| Membership | Price (+HST) |
|---|---|
| Single | $85/year |
| Single Plus | $120/year |
| Family | $130/year |
| Family Plus | $175/year |
| Contributing | $300/year |
| Supporting | $600/year |
| Sustaining | $1,000/year |
| Benefactor's Circle | $2,500/year |
| Director's Circle | $5,000/year |
| President's Circle | $10,000/year |
Music in the Garden: Great Lake Swimmers
Event Description
Bring a lawn chair or pack a blanket, grab a cold drink and enjoy performances featuring award-winning musicians in our lovely garden setting.
- Doors open: 7 p.m.
- Showtime: 8 p.m.
This is a ticketed event; pre-purchased tickets are required for entry.
*Please note – Chairs are not provided. Guests are asked to bring their own foldable lawn chairs, blankets, and cushions for turf seating. For added convenience, rental chairs are available for a $5 add on upon booking your concert tickets.
Presented by:
Tickets
| Ticket Type | Ticket Price |
|---|---|
| General Admission | $25 (+ HST & $1 Service Fee) |
| RBG Members* A number of tickets appropriate to your membership type |
$15 (+ HST & $1 Service Fee) |
| Add-On: Rent a Chair | $5 (+HST) |
- Tickets are non-refundable and final sale. General admission discounts and coupons are not applicable to this ticketed event.
- After a purchase is complete, the tickets are the property of the ticket-holder.
- Pre-registration is required for this ticketed event.
- Everyone attending the event must have a ticket. You will not be admitted into the event without a ticket. Tickets will be scanned upon arrival.
*Accessing Your Member Tickets
To access your member tickets, simply log in to your RBG online account using the email address associated with your membership. Once logged in, visit the registration page and your member tickets will be available.
Do NOT make a new account; any new account created will not have access to your member benefits, including your member tickets.
Unsure which email is associated with your membership? Get in touch with the membership team.
Not yet a member? To access member tickets on a brand new membership, simply purchase the membership in its own order, log out, log back in, and your member tickets will be available!
Selecting an Appropriate Number of Membership Tickets
Members are eligible for a number of reduced priced tickets according to your membership type (see below). To find your membership type, check your membership card or log in to your account.
- Single: 1
- Single Plus: up to 2
- Family: up to 2 adults and 6 children
- Family Plus: up to 4 adults and 6 children
Should your order go through with an inappropriate number of tickets, RBG guest services will be in touch to make the appropriate adjustments.
How To Activate Your Account
- Visit secure.rbg.ca/account/login
- Enter your email address and “submit” (NOTE: RBG members must use the email associated with their current membership)
- Check your email for a link to reset your password
- Log in with your new credentials and check your account information. Ensure your updated membership is showing.
Members, if you are no longer available to attend your selected date and time, we ask that you cancel your order with at least 24 hours notice, to allow others the opportunity to visit the exhibit. Please do not book further timeslots without canceling your original order. Thank you.
Renting a Chair
Foldable rental chairs can be purchased as an add on ($5 +HST) when purchasing your concert tickets.
Lawn chair rentals can be picked up from the designated tent located conveniently close to the audience area. Once you’ve picked up your rented lawn chair, feel free to place it anywhere within the designated seating area. Kindly return your rented lawn chair to the same rental tent after the event concludes.
Ticketing Terms & Conditions
- Tickets purchased to RBG special events are final sale and non-refundable. Tickets for this experience can be transferred to someone else if you can no longer attend the experience. Please keep your tickets and confirmation: it is proof of your purchase and allows entry into the experience.
- Liability: RBG assumes no responsibility for loss or damage to property, or for personal injury or mishap; all activities are at the risk of the participant.
- Filming/Photography Release: Please be advised that all photos, audio-video, and static images taken at this experience may be used for exhibit, reproduction, and/or distribution for RBG related promotional use, including all forms of print, television advertisement, social media and /or website display. In consideration of your participation as a guest or attendee of this experience, you authorize Royal Botanical Gardens, its legal representatives, suppliers, invited media and assigns unrestricted right and permission to copyright and use such photos and images under their sole discretion. Royal Botanical Gardens, its legal representatives, suppliers, invited media and assigns are released without limitation of any claims for libel or invasion of privacy.
- By purchasing tickets and participating in this experience on RBG properties, you are agreeing to the above release for yourself, and on behalf of your guests.
About Great Lake Swimmers
Featuring a blend of acoustic instruments, rural soundscapes, and wistful vocals, Great Lake Swimmers are a critically acclaimed indie-
folk group led by songwriter/vocalist Tony Dekker. Based in Toronto, Ontario, the group emerged in the early 2000s with a succession of heavily atmospheric albums recorded in old silos and rural country churches. The music developed in that pastoral warmth, performed and
recorded in acoustically unique and historical locales with a revolving cast of personnel. They are renowned for their homespun folk and lush, intimate Americana in their live set.
Great Lake Swimmers celebrate their 20th anniversary in 2023 with “Uncertain Country,” an album where doubts are followed by discovery, demos end up as finished tracks, and themes of new beginnings, rear-view reflections, and ruminations on the fluidity of time form the basis of the eleven new songs.
Food & Drink
Variety of food and beverage options available for purchase. Availability may vary.
The Container
- Light fare, snacks, bar
- Located: west of the performance area (~80m)
Menu
Snacks
- Charcuterie Box
- Crudite Box
- Cheese Box
- Garden Picnic Package (choice of 2 boxes and 2 beverages)
- Popcorn: small or large
- Soft Serve: small or large | chocolate, vanilla or swirl
- Cookies assorted variety
- Muffins assorted variety
Drinks
- Pop $3.5
- Juice $3Water $3.5
- House Wine 6oz/9oz/BTL $8/$10/$32
- Craft Beer & Cider $10
- Lemonade $5 cup | $10 jar
Food Truck
- Hand-helds, treats and drinks
- Located: at the back of the performance area
Menu
Dogs & Handhelds
- All Beef Dog
- Chili Cheese Dog
- Pulled Pork Dog
- Veggie Dog – Veg
- Burger – GFO, DFO lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, mayo
- Quinoa black bean burger – Veg, GFO, DFO lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, mayo
- Buffalo chicken sandwich lettuce, pickle, buffalo sauce, blue cheese, mayo
- Pulled Pork on a Bun – GFO, DFO slaw, bbq sauce, garlic lime crema
- Falafel Pita – Veg, DFO Lettuce, tomato, pickled onion, radish, garlic lime crema
- Falafel Bowl – Vegan Option lettuce, tomato, pickled onion, radish, garlic lime crema
Fryer
- Fries – GF, DF
- Chili Cheese Fries – GF, DFO
- Poutine – Veg, GF curds, gravy
- Pulled Pork Poutine – GF curds, bbq sauce
- Falafel Poutine – Veg, GF curds, tomato, garlic lime crema
- Onion Rings – Veg
- Chili – GF, DF
Frozen Treats
- Freezies
- Ice Cream Bar
Beverages
- Coffee/Tea $3.75
- Canned Soft Drinks $3.50
- Flow Boxed Water $3.50
- Juice $3
- Assorted Craft Beer & Cider (440mL) $10
BBQ
- A rotating menu of barbecue fare
- Located: west of the performance area (~50m)
Menu
NOTE: not all items listed below will be available for each date; the list below is to give visitors an understanding of what types of items will be available. Available menu items will rotate throughout the summer.
- Street corn
- Ribs
- Chicken kabobs
- Potato salad
- Coleslaw
- Chicken drumsticks
- Pulled pork
- Porchetta sandwiches
- Tofu kabobs
- Blackened tofu sandwiches
- Chicken tacos
- Ahi Watermelon tacos
- Pulled pork tacos
Venue: Hendrie Park
This event takes place in RBG’s Hendrie Park, at 680 Plains Road W. Burlington ON.
Our largest cultivated garden area, Hendrie Park truly illustrates the diversity of both plants and garden design, and is home to the Rose Garden. Stroll through the garden to Mitchell’s Field (#8 on the map pictured here), a grassy event space with a natural hill perfect for concert viewing. Park at, and enter the property via RBG Centre (#18 on the map).
Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question about this event? Click the topics below for more information. If you have a question that is not answered, give us a call at 905-527-1158 or send us a message.
Directions & Parking
Music in the Garden is held in Hendrie Park. Parking is included, available in the large lot at RBG Centre, 680 Plains Road W. Burlington Ontario. Enter through RBG Centre and access the garden via the Hendrie Park tunnel (staff will provide direction upon arrival). NOTE: Hendrie Park is NOT accessible via the “Cherry Hill” trailhead parking lot.
This garden is located along bus routes for Burlington Transit, with stops a short distance from the entrance. See rbg.ca/directions for more details.
Seating
Seating is general admission, and first-come first-served. Chairs are not provided. Guests are asked to bring their own foldable lawn chairs, blankets, and cushions for turf seating.
Food & Drink
Concessions will be open with grab and go fare available for purchase.
Outside food and drink is not permitted.
Washrooms
Washrooms are located close to the performance area, just outside the Turner Pavilion Teahouse, and inside RBG Centre on the lowest floor of the Atrium.
Weather & Attire
This event is held outdoors in a non-covered area. Dress for the weather! Consider a rain poncho and umbrella should there be rain in the forecast, as well as bug spray, a hat, and sunglasses (for sunset).
RBG reserves the right to cancel the performance due to extreme inclement weather.
We will try our best to notify ticketholders as soon as possible regarding cancellations via email, however, due to the unpredictability of summer storms, ticketholders may receive little to no notice.
Accessibility
RBG welcomes the use of personal assistive devices that allow visitors to enjoy our facilities and services. The stage is located in Mitchell’s Field in Hendrie Park, and is accessible by paved pathways.
Mitchell’s Field is a large, open lawn area with a natural slope.
For convenience RBG has a limited number of wheelchairs available for loan. Wheelchairs are available on a first come basis and may not be reserved in advance. It is recommended guests bring their own wheelchairs.
If you have any questions about accessibility, please contact us at 905-527-1158.
Recommended Age
Though Music in the Gardens performances are intended for an adult audience, children are welcome to attend with an accompanying adult. All attendees require an event ticket.
Pets & Service Animals
With the exception of service animals, personal dogs/cats/animals are not permitted at this event.
