Think there’s nothing happening in London? Think again. Each week, our city has concerts, festivals and shows happening, but sometimes you have to dig a little to find the information.
That’s where this column comes in. Every Thursday, I highlight a few events that have caught my eye, or people doing cool things - some are longtime favourites, some are new discoveries, but all of them are worth checking out.
Think of it as recommendations from one culture lover to another.
The Loon Recommends for July 24 - 26, 2026
Home County Music & Art - Celebrating a London Tradition
Londonlicious - A Taste of London’s Best
Meet the People Behind the Events - An Interview with Jennifer Wyant of Londonlicious
Home County 50: Celebrating a London Tradition
July 24, 25 | Victoria Park | Admission by Donation
Before there were any other summer festivals in town, there was Home County. As the longest running festival in town, its roots run deep.
This year, Home County marks its 50th anniversary, bringing two days of live folk, roots and indie music, handcrafted art, local food and community spirit back to Victoria Park.
Every Londoner has their favourite festival and Home County is mine - probably because I started going as a child. Looking back, I suspect it’s one of the reasons I still love folk music today.
Over the years, I’ve seen some fantastic performances by artists like Joel Plaskett, Kinnie Starr, Royal Wood, Kathleen Edwards, Great Lake Swimmers, Dayna Manning, as well as folk legends Sylvia Tyson and Jackie Washington. But one performance has stayed with me more than any other.
In 2013, Sarah Harmer played one of the most memorable concerts I've ever seen. She played on a beautiful evening and during my favourite song of hers - “Lodestar”. fireflies emerged, almost on cue. It was completely magical and transcendent.
Intensity of stars reflected in the harbour
Silently ignite
The oar dips into oil like water
And we are awayLyrics from “Lodestar” by Sarah Harmer
It was also the first festival I’d ever been to that had a really terrific arts component to it. Its artisan market has long been one of the festival’s highlights, showcasing beautiful pottery, jewellery, textiles and handcrafted works by makers from across the region. For years, it was the place to discover something unique and take a little piece of the festival home with you.
That’s why I was so pleased when the organizers broadened the festival’s identity to become the Home County Music & Art Festival, from the “Home County Folk Festival”. I’d love to see the arts component continue to grow and reclaim the prominence it enjoyed in its early years.
After overcoming some recent challenges and returning with renewed energy, Home County’s 50th milestone celebration is more than just another festival, it’s a celebration of five decades of music, creativity and community. This year, I’m excited about headliners “The Halluci Nation” and “The Rural Alberta Advantage” as well as hometown favourite Emily Garber.
Whether you’ve been attending for years or have never experienced it before, there’s never been a better time to discover (or rediscover), Home County.
Bring a lawn chair or blanket, and celebrate 50 years of music, art and community. Admission is by donation.
For full information and schedule, see Home County’s website here
Sponsor Highlight: Downtown London
The Downtown London Patio Trail is back for another season! ☀️🍹
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Explore patios across our downtown with a free digital passport. Each check-in earns you points toward Downtown Dollar Gift Cards, exclusive discounts, and other prizes. With over 30 participating businesses, there’s lots of spots to discover and enjoy.
Forest City Arts & Culture Round-Up is sponsored by Downtown London
https://www.downtownlondon.ca/trails
Supporting independent local journalism in our community
Londonlicious - A Taste of London’s Best
July 24 - August 16 | Multiple Restaurants Around London | Prices vary
As we all know, the cost of food has gone up dramatically since the pandemic. It’s easy to see when you go to the grocery store and look at your receipts. Restaurants never worked on high margins to begin with, so rising food prices are hitting them especially hard.
Add to that a slowing economy and the fact that more people are choosing to stay home, and it's easy to see why many restaurants are struggling.
In fact, according to a report by CTV news, 41% of restaurants in Canada are operating at a loss or barely breaking even these days. Those are dire numbers. Supporting local restaurants is one of the reasons why Londonlicious exists. And it’s back again this summer!
Your Next Great Meal Starts Here
Returning July 24 to August 16, the festival invites diners to discover dozens of locally owned restaurants through feature menus that showcase the best of Southwestern Ontario’s culinary scene. It’s a great way to sample some of the best of London’s culinary scene, and support local.
Since its relaunch by Growing Chefs! Ontario in 2023, Londonlicious not only encourages people to support local restaurants, but also champions regional farmers and producers, while encouraging diners to better understand the origins of their food.
Reservations are made directly with participating restaurants. Before you head out, browse the menus online, you just might discover your next favourite restaurant!
Check out the Londonlicious site here.
More Than a Meal: The Next Chapter of Londonlicious
Londoners love discovering a great meal. But what if Londonlicious was about more than just what’s on the menu?
Since Growing Chefs! Ontario relaunched the Londonlicious as a nonprofit initiative, the focus of the festival has expanded beyond dining deals to celebrating local agriculture, food education and the people who make Southwestern Ontario one of Canada’s richest culinary regions.
I caught up with Jennifer Wyant, Executive Administrator of Growing Chefs! Ontario and Londonlicious to talk about the festival’s new direction, why supporting local matters more than ever, and what’s next for one of London’s favourite culinary traditions.
Some people may not have realized that Londonlicious was relaunched by Growing Chefs! Ontario in 2023. What was the reason that Growing Chefs took it over?
Growing Chefs! Ontario is a local nonprofit and over 90% of our team comes from the local hospitality scene, fuelling our passion for growing the festival as part of our mission to unite growers, educators, and the community through food education.
In late 2022, Growing Chefs! Ontario purchased Londonlicious, with the help of a local donor, and changed it from a for-profit to a nonprofit model. The festival was relaunched in 2023 to support the recovery of the food service industry following the pandemic.
“The primary goal of Londonlicious was to support local restaurants, growers, farmers and suppliers, while strengthening relationships across the local food ecosystem.” - Jen Wyant
What is the vision behind the new festival, and how is it different from what people may remember from years past?
Londonlicious is evolving. It isn’t about abandoning the past, rather it’s about growing into something richer, more unique and better aligned with the already brilliant London food culture we want to highlight and promote.
In prior years, Londonlicious often centered around discounts and volume. That had its time and place. But today, we’re seeing the limits of that approach:
It reduces the value of the restaurant’s work to a price point
It encourages diners to chase deals instead of connections
It sidelines the deeper stories of community, sustainability and food systems.
We believe Londonlicious can be more. It can be a platform for building bonds and fostering a healthy, supportive, city-wide environment.
We’re not just festival organizers, we’re food educators. At Growing Chefs! Ontario, our mission is to increase food literacy and connect people with local food systems.
By aligning Londonlicious with this mission, we’re aiming for:
More informed and engaged diners
Stronger, more visible restaurant-community relationships
A city that understands how food systems impact our lives and celebrates food as a shared cultural experience, not just a commodity.
One thing that sets Londonlicious apart is its emphasis on Ontario-grown ingredients and supporting local farmers and producers. Why was it important to make local food such a central part of the festival’s identity?
The London area is home to more than 2,300 farms, and abundant with food in ways most communities can only dream of. The gap between what this land produces and what our children know about food—not just how to access it, but how to grow it, prepare it, understand it and value it—is exactly the gap Growing Chefs! exists to close.
Growing Chefs! Ontario is proudly a Feast ON certified organization, and our procurement practices far exceed the 25% baseline, as we source over 40% of our food and drink from Ontario.
As a Feast ON certified organization, we want to enhance our local partnerships. We have so many amazing local growers and farmers within our area; the Londonlicious Festival is the perfect opportunity to see restaurants highlight what is special and unique in London and our surrounding area.
For participating restaurants, what impact does Londonlicious have beyond the few weeks of the festival? Are you seeing it introduce people to restaurants they continue to support throughout the year?
Since the relaunch of Londonlicious as a nonprofit-led initiative, the festival has attracted an estimated 55,000 participants per event, engaging residents and visitors while strengthening London’s local food identity.
Each festival typically features 35–60 independent restaurants, generating increased foot traffic and revenue for small hospitality businesses, particularly during traditionally slower seasons.
Londonlicious prioritizes local sourcing, requiring participating restaurants to showcase locally grown or produced ingredients and acknowledge suppliers directly on menus. This approach supports regional farmers and food producers while encouraging diners to discover sustainable, local culinary offerings.
Collectively, Londonlicious demonstrates how culinary tourism can deliver tangible economic growth, foster community connection, and promote sustainable food systems.
London has become a much more diverse food city over the past decade. How have you seen the local culinary scene evolve, and what excites you most about where it’s heading?
“Yes! The local food scene continues to evolve and Londonlicious is grateful to be part of the local food landscape.”
We are continually seeking out new and culturally diverse restaurants, with a further opportunity to expand our neighbourhood reach.
I would love for Londonlicious to be seen as a ‘destination’ festival, including hotel stays, culinary experiences and dining packages. This festival has the potential to bring in more visitors and draw attention to the best locally grown and raised products across Southwestern Ontario, and to indulge in the amazingly diverse cuisine that London has to offer.
I’m excited about the economic impact this festival brings to our region.
If someone has never participated in Londonlicious before, what would you tell them? How can they get the most out of the festival, and is there one thing you hope every visitor takes away from the experience?
Londonlicious is a bi-annual food festival in London, focused on building community over competition, showcasing culinary creativity, and highlighting amazing, local growers and seasonal produce.
In order to make the most of your festival experience, try somewhere NEW!! We encourage guests to experiment with different tastes and different venues.
Our website is intentionally designed for maximum information. Our “restaurant listings” direct visitors to the restaurants’ homepage, for full details on each venue. Our “menu” page lists what is on offer at each venue during the festival. We also have information on Growing Chefs! Ontario, and a “contact” page to share feedback at any time.
We are doing our best to build our storytelling piece. We want the public to understand who Growing Chefs! is, why we feel we were the right choice to take over this festival, and to learn more about the agricultural bounty that surrounds us.
My hope for each visitor to take away a new favourite spot, that they will visit again, after the festival.
The Loon (London Ontario Online News) lineup
New content every day!
We’ve teamed up to send you a new feature every weekday:
Monday - Buckle Up - podcast with Matt Brown - SPONSORED BY HAMILTON ROAD BIA
Tuesday - Ward Tours with Cedric Richards - SPONSORED BY LONDON BICYCLE CAFÉ
Wednesday - City Hall Notes by Mike Donachie - SPONSORED BY SPERO LAW
Thursday - the Forest City Arts and Culture Roundup by Diana Tamblyn - SPONSORED BY DOWNTOWN LONDON
Friday - Reflecting, with Steve Cordes - SPONSORED BY OLD EAST VILLAGE BIA
And free on Fridays: the ROUNDUP, briefing you on the stories you need to know, gathered in one place. Regular analysis of the issues affecting London and the region.