Culture Days 2026

Each year, the City of Barrie is proud to celebrate Culture Days, a Canada-wide celebration designed to catalyze and inspire public participation in arts and culture. 

Culture Days programs invite the public to show appreciation for arts and culture in their own communities and nationwide. The Culture Days organization supports a Canada-wide network of arts, culture, and heritage organizers to facilitate free public events in their communities every year.

Running September 18 until October 4, 2026, Culture Days is Canada's largest cross-country celebration of arts, culture, and creativity.

2026 Programming

Check back as 2026 Culture Days approaches for a full list of programming, and follow @creativebarrie on Instagram & Facebook for updates!

Once again, Doors Open Barrie (September 26) is part of Culture Days! Paired with Culture Days, Doors Open provides a unique opportunity to present free, hands-on arts activities in participating sites, giving residents and visitors a chance to learn about Barrie’s arts, heritage and business community.

Ongoing Programming

Upcoming Events

WhenEvent
Fri. Sep. 18, 1:00pm⁠–⁠1:30pmCulture Days 2026 Flag Raising
Fri. Sep. 18, 1:30pm⁠–⁠2:30pmBaytowne Big Band
Fri. Sep. 18, 6:00pm⁠–⁠8:00pmTravelling Métis Exhibit
Sat. Sep. 19, 10:00am⁠–⁠12:00pmHealing in Colour: A Community Art Workshop on Black Health
Sat. Sep. 19, 12:00pm⁠–⁠2:00pmLive Music + Dance Workshop
Sat. Sep. 19, 6:00pm⁠–⁠8:00pmTravelling Métis Exhibit
Sun. Sep. 20, 12:00pm⁠–⁠4:00pmWild Canada in 3D: A Children's Wildlife Sculpture Workshop
Sun. Sep. 20, 1:00pm⁠–⁠2:00pmFamily Sundays: I “Heart” MacLaren
Sun. Sep. 20, 2:30pm⁠–⁠3:30pmFamily Sundays: I “Heart” MacLaren
Wed. Sep. 23, 6:00pm⁠–⁠8:00pmFall Culture Night Out
Thu. Sep. 24, 6:00pm⁠–⁠7:30pmDeath Café
Thu. Sep. 24, 7:30pm⁠–⁠9:30pmDon't Touch The Art
Sat. Sep. 26, 1:00pm⁠–⁠2:30pmColours of China
Sat. Sep. 26, 3:00pm⁠–⁠4:00pmBrazilian Dance Class
Sun. Sep. 27, 12:00pm⁠–⁠1:00pmLive Music + Dance Workshop
Sun. Sep. 27, 1:00pm⁠–⁠2:00pmLive Music + Dance Workshop
Tue. Sep. 29, 4:00pm⁠–⁠6:00pmHealing in Colour: A Community Art Workshop on Black Health
Wed. Sep. 30, 6:00am⁠–⁠6:00pmSacred Fire & Sunrise Ceremony | National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Wed. Sep. 30, 6:00pm⁠–⁠8:00pmTravelling Métis Exhibit
Thu. Oct. 1, 5:00pm⁠–⁠7:30pmMacLaren Celebrates: Music and Memories
Fri. Oct. 2, 10:00am⁠–⁠4:00pmThe Art of Belonging
Sat. Oct. 3, 11:00am⁠–⁠3:00pmIslamic Heritage & Culture Family Fun Day Celebrating Art, Creativity & Community
Sat. Oct. 3, 12:00pm⁠–⁠2:00pmAn A Cappella Experience
Sat. Oct. 3, 12:00pm⁠–⁠2:00pmLive Music + Dance Workshop
Sat. Oct. 3, 12:00pm⁠–⁠4:00pmMacLaren 40th Anniversary Open House
Sun. Oct. 4, 2:00pm⁠–⁠3:00pmExploring The Album: Artist Talk with Christina Leslie

Getting Around Culture Days 

Culture Days events take place at a variety of locations throughout Barrie, so be sure to check the location of each event when planning your visit. 

Barrie Transit

Plan your trip using MyRideBarrie or the Barrie ToD App. MyRideBarrie helps plan conventional (fixed) route trips, while the ToD App is specifically for Transit ON Demand users (note: trip planning for the full Barrie Transit network, including Transit ON Demand and fixed routes, is available on the ToD app, so ToD users can plan their entire trip in one app). Transfers are valid for 90 minutes, making it easier to connect between routes while exploring the city. 

GO Transit

Travelling to Barrie by GO Transit? Barrie has two GO stations: Allandale Waterfront and Barrie South. Barrie Transit is free when connecting to or from a GO Train within 30 minutes of its arrival or departure with a valid GO fare. 

Parking 

Parking varies depending on the Culture Days event location. For events taking place in downtown Barrie, there are many municipal parking spaces within walking distance of downtown destinations. Downtown parking is free after 5pm Monday to Friday and all day on weekends and statutory holidays. Learn more about parking options or view the interactive parking map.

Most Culture Days events taking place outside of downtown Barrie on private property will have free parking available in adjacent private parking lots. Availability will vary by venue, so visitors should always check the location of their specific event in advance to see what parking options are available nearby. 

With events happening at locations across the city, we recommend planning your route and parking before heading out.

Partners

Culture Days wouldn't be possible without the coordination of many in Barrie's arts sector. Thank you to all our partners for your passion and dedication to a healthy and vibrant cultural sector:

For even more programming, visit the Barrie Public Library’s Calendar of Events and check out the Maclaren Art Centre’s current exhibitions.