canoe Museum

The Peterborough lift lock, with a cruise boat at the bottom

Peterborough Lift Lock

Aerial view of a large crowd at the Little Lake bandstand

Musicfest

A table laden with pizza, beer, and other foods

Restaurants, Cafes, and more

Three people with paper shopping bags walk down a commercial street

Shopping

An aerialist performs a rope act at an outdoor festival

Explore Further

Peterborough Community History

In a historical black and white photo, a photographer takes a picture of the Peterborough Lift Lock with a large camera
Before it became known as Peterborough, the area was called Nogojiwanong, Ojibwa for “place at the end of rapids.” Peterborough is the native territory of the Anishinaabeg. In 1821, European settler Adam Scott founded a sawmill and gristmill at the site, which became known as Scott’s Plains. By 1825 almost 2,000 Irish immigrants had settled there, and the area was renamed after the group’s director, Peter Robinson. The Peterborough region emerged as both a timber producer and a national hub for canoe-building. The canalization of the Otonabee River as part of the Trent Canal system provided a direct link with Lake Ontario and Georgian Bay utilizing the world’s highest hydraulic lift lock (1904). Peterborough earned the name “The Electric City” when it became the first town in Canada to use electric streetlights. It is also the home of Sir Sandford Fleming College and Trent University.

Trail Town Friendly Business Trip Planner

Open Trip Planner in its own window

Festivals and Events around Peterborough to watch for...

Peterborough Musicfest (Wednesdays and Saturdays, June-August)

Enjoy Canada’s longest running free concert series in beautiful Del Crary Park.

Doors Open Ontario (September)

Explore the cultural heritage of Peterborough with free access to some of the city’s most significant buildings.

Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market (Wednesdays & Saturdays, May-October)

Find high-quality goods from local producers at this charming market located downtown in Quaker Foods Park.

Peterborough Farmers’ Market (Saturdays, May-October)

One of province’s oldest farmers’ markets still serves up farm-fresh produce every Saturday in the Morrow Building parking lot.

Lang Pioneer Village Special Events

This fascinating living museum delivers a range of seasonal special events, from agricultural showcases to holiday celebrations.

Peterborough Folk Fest

The climax to the summer for many Peterborough locals. Catch a weekend of free music by the Otonabee River in Nichols Oval Park.

For more information visit

www.thekawarthas.ca

Paddlers head down the Trent-Severn Waterway
A band onstage at a festival, seen from behind
Two museum volunteers performa a historical reenactment based around textiles

Explore. Experience. Enjoy.

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