Held every Father's Day weekend, TurtleFest is Tillsonburg's largest and most anticipated community festival, drawing visitors from across Ontario to experience the charm and warmth of small-town life at its best.

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The festival takes its inspiration from the story of Tillsonburg's founder, George Tillson, who once vowed to return as a turtle to witness how his town would thrive. Remarkably, a few years after his passing, a giant turtle was spotted on the banks of Otter Creek. In keeping with George's promise, the townspeople brought "George" downtown to see the town's progress for himself.

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Over 130 years later, the spirit of George Tillson lives on through TurtleFest, as the people of Tillsonburg celebrate the town’s steady growth ~ from its humble beginnings along Otter Creek to the vibrant community it is today.

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Join us each June to be part of this unique tradition, where we come together to honor Tillsonburg’s past, present, future, and of course, to have fun!