This past week, approximately 1,400 children in grades two to five descended on Peterborough’s Riverview Park and Zoo for two days of immersive educational experiences. These young participants enjoy a day of exploration and fun, facilitated by many community members and organizations for the shared purpose of water education.
For 24 years, the Peterborough Children’s Water Festival (PCWF) has brought people together to inspire students across the Nogojiwanong/Peterborough region to better understand the vital role water plays in healthy communities and ecosystems.
Through over 35 interactive activity centres facilitated by high school students, community organizations, educators, industry professionals, and volunteers, students learn about water-related topics including water science, conservation, technology, water attitudes, and protection.
On May 14, 2002, the first ever Peterborough Children’s Water Festival began as a collaborative community project organized by a handful of organizations who are still involved today, including PCWF steering committee members Peterborough Utilities Inc., GreenUP, Otonabee Conservation, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board, and The City of Peterborough.
“The festival began with a small group of passionate individuals who believed that teaching children about water could help shape a healthier future for our community and environment,” current festival chair Patricia Skopelianos shared during the water festival VIP event last Thursday (May 28).
“That same spirit continues to this day through a much larger network of dedicated volunteers, educators, organizations, and community partners who come together each year to make the festival possible.”
Those community partners include 15 organizations who staff and facilitate guest activity centres at the festival, including Black Duck Wild Rice, Otonabee Conservation, the Ontario Provincial Police Marine Unit, Ontario Power Generation, TRACKS Youth Program, and the Ontario Waterpower Association, among others.
“I am continually inspired by the people behind this festival and grateful for the shared commitment that ensures the impact of this work continues for generations to come,” Skopelianos said.
Contributors to the PCWF bring unique knowledge, energy, and passion, and each year the PCWF’s community grows with the support of additional partner organizations.
In 2026, The Canadian Canoe Museum facilitated an activity centre for the first time, bringing along a canoe and equipment for kids to explore — on land, of course.
“We are here to spread the word about safety — to always wear a life jacket on the water,” said Maddie Fisher, canoe guide at The Canadian Canoe Museum. “We are also teaching kids about buoyancy, and why things float [like a canoe] through our activity.”
The PCWF curates activity centres into different educational themes to ensure a balance of learning between water conservation, science, protection and safety. Children are encouraged to consider what water does for them, and what they can do for water.
“We come to the Peterborough Children’s Water Festival because it allows us to connect with so many youth,” says Kelsey Scott, education program assistant at the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre, which has been introducing children to native species of turtles at the festival since 2019. “(We) teach them about the importance of protecting healthy aquatic habitat for native turtles.”
Just as many tributaries flow together to form a strong and vibrant watershed, many organizations offer support to the festival through funding or making staff available to volunteer at the festival. The 2026 PCWF was funded by 15 separate organizations and individuals through donations or sponsorships.
New supporter, ANDRITZ Hydro Canada, chose to sponsor the festival as it aligns well with the work that they do as a global supplier of electromechanical equipment and services for hydropower. With a plant on Jameson Drive in Peterborough that manufactures generator equipment, they wanted to take the opportunity to give back and connect to the local community.
“We want to be able to take part and educate children locally, and support our community,” said Jessica Polak, co-president of ANDRITZ Hydro Canada while volunteering on site at the PCWF. “Some of our equipment is right here at the waste treatment plant that shares the Riverview Park & Zoo property.”
Ultimately, the hundreds of people and organizations involved in water education through the PCWF reflect an important truth: water is a shared responsibility that connects us all.
By bringing together educators, environmental professionals, Indigenous knowledge keepers, volunteers, and local organizations, the festival demonstrates how caring for water should be approached collectively, through shared learning and community action.
Individuals or organizations interested in supporting the 25th Peterborough Children’s Water Festival in 2027 can learn more at pcwf.net or email info@pcwf.net.
