Music festivals taking over downtown London this weekend

Two summer festival favourites are set to strike a chord with Londoners this weekend.

Tickets are quickly selling out for the remaining days of Rock the Park in Harris Park, while the 44th edition of the Home County Music and Art Festival gets underway in Victoria Park on Friday afternoon.

Roughly 55 performers are set to take over six stages, including a new emerging artist stage for artists from London and area. The festival will also include a children’s stage and musician workshops.

Visitors can also check out more than 130 specially selected food and craft vendors.

“Some of the main craft vendors, the ones that have been coming year after year, are local, either London based or from the area,” said chair of the board of directors Bob Klanac. “We also got something new called ‘Creative Roots,’ and it’s a gateway for people who want to get into the craft area.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Some of the main craft vendors, the ones that have been coming year after year, are local, either London based or from the area," said chair of the board of directors Bob Klanac. "We also got something new called 'Creative Roots,' and it's a gateway for people who want to get into the craft area."

Opening ceremonies are slated to begin Friday at 5:45 p.m. Admission is by donation.

More information on everything that’s happening at the festival can be found here.

Meantime, thousands will continue to flock to Harris Park for Rock the Park.

Friday’s sold out “I Love the ’90s” lineup is jammed with stars who rose to fame in the 1990s, including Vanilla Ice, Salt-N-Pepa, Naughty By Nature, Rob Base, All-4-One, Color Me Badd, Young MC, and C&C Music Factory.

AM980’s sister station FM96 is hosting a night of rock on Saturday. Orillia, Ont.-based Bleeker will take the stage at 5 p.m., followed by Toronto rockers July Talk. Sublime with Rome will take the stage before headliners The Offspring close out the night.

The festival will wrap up on Sunday afternoon, and tickets are still available for Saturday and Sunday. You can buy them at Centennial Hall, online, or at the gate. Lawn chairs are not permitted at the event.

Rock the Park also raises money in support of four local charities including the Make a Wish Foundation, Big Brothers and Sisters of London and Western Football, along with the Brandon Prust Foundation.

To date, Rock the Park has raised over $2.7 million to support local charities.