Arts & Eats Festival 2026
At Nancy Island Historic Site
Saturday June 13 – Sunday June 14, 2026
This two-day open-air festival on Nancy Island in Wasaga Beach is a curated combination of local and specialty artists featuring unique, artisanal product and one-of-a-kind art. Explore different art forms and crafts as you walk through the space and complete the journey by visiting food vendors offering diverse and mouthwatering menus. Family-friendly, this festival appeals to families, couples and visitors looking for a creative escape and an experience that celebrates local talent.
Admission to Arts & Eats Festival is free in 2026!
Key details
- Dates: Saturday, June 13 – Sunday, June 14
- Time: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Location: Nancy Island Historic Site
Visitor Info
FREE admission for Arts & Eats Festival 2026
- The Arts & Eats Festival will be held mostly outdoors. Please dress for the weather.
- Accessible & Family-Friendly – Free craft activities available throughout the event
- Hands-on Craft activities
- Windsock fish creation: Create your own colourful windsock fish using cardboard and paper. Traditionally used to indicate wind direction, windsocks are both decorative and functional
- Brush-free Art Station: Explore creativity without a paintbrush! Use natural and unconventional tools like pinecones, branches, and other found objects to craft one-of-a-kind pieces of art with vibrant paints.
- Vegetable Stamp Art: Turn everyday pantry items into artistic tools. Using vegetables and eco-friendly ink, participants can create unique (and 100% compostable) stamped designs—perfect for personalized artwork to display at home.
- Food & Art Vendors – Enjoy a curated mix of artisanal food tents, artisans and artists (full list below)
- Picnic Area On Site – Bring a blanket and make a day of it.
- Museum will be open for visitors to explore during this event.
- Retail store, snacks, refreshments and ice cream on site.
PETS: While we love our furry friends, we are not able to accommodate pets at this special event (service dogs are welcomed of course). Thank you for your understanding.
Art Exhibit
- Local School Art Exhibit (in the Theatre)
- 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (both days)
- Free admission
- Invitations to create artwork inspired by this theme were sent to local elementary and high schools
Elementary Student Competition
Rhythms of Summer invites you to create an artwork that shows what summer feels like to you. Your art can be about nature, fun activities, animals, patterns, or even your favourite summer memory. Use your imagination—your artwork can be colourful, calm, busy, or playful. There is no right or wrong way to show summer’s rhythm!
High School Student Competition
Summer is more than a season—it has a rhythm shaped by movement, repetition, sound, and shared experience. From the steady pulse of waves on the shore to the energy of festivals, crowds, and long daylight hours, summer carries a pace and mood that can be both vibrant and reflective.
Rhythms of Summer challenges you to interpret these seasonal rhythms through art. You might explore motion, pattern, or contrast; capture moments of joy, stillness, or transition; or respond abstractly through colour, line, and texture. Your work can reflect personal experience, observation of place, or conceptual ideas inspired by summer’s tempo and atmosphere.
Paid Workshops or Add On Experiences
Arts & Eats Vendors 2026
Apply as a Vendor
We’re seeking food and art vendors to enhance the guest experience at our events. Vendors pay a rental fee to secure their space and retain all revenue from sales during the event.
While we love our furry friends, we are not able to accommodate pets at this special event (service dogs are welcomed of course). Thank you for your understanding.
- Parking is available at Nancy Island, however some walking from the lot to the Island is required. Please dress for the weather and take your time.
- While the Visitor’s Center will host some activities, this is primarily an outdoor event. We recommended wearing comfortable layers.
- Smoking or vaping (including marijuana) is not permitted on Nancy Island property.
- Concession and retail run by Nancy Island staff will accept cash, credit and debit.
- Some vendors may only accept cash, please plan accordingly.
119 Mosley Street, Wasaga Beach, L9Z 2X1
Parking Info
There is paid parking available at Nancy Island Historic Site, however we ask that RVs and buses make alternative parking arrangements due to limited space.
Need more info?
Please contact us at hhp@ontario.ca or (705) 526-7838 if you have any questions.
Nancy Island Historic Site is rooted in a pivotal moment in Canadian history, commemorating the War of 1812 and the dramatic events that unfolded along the Nottawasaga River and Georgian Bay.
The site takes its name from the HMS Nancy, a British supply schooner that supported military posts throughout the upper Great Lakes. In August 1814, while attempting to evade American forces, the Nancy was scuttled by its crew near the mouth of the Nottawasaga River to prevent capture. The ship’s destruction marked a significant turning point in the conflict and is considered one of the most notable naval events of the war in this region.
Today, Nancy Island preserves this legacy through a museum and memorial tower dedicated to those who served during the War of 1812. Operated by Huronia Historical Parks, the island offers visitors a peaceful, scenic setting where history, culture, and community come together along the shores of Georgian Bay.
