For three days straight, Guelph will come alive with visitors and residents crafting, sipping, dancing, tasting, strumming and farming (and more!) in forty-plus events, activities and exhibitions during this year’s Culture Days celebrations. Yes, you read that right! 47 events in just one weekend immersing us all in #GuelphCulture.
Each year, in every province, individual artists, cultural groups, organizations, businesses and municipalities offer free, hands-on, interactive activities where the public can discover the world of artists, creators, heritage experts, architects, curators, designers and other creative professionals in their communities.
Guelph invites you to experience Culture Days weekend, September 28-30, in celebration of #GuelphCulture, but if you don’t where to start, here’s our top-ten guide to get you on your way.
TOP-10 THINGS TO DO FOR CULTURE DAYS
FRIDAY
1. Guelph is known for its beer history. Between prohibition and the city being named one of the best beer towns in Canada, the Guelph Civic Museum introduces you to Brewing Changes Guelph, an exhibition examining the social, cultural and economic importance of brewing beer in the Royal City and the changes brought about by the rise, fall and resurrection of Guelph breweries.
2. Music, like beer, is best enjoyed shared. Players around the world celebrate their cultures with music making, and Guelph’s talented Royal City Ukulele Ensemble is no different. You’re invited to pick, pluck and play at the BIG ukulele strum-along – all you need is a uke of your own, and a willingness to join in the fun!
SATURDAY
3. Saturday’s Culture Hub & Makers Market at City Hall and Market Square is an arts and 
crafts bonanza sprinkled with delightful vendors and interactive activities. This not-to-be-missed event is your launch pad for the rest of Saturday’s artful offerings.
4. Your morning shenanigans will have been busy between the Culture Hub & Makers Market and the Guelph Potters Guild Show & Sale, so let us slow down your afternoon, shall we? Stand back and get lost in the eyes and lives of Meredith Blackmore’s portrait pieces at Necessary Arts Company.
5. Right around the corner in Old Quebec Street Shoppes you’ll find a wide variety of artisans, crafters and collectors at Etsy Canada’s Fifth year of Made in Canada Markets – admission is free, but we bet you won’t be leaving empty handed!
6. If being outside and close to nature inspires you, then slap on those boots and explore the Wellington County countryside, getting up close and personal with your food at the 12th annual Taste Real Fall Rural Romp. Farmers’ fields are beautiful art canvasses that you can eat!
7. Meanwhile on Essex Street, the Afronauts are coming! They’re saving the planet by confronting Canada’s historical amnesia and anti-Black racism.
SUNDAY
8. This summer, Urban Geographer Daniel Rotsztain joined the Two Row on the Grand as it embarked on its third paddle down the Grand River between Cambridge and Lake Erie. During the 9-day trek, Daniel illustrated a map of the journey, tracing the route while conversing about the state of “reconciliation” in Canada. View this new installation at Capacity 3 Gallery.
9. What did you not notice today? By addressing what we do NOT notice every day, AHMRI + ABBY will lead a roundtable discussion about paying closer attention to your surroundings and familiar spaces. In conjunction with their installation at 10 Carden, this discussion will be interactive, foster critical and experimental thinking, and be a platform for idea-sharing.
10. In possibly the most keenly anticipated exhibition of the weekend, City of Guelph Artist in Residence team, KIAM, explore transitions in our local urban environment through the creation of 6 large-scale paintings – one for each of Guelph’s wards. This culminating celebration of their residency runs both Saturday and Sunday at the Art Gallery of Guelph and includes an interactive collage making activity.
So, there’s our top-ten. Create your own must-see list and dive into the weekend’s offerings, because everyone has a part to play in Culture Days whether you’re already passionate about the arts or interested in discovering something new.
Don’t forget to share your finds, creations and visits all weekend on socials by tagging #GuelphCulture to really show Guelph’s creative community how much we appreciate their commitment to arts and culture all year round!
