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What is TurtleFest?
Turtlefest is Tillsonburg’s biggest community festival. Held every Father’s Day weekend, this three-day event encourages people from all over Ontario to come out of their shell and experience small-town living at its finest.
Our festival draws its inspiration from Tillsonburg founder, George Tillson, who promised to return one day as a turtle to see how his town was prospering.
Remarkably, a few years after George Tillson’s death, a giant turtle appeared on the banks of the Otter Creek. Remembering their founder's words, the citizens took “George” downtown so he could see the town's progress for himself.
More than 130 years later, the people of Tillsonburg remember George's words and take time each June to celebrate Tillsonburg’s slow and steady rise from a hamlet on the Otter to thriving small town.
Where is TurtleFest
This year TurtleFest is shutting down Broadway between Bridge Street and Oxford Street starting at noon on Saturday, June 20th.
Don't forget to check out Annandale National Historic Site for family fun activities, a special screening of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3 on Friday, June 19th and the jam packed family fun schedule on Saturday, June 20th - for more details click the link below.