In the eight years that Huntsville has been participating in Culture Days, this year has reached an all-time high for the number of events available.
There are more than 100 activities—some self-directed, others interactive with local artists—that visitors can enjoy this year and that number continues to grow. Local Culture Days organizers are hoping to land the number one spot for events in their category (population less than 49,999) this year after coming in a close second last year, so if you have an idea for an activity be sure to sign up before September 14. Details are below.
What is Culture Days, you ask? It’s an annual weekend-long celebration of local arts and culture, happening this year from September 28-30, that occurs in communities large and small across Canada. All of the activities are free and accessible for everyone, and there are a few exciting new additions this year.
If you love Christmas, sneak in an early Culture Days event: filming for a Hallmark Christmas movie! Beginning earlier in the week and extending into early morning on the first day of Culture Days, Huntsville’s Main Street will be magically transformed from autumn to Christmas for the filming of scenes for Rivers Crossing at Christmas and you can be part of the action! The producers will be looking for extras—learn how you can register your interest here.
The Culture Days weekend officially kicks off in Huntsville on Friday, September 28 at noon with an opening ceremony on the Town Hall steps with Mayor Scott Aitchison and young local musician Briar Summers.
Friday activities include “Tool or Instrument”, a featured activity at Muskoka Heritage Place. On Friday evening, check in and check out ON the News BEAT with YourTV where you can test read the news or visit the new Huntsville Community Initiative Centre Open House at the old CNR Station. All of the ONBeat activities—the national Culture Days theme for 2018—are signified by a heartbeat symbol on the Culture Days activities page.
New this year is a Culture Days street festival sponsored by the Downtown Huntsville BIA on Huntsville’s historic Main Street on Saturday, September 29 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be artists in the windows and on the street, along with a variety of arts and culture activities. In particular, watch for interactive activities and demonstrations with the ONBeat theme, like RHYTHMANIA drumming and rainsticks with Barry ‘Bazza’ Hayward, Cops ON the BEAT on the street, and Bay on the Beat Live Remote with Hunters Bay Radio.
At the Saturday street festival, you can be part of history, too! Show for the record that you are part of Huntsville in 2018, more than 150 years after the village was incorporated, with a 750 in 705 photo. Meet at the Town Hall steps at noon on Saturday, September 29. You don’t need to pre-register, and all you need to bring is your smile but you’re welcome to dress up in period costume or the traditional dress of your ancestors. The first 750 people—the number that was required in 1886 to incorporate the village—will be included in the photo of the century!
Of course activities for all ages are located beyond Main Street too, like the Algonquin Outfitters Skateboard Event on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at McCulley-Robertson Recreation Park. Head to Muskoka Heritage Place for the “Talk and Roll”-ing Stock Crazy Train Tour between noon and 4 p.m. to get a half-hour, guided, behind-the-scenes look at the rail shed. Visit the studios of local artists or check out the area’s historic locks and dams for a bit of history.
Sunday activities include hubs at More than Just Art and at the Canada Summit Centre, where free family swimming and skating is on offer.
As you make your way around the downtown Huntsville and River Mill Park activities, look for surreal and fantastical visions of Huntsville’s downtown created by Huntsville High School students. They might be hanging from a tree, or stuck to the side of the building. See how many you can find!
And while you’re travelling around, be sure to snap some photos of you and your family and friends enjoying Huntsville to enter in the Huntsville Photo Contest. First prize is $500! Get details here: huntsville.ca/photocontest.
“It will be fun to get everyone together to celebrate culture—that’s what it’s about,” says local Culture Days co-chair, Teri Souter, adding that the abundance of activities available are thanks to the efforts of volunteers like co-chair Pam MacKenzie and all of those who are presenting activities and tours.
To see all 104 activities in and around Huntsville for Culture Days 2018, click here. There you can even create your own schedule of events so you won’t miss any of your favourite activities!
Finally, an exciting new addition this year is the Ontario Culture Days Culture Treks program. Just three Ontario communities have been selected for the new program—Muskoka, Durham Region and St. Catharines. For each area, Culture Days provides an itinerary and interactive map with recommended travel routes that include Culture Days events, museums, theatres, and local artists’ studios as well as places to stay and eat. (Learn more about the Muskoka Culture Trek here and share it with your family and friends.)
This is a sponsored story paid for by the featured advertiser
