If you’ve never heard of IncrEdible Trent Hills, the IncrEdible Edible Festival will probably be the first thing that grabs your attention. The festival, which celebrates its tenth anniversary on July 12, 2025, is a major event for downtown Campbellford featuring dozens of food and beverage vendors, artisans, and entertainment. For passionate foodies, it’s a summer highlight—but as festival coordinator and marketing manager Jodi Carr says, the festival is just one part what the organization does.
“It’s so much more than just food, it’s community,” says Carr, reflecting on the ways IncrEdible Trent Hills has evolved from a one-day event into a local fixture. “We’ve grown from just a celebration of local food into outreach and so much more.”
She points to the organization’s school nutrition as a prime example. During the school year IncrEdible Trent Hills sends chefs into Grade 8 classes in Northumberland County, offering students a free opportunity to learn about gardening, cooking, and healthy food habits. The program is a natural companion to the community gardens initiative, which provides local families a chance to grow their own food at no charge.
“We now also do a farm tour,” Carr adds, “so we take a bus of people to local farms to see where their food comes from.” Her enthusiasm comes from a very genuine place, having been inspired to volunteer after first coming to festival as a visitor. “I was a city girl, and I fell in love with this small town and all the wonderful things that I got to try that day. And so, six months later, a call went out for volunteers on Facebook and I jumped at the chance to be part of it.”
When it came to planning a ten-year celebration, then, it felt natural to bring back some “fan favourites” from the IncrEdible Edible Festival’s early days. Spade & Spoon, makers of maple syrup and preserves, are one example of a longtime vendor, as is the Campbellford artisanal bakery Anita’s Creations. Carr emphasizes return visitors will find plenty that’s new as well. “Our goal is to have 20% new vendors every year,” she says, “so that even if you come year after year, there’s something new for you to try.”
The complete list includes over fifty vendors, ranging from pantry staples to prepared food to pet accessories. It’s not only food producers who are returning for the festival, however. “We’ve brought back some of our favorite musicians, so we have live music and entertainment all day long,” she says, “and we’ve taken on another street this year so we can add more local food and beverage vendors.”
Returning musical acts include David Papple and James Higgins. The Hastings Ukulele Band is also back for an encore after performing in 2024, while singer-songwriter Lindsay Barr is the 2025 headliner. A beer garden offers another place to relax between sets, featuring local breweries such as Church Key Brewing, Focal Brewing Co., and Dirty Dog Cider.
Music, food, and drink may sound like all the makings of festival, but Carr points out the other attractions that enrich the weekend. A children’s area with stories, crafts, and touch-a-truck station provides fun for younger visitors; Critter Corner affords a chance to meet live animals; a community tent with info from various Ontario farming organizations is available to anyone seeking to learn more. Then there’s other events taking place that same week, such as a “Foodie Film” screening at the Aron Theatre Co-op and Rural Ramble self-guided tour.
IncrEdible Trent Hills’ slogan this year is “Where every fork in the road leads to something incrEdible,” which Carr sees as a perfect fit for a festival that attracts producers, artists, and educators from across the region. “It’s sort of a microcosm of everything we have,” she says. “When you come to the festival, you really do learn about the community.”
The IncEdible Edible Festival takes place in downtown Campbellford on Saturday, July 12 from 10AM-6PM. Visit https://www.incredibletrenthills.ca to learn more.
