One of the most popular art festivals both in the Kawarthas and beyond, the Buckhorn Festival of the Arts is returning for its 47th year on the weekend of August 17 and 18.
Located at the Buckhorn Community Centre at 1782 Lakehurst Road, the festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Named one of Ontario’s top 100 festivals and events by Festivals & Events Ontario, this year’s festival will include artwork from more than 70 artists spread across 10 acres both inside the Buckhorn Community Centre and outside in the Festival Park.
The artwork on display and available for purchase represents a wide range of disciplines and mediums including oil and acrylic painting, photography, ink and graphite, wood turning, mixed media, fused glass, textiles, sculpture, and more.
Along with many returning artists, this year’s festival features new artists including paper mache sculpture artist Annette Vlieg, acrylic artist Robert Potvin, oil and pen and ink artist Saba Ambreen, acrylic artist Diane Dowsett, acrylic and oil artist Kim Ralston, abstract acrylic and mixed media artist Linda Hendren, textile artist Julie Wilkin, painter Allen Egan, and watercolour and ink artist Bill Stephens.
A list of participating artists and their disciplines is provided below. All the festival’s artists will be on-site throughout the entire weekend.
This year’s festival will also include two special exhibits: “Home” celebrates regional art and includes works by Michael Dumas (the internationally recognized and award-winning Buckhorn-based wildlife artist who was one of the founders of the festival), David Foyn, Peter Rotter, George Raab, Daniel St-Amant, Wind Spirit, Anja Karisik, Tim Hough, John Maurer, Lynda Cunningham, Wayne Mondok, and W. David Ward, and “Art in the Park” involves several large metal sculptures by Renfrew County artist Jack Stekelenburg that will be installed throughout Festival Park.
Along with acres of artwork, the festival includes the “art-ivity” zone where children can express their own creativity, an amateur art competition, live music, and art demonstrations by not-for-profit art organizations, including Studio 201, Lakefield Creative Arts, Brushstrokes, and Kawartha Arts Network.
The festival also features the Buckhorn Fine Art Award. Sponsored by long-term festival volunteers the Wagstaffe family, the $500 award is given to an adult artist, pursuing an education in visual arts at a recognized Canadian art institution, who demonstrates community involvement and is in need of nurturing and support
Food and beverages will be available for purchase. There is ample parking including special needs parking, with a free shuttle bus from the upper parking lot, and accessible washrooms with change tables. Note that no pets are allowed, except for service animals.
Admission is by donation. As well as being a major regional arts festival, the Buckhorn Festival of the Arts is a fundraiser for the Buckhorn Community Centre, a not-for-profit organization.
For more information about the Buckhorn Festival of the Arts, visit buckhorncommunitycentre.com. You can see some of the artwork that will be on display and for sale by following the festival on Instagram and Facebook.
Artists at the 2024 Buckhorn Festival of the Arts
- Saba Ambreen (oil paintings, pen and ink)
- Judy Blue Anderson (acrylic paintings)
- Linda Barber (paintings, prints, notecards)
- Gary Barnett (acrylic paintings, postcards)
- Amelie Bonin (oil pantings)
- Laurie Cairns (paintings)
- Peer Christensen (oil paintings)
- Ian Collins (oil paintings)
- Abigail Cook (acrylic paintings)
- John Davidson (photography)
- Paul Gray Diamond (wood turnings)
- Frank Didomizio (wood turning art)
- Tina Ding (oil paintings)
- Robert A. Doherty (oil paintings)
- Guo Yue Dou (oil paintings)
- Heather Doughty (photographic prints in acrylic, metal, and cotton)
- Diane Dowsett (acrylic paintings)
- Allen Egan (paintings)
- Michael Evans (sculptures)
- Eugenie Fernandes (children’s paintings and books)
- Henry Fernandes (acrylic paintings)
- Corin Ford Forrester (fine art photography)
- Stephanie Ford Forrester (fine art quilts, textiles, and mixed media)
- Dave Froude (still-life oil paintings)
- Mary Gair (acrylic and oil paintings)
- Tracey Lee Green (nature-themed acrylic paintings)
- Linda Hendren (abstract acrylic and mixed media)
- Cheryl-Ann Hills (oil paintings)
- Janet Horne Cozens (acrylic and mixed media paintings)
- George w. (Bill) Keast (acrylic paintings)
- Anja Kooistra (sculptures)
- Anna Kutishcheva (acrylic paintings)
- James Lasenby (acrylic paintings and graphite artwork)
- Hilary Leopold (oil and acrylic paintings)
- Eddie LePage (acrylic paintings)
- Erin LePage (linoleum prints)
- Brenda Little (acrylic paintings and limited-edition prints)
- Steven Loney (stone sculptures)
- Vladimir Lopatin (mixed media and abstract)
- Olena Lopatina (landscape oil paintings)
- Heather Lovat Fraser (acrylic abstract)
- Bill Lunshof (oil paintings)
- Patty Lynes (oil and acrylic paintings)
- Vicki McCracken (wildlife oil paintings and cards)
- Kelly McNeil (oil paintings)
- Laurie O’Reilly (mixed media paintings and constructs)
- Robert Potvin (acrylic paintings on board)
- Jennifer Raby (batik fine art)
- Kim Ralston (acrylic and oil paintings)
- Paul Rankin (acrylic and watercolour paintings)
- Lynne Ryall (oil and acrylic paintings)
- Margaret Seaton (fused glass art)
- Ann Shier (encaustic painting)
- Nan Sidler (watercolour paintings and graphite drawings)
- David Smith (paintings, etchings, block prints, and cards)
- Jack Stekelenburg (metal sculptures)
- Bill Stephens (watercolour and ink paintings, retail-ready cards)
- Denis Turcott (photography and photo products)
- David Vasquez (oil paintings)
- Annette Vlieg (paper mache sculptures)
- Kelly Whyte (oil paintings)
- Julie Wilkin (textile art)
- John Yates (photography on canvas, paper, and metal)
- Jie (Jane) Zhou (oil paintings)
