Waterfront Festival Plaza in Amherstburg set to open August 1 long weekend

Construction is ongoing at the new Waterfront Festival Plaza in Amherstburg. April 2026.Town of Amherstburg website

The new Waterfront Festival Plaza in Amherstburg officially has an opening date.

The plaza, which is an expansion of King’s Navy Yard at the former Duffy’s Tavern property, is expected to open the weekend of August 1.

Construction crews are finishing the cement work at the site, and are hoping the weather cooperates through the spring and summer to allow for the completion.

The property was purchased by the Town of Amherstburg in 2017 with the intent of re-developing it as expanded parkland.

This initial phase features an outdoor amphitheatre/gather space and plaza to host special events, and a washroom facility. Future phases will include a transient marina with fishing docks.

Amherstburg councillor Molly Allaire says this has been a long time coming.

“We’re planning on opening it August 1st weekend if everything goes accordingly, so far we’re just finishing all the cement work... there’s a lot to be done. But it looks like it’s on schedule, and hopefully the weather cooperates, and we can open August 1st long weekend.”

Rendering of the Waterfront Festival Plaza in AmherstburgTown of Amherstburg website

She says the community seems excited for this phase to finish.

“It’s just phase one of this project, but everything happens in phases. But we’ve heard so many things like, ‘oh, this will be great, it’s going to be a great event centre, it’s going to be perfect for food trucks to come in’. It really will build on what we are doing in our community... it’s going to be perfect.”

Allaire says this is the first time they’ve had an opening date announced for the plaza.

“This is the furthest we’ve been in the process so far, and remember we’ve had to change it from being an active site, to a recreational... not many places would do that, not many places would tear down a building and make it a park, right? It’s usually the other way around - tear down a park and make it a construction site.”

Council approved just over $3-million for this project, which included consultation with the province, accessible walkways, grading, landscaping, underground infrastructure, retaining walls, lighting, and work on the plaza.

Duffy’s Tavern closed in 2013.