What Makes Amherstburg Great: Open Air Weekends
- June 3, 2026
Guest Content Creator: River Bookshop
Today Amherstburg is one of Ontario’s great small towns, but greatness doesn’t happen on its own. Nature, history, and human actions always play a part. Amherstburg’s location right beside the Detroit River originally made it an important place and adds to its beauty to this day. From the War of 1812, to Freedom seekers escaping slavery in the United States, and Rum Running – history has left its mark! But so have the creativity, hard work, and enthusiasm of its residents.
During 2026 we are going to shine a light on what we think makes Amherstburg great. Our hope is that this new series helps you get to know the town better, support its many businesses and attractions, and become a strong, positive champion of the town. Look for our first story in our next Buzz.
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Almost all small towns are hoping to attract industry. And pretty much all of them are failing. Primarily they struggle due to lack of skilled labour, inadequate infrastructure, and limited amenities. Subsequently, they lose out to better prepared urban areas both in Canada and internationally. Amherstburg’s luck has been no different, and the recent decision by Diageo proves that even existing industry is vulnerable.
Because of that, a fiscally healthy Amherstburg absolutely needs tourism. It’s vital for economic growth, cultural exchange, and personal growth. Thankfully, the town has a beautiful river setting, heritage buildings, and a growing arts’ scene. But to be competitive, tourists need to know about the town and what interesting things are going on each weekend to help them decide whether they should visit. Amherstburg’s Tourism department has created some award-winning events like Open Air Weekends, the Uncommon Festival, and River Lights, just to name a few, that really resonate with visitors AND residents.
However, Tourism’s budget for events and advertising is small, which makes it very difficult to get the town’s message out through all the advertising clutter. On top of that, their marketing budget has been essentially the same for the past three years. Inflation during that time period has been around 10%, so real tourism spending has actually declined. Recognizing the link between Tourism and Economic Development, the two departments were recently combined. But if the combined department doesn’t receive more funds to promote tourism, it’s a very hollow move.
Amherstburg is beautifully positioned to be a leading tourism town, but it needs to invest for success. Open Air is an award-winning Ontario best practice, but due to lack of funds it has too many quiet weekends. This causes some to challenge its importance, often using phoney “research” that is only anecdotal and biased. So before you go to vote on October 26th, ask the candidates, Where do you stand on investing in tourism?
WHAT MAKES AMHERSTBURG GREAT
We are a big believer in public spaces and public gatherings, so we are delighted that Amherstburg’s Open Air is starting up again this Friday. It activates our downtown every weekend until September 6th. Visit the town’s website here for up-to-date details of all the exciting things going on. See you there!