Kempenfest has a new location due to construction

With a new location and about 50 fewer vendors, Kempenfest is set to open on Barrie's waterfront this weekend.

New this year is the Barilla Family Stage sponsored by Corus Entertainment, featuring local performers as well as Cindy Cook from Polka Dot Door at noon on Saturday and Sunday, and Please and Thanks kids HipHop show at 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Organizers are expecting a drop in attendance and proceeds this year, because expected construction forced the event to move out of its familiar location to the Southshore Community Centre.

"The construction, or lack thereof, has impacted us greatly," said Tom Aiken.  

Land in the Centennial Park area from the newly opened Dyment's Creek to the city marina was off limits to Kempenfest because it was scheduled to be under construction, but the contract was delayed and the park is untouched.

"But we only found this out last week, so far too late to change things back," Aikens said. 

"The upside is we pick up a lot of parking on the old Lakeshore Drive roadway which is now used for parking.

The switch in location is having an impact on exhibitors, many who have been participating in Kempenfest for 20 years or more.

"They will feel quite out of sorts being moved to the South Shore," Aikens said.  "The same applies to the antique dealers who ,for many years, were in the Centennial south parking lot where the midway had to be this year."

Antiques vendors are now located on the South Shore along the upper pathway.

Anticipating restrictions from construction, the festival planned to lose one third of its usual space and cut exhibitors to 300 from 350.

"We are projecting another loss this year due to reduced sponsorship space, but we hope to recover some of that through strong ticket sales for the three evening shows.

"And the weather forecast is looking good so that should help attendance."

Kempenfest suffered significant losses last year, when a severe thunderstorm on August 2 damaged more than 60 tents and forced the cancellation of the Saturday night performance.