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Free things to do in North Bay

New to North Bay? Most of what makes this city worth living in costs nothing — Lake Nipissing's beaches, the boardwalk at sunset, library programs, friendship-centre events, and a genuinely good lineup of summer festivals. Here's the local shortcut.

Why we wrote this

Newcomers usually find the ethnic-community parties through their own networks. What they miss are the everyday free things their tax dollars already paid for: free skating, free swims, library museum passes, splash pads, friendship-centre suppers, and city-run festivals. This page is the cheat sheet.

Outdoors year-round

  • Lake Nipissing waterfront — the heart of summer in North Bay. Marathon Beach on Memorial Drive is the main public swimming beach. Sunset Park is the best free sunset view in town, with the boardwalk extending all the way along Memorial Drive.
  • Laurier Woods Conservation Area — wetland and forest trails inside city limits, free to walk. Boardwalks and bird-watching platforms; great for families and beginner hikers.
  • Duchesnay Falls — a stack of waterfalls right off Highway 17, with marked trails. Free year-round, busiest in spring melt and fall colours.
  • Champlain Park — picnic shelters, playgrounds, and a small beach.
  • Memorial Drive boardwalk — paved, stroller-friendly, runs along the lake.
  • Kinsmen Trail / Kate Pace Way — multi-use path connecting waterfront and neighbourhoods.
  • Amelia Park and other neighbourhood parks with playgrounds.

In winter, Laurier Woods turns into a free snowshoe network and Memorial Drive becomes a quiet skate-and-walk route along the frozen lake.

Library card = free city pass

Your card at the North Bay Public Library is free with proof of address — and it does a lot more than lend books:

  • Free Wi-Fi, public computers, printing (small fee), study space
  • Free children's storytime, summer reading club, homework help
  • Newcomer-friendly collections in many languages
  • Museum and attraction passes — many Ontario libraries lend free family passes to local museums and conservation areas; ask the front desk what's currently available
  • Free movies and music streaming through Hoopla / Kanopy / Libby
  • Tech help for seniors learning Canadian online services
  • Free meeting rooms (book ahead)

Sport, swim, skate

  • Memorial Gardens / Pete Palangio Arena — the city runs free public skating sessions through the winter. Schedules at cityofnorthbay.ca.
  • Outdoor rinks — many neighbourhoods set up free outdoor ice each winter.
  • Splash pads — free in summer at several city parks; check the city website for the current list.
  • Marathon Beach — free swim, lifeguarded in season.
  • Free pickup sports — basketball courts and tennis courts are free first-come.

Annual festivals and community events

Dates shift slightly each year — always confirm with the official site for the current year.

  • Summer in the Park — North Bay's flagship summer music festival on the waterfront. Many performances are free at the gate (annual, typically late July).
  • Heritage Festival — multicultural food, music, dance celebrating North Bay's communities (annual, typically August).
  • Soundwave Music Festival — outdoor music event; check current calendar.
  • North Bay Fishing Trout Tournament — free to watch the weigh-ins on the waterfront (annual, typically July).
  • Canada Day at the waterfront — free family activities, music, fireworks every July 1.
  • Santa Claus Parade — free, on the streets every November.
  • Capitol Centre community events — the downtown theatre runs occasional free community programming and lobby events; check capitolcentre.org.
  • Nipissing University and Canadore College public lectures — many are free and open to the public.

For the current year's calendar, see Tourism North Bay and cityofnorthbay.ca.

Indigenous and cultural spaces

The North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre runs feasts, drum nights, craft circles, language tables, and cultural programming. Many events welcome the broader community — call ahead or check their social pages.

North Bay sits on Robinson-Huron Treaty territory, the traditional lands of the Anishinabek and Nipissing First Nation. Pow wows in the region are usually open to non-Indigenous visitors. A few respectful guidelines:

  • Listen to the MC — they'll tell you when to stand, when photography is allowed, and which dances welcome non-dancers
  • Don't record or photograph during ceremonial songs without explicit permission
  • Dress modestly; bring a folding chair if you can
  • Bringing a small gift (tobacco, fruit, donation) is appreciated
  • Don't enter the dance arena unless invited (intertribal dances are open; ceremonial dances are not)

The Discovery North Bay Museum charges admission, but ask the library about a free family pass — many Ontario libraries lend them.

With kids

  • Library storytime and summer reading club (free, weekly)
  • Splash pads and Marathon Beach in summer
  • Free public skating in winter
  • Laurier Woods boardwalks (stroller-friendly sections)
  • Friendship Centre family events
  • Capitol Centre community days
  • Picnic at Sunset Park for the sunset over Lake Nipissing

Indoor free spaces

  • The library — warm, quiet, free Wi-Fi, kids' corner
  • Friendship Centre programs — see above
  • Capitol Centre lobby for occasional exhibits
  • Northgate Mall walking — free indoor walking, common with seniors in winter
  • Free public lectures at Nipissing University and Canadore

DON'T LIVE NEAR A SETTLEMENT OFFICE?

Call the regional org for your area.

Settlement workers will register you by phone or video and help you find local supports. There's no requirement to live in the same town as the office — these services are funded for all of Northern Ontario.

See all settlement services →

Sources & references: City of North Bay, North Bay Public Library, Tourism North Bay, North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre. Hours, schedules, and free programming change — confirm before you go.

Last reviewed: April 2026.

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