These are the details from the 2024 Arts Festival event. Stay tuned for the upcoming 2025 Arts Festival event details.
2025 Arts Festival Event
Join us in celebrating the arts throughout Port Hope this August.
August is Arts Month in Port Hope
Our annual Arts Festival will take place in downtown Port Hope on August 10, 2024. The event will feature a 10-Minute Play Series, an outdoor vendor market, and a community gathering in the park. You can expect activities for the kids, art on display, live music and other fun surprises!
Join us in Port Hope August 10
Check out the programming details below, and follow along on our event facebook page for updates.
Outdoor events dance with the weather and the festival on August 10 is rain, shine or heatwave.
Some programming components may be relocated or cancelled in severe weather, but downtown Port Hope will still be buzzing! Keep an eye on our social media for weather adjustments.
10-Minute Play Series
On August 10, our Play Series will feature 12 unique plays, staged in 6 outdoors locations downtown.
Play details + locations |
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Experience drama, comedy, readings and theatre outdoors – and it’s all free! The 10-Minute Play Series is a unique chance to meet some of the warmest and most charming people in the theatre business. Performances will take place on the hour and the half hour, at 6 outdoor locations, between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on August 10. Click through the accordions below to read the play descriptions, and view our festival map (green icons) to find the open-air venues. The participation of asterisk Artists is arranged by permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association under the provisions of the Dance Opera Theatre Policy (DOT). Funding for the 10-Minute Play Series provided by the Ontario Arts Council
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Art Around Town
The work of 30 local artists will be displayed in various downtown windows from August 10 - 14.
| Art Around Town details + locations |
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Art Around Town transforms downtown Port Hope into one giant art gallery!
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Critical Mass Art
Creating inclusive and engaging contemporary art experiences in Port Hope since 2012.
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Critical Mass Art is planning a fabulous program of art-forward and community-driven experiences this August. Stay tuned for more udpates. |
Capitol Arts Centre
A cultural cornerstone presenting atmospheric experiences since 1930.
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This summer, the Capitol is offering a summer camp for youth looking to break into the exciting world of theatre. The summer season is also in full swing and you can see Gabs Sings Babs - A love letter from one artist to another! Looking to know more about the Capitol Theatre? Join their mailing list, or follow along on social media so you don't miss an opportunity to be dazzled. |
Festival fun!
Community displays, hands-on activities, food vendors and other fun surprises.
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Visit Memorial Park on August 10 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Expect to see stilt walkers, community displays, hands on activities and food vendors. You won't want to miss all the action! There is something for every age to enjoy at the Port Hope Arts Festival. |
S.O.N.G. in the bandshell on August 10
Live Music Schedule |
Looking for more sweet serenades?The Port Hope HBIA Busker Stations will be programmed in the downtown, to bring live music across the heritage business district on August 10.
Swing by the Capitol Theatre to grab tickets to Gabs Sings Babs - a show not to be missed.
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10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. - Kids Open Mic (
Wagon Rides
Visit our beautiful downtown and take a free horse-drawn ride on August 10.
Wagon Ride details |
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Take a ride on a horse-drawn wagon throughout the downtown on August 10! The free rides are being provided by Top Notch Carriage Service from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Pick up location is on Queen Street, near the Cenotaph. |
Movie Screening
An intimate outdoor movie screening at the Little Station in Lent Lane on August 10.
Movie details |
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Movie writer and director, Valerie Buhagier, will be offering readings at Furby House in the day, and her film CARMEN screened in the evening! |
Public Art Spaces
Throughout Port Hope are an assortment of public art pieces. Can you find them all?
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Check out the map of public art and mural locations throughout Port Hope. The map also includes a selection of art galleries. So much to discover! |
Chamber 150
Celebrate the Chamber’s Big Birthday with prizes, games and fun for the whole family.
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The Port Hope and District Chamber of Commerce is celebrating 150 years of service to the Port Hope business community. To celebrate, they are hosting a birthday party on August 10 in conjunction with the Arts Festival - and you're invited! You can expect pinatas, princesses, superheroes, dunk tanks, clowns, cupcakes, and an epic obstacle. But wait, there is more! The Chamber is hosting an interactive trivia Scramble Game for everyone!l You can register your team online and participate from July 31 to August 10. |
Map your experience
Explore our digital Festival Map to find all the event components in downtown Port Hope. Click the view larger map box (top right) for full map functionality and menu options.
The Art of Shopping
Shopping boutique merchants and vendor stalls of the outdoor market to find unique gifts and treasures is a favourite component of our Arts Festival experience.
Artisan Market
The outdoor marketplace will pop up in downtown on August 10 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on the back lawn of Town Hall and a portion of Augusta Street. This market will run alongside the Port Hope Farmers Market.
Market details and registration |
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The vendor market reflects the colourful mix of Northumberland County’s culture by showcasing the diverse skills and products of local and regional artists. Vendor registration was open from May to July. If you are a food or artisan vendor that would like to be a vendor at the Arts Festival next year, be sure to subscribe to our mailing list for information on upcoming opportunities: Food and Artisan Vendor mailing list
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Shop the Farmers' Market
The Port Hope Farmers' Market is running on Saturday mornings (8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.) at 56 Queen Street. Visit this open-air markets to find the freshest locally grown vegetables, baked goods, preserves and more.
Shop the Port Hope merchants
Port Hope merchants offer distinction and diversity. Shop local to find items ranging from the rare and curious, to the practical and pretty.
The business district is open seven days a week!
Live music throughout the month of August
Port Hope Jazz
Jazz music is making a statement on the fourth weekend of August. The Port Hope Jazz experience will have you swooning and grooving.
All that Jazz |
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Port Hope Jazz is excited to be reviving the jazz music scene in town by offering top-calibre Canadian Jazz musicians in local restaurants and venues around town on the fourth weekend in August. Port Hope Jazz, formally known as the All-Canadian Jazz Festival Port Hope, is a grassroots organization dedicated to exploring and promoting Canadian jazz excellence. Check out their website or follow along on social media to find out more. Tickets are selling fast, so grab yours today! |
Road to Cultivate
The Road To Cultivate Concert Series is live in the Memorial Park historical bandshell every Thursday in July and August!
Cultivate live music schedule |
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The Road to Cultivate Concert Series features some of Canada's best musicians, local food vendors and fun for everyone.
Bring a blanket and those you love the most and celebrate the season with some free music in the park every Thursday until the end of August starting at 6:00 p.m..
Cultivate's flagship festival will be back this September at the Haute Goat Farm. A must attend event! Check out their website or follow along on social media to find out more. |
Discover the arts
Presenting videos featuring local artists offering a insights for cupcake decorating, dyeing wool, and short order poetry. Uncover the artist within and exercise your creativity using these tips! View our local artist video playlist for more colourful content and encouragement to try different art forms.
More local art, culture and public spaces to explore
On August 10 visit the downtown for play readings, wagon rides, hands-on activities, freezies and painted sidewalks! To find more local events and art programs this August check out the Port Hope calendar.
Did you know the Port Hope Arts Festival has been running for 21 consecutive years? Check out more fun ways to engage with the arts and the Port Hope community below.
August is Arts Month |
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To help expand and extend the Port Hope Arts Festival experience, organizations and individuals are invited to celebrate August as Arts Month. Our vision is to encourage an organic community celebration of the arts by extending an open invitation to get creative and curious. Arts Month is intended to be a serendipitous celebration, where artists, residents, organizations and businesses are empowered to present activities, digital content or physical displays that engage folks in the arts. We encourage experiences that educate, inspire and connect us to a variety of artistic mediums with the ultimate goal of having some creative, community fun. How to participate?Participation could be private, and may include reaching out to a local artist to ask them a question or tell them you admire their talents, purchasing a new art piece, trying your hand at a new art form or getting tickets to the theatre. Participation could also be more public, like hosting or attending a workshop, promoting artfully made merchandise, sharing a work-in-progress or tips online. (Check out the tip videos above for inspiration!) If you’d like to join the Arts Month momentum, there are no rigid rules for participation and there isn't a sign-up process; participation is self-empowered. If you want to tag the Municipality of Port Hope in social posts, we will do our best to share some content on our channels. Try posting content to hashtags #porthope and #phaf to see who else is dabbling in the arts. Our goal with Arts Month is to inspire each other to be creative and expressive this summer; to share our work, our discoveries and celebrate the arts throughout the Port Hope community. Spread the wordWe invite our community to spread the word. Below is a collection of Arts Festival assets that can be "saved as" and downloaded: |
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Self-guided tours |
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| Embark on a self-guided tour this August to learn about historic buildings and landmarks, find farm stands, antique barns, and movie shoot locations. Discover more Port Hope history and heritage, museums and stories while you're enjoy the sights and sounds of summer on the lakeshore. | ||
Chalk art |
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Watch for colourful chalk designs downtown and around town on August 10. As part of this year's Arts Festival experience, we invite you to break out the sidewalk chalk. A creative and colourful activity, sidewalk chalking is an interactive way to brighten our streetscapes. Share photos of your designs on social media with the hashtags #porthope and #phaf. Watch for colourful chalk designs on the sidewalk downtown and around town on August 10 (or until it rains!). Give our friendly Parks staff and local artist Herb Jung a big hello, should you see them out and about.
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Port Hope has arts and culture experiences abound!
Follow along on our event facebook page for more updates and details throughout August. Keep an eye on our online community event calendar for more experiences at www.porthope.ca/calendar
Event partners and sponsors
Port Hope is a vibrant and creative community. The Port Hope Arts Festival and August is Arts Month is made possible thanks to a wide assortment of hearts and hands, especially these supporters:
Capitol Theatre • Critical Mass Art • Dave Carley • Furby House Books • Ganaraska Art & Framing • Hope Community Church • HBIA • Herb Jung • Millwright Local 2309 • Ontario Arts Council • Playwrights Guild of Canada • Port Hope & District Chamber of Commerce • Port Hope Knights • First Baptist Port Hope
For more information about how to get involved with the Port Hope Arts Festival,
email Jeannie Maidens or call 905-885-7908 x 3425
Sponsorship Opportunities
Elevate your brand and connect with our Arts Festival audience through a variety of sponsorship and advertising avenues. Boost your brand awareness and drive meaningful engagement this August!
The Port Hope Arts Festival has been named in the 2024 Top 100 Festivals & Events in Ontario by Festivals and Events Ontario (FEO)