From the Builders in Residence Program to hands-on workshops to the stories behind the world’s largest collection of paddled watercraft, craftsmanship is at the heart of The Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough.
That’s why the Lakeside Gala, the Museum’s flagship fundraising event, has the tagline “Celebrating Excellence in the Making.”
Taking place on Saturday, October 3, from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m., proceeds from this public event will directly support The Canadian Canoe Museum’s exhibitions, programs, and signature initiatives like the Speakers Series and Builders in Residence Program.
“We wanted to put our own spin on a major philanthropic event and make sure it aligns with our values and ties closely with the land we’re on,” says Carolyn Hyslop, Executive Director of The Canadian Canoe Museum.
Celebrating the community that helped build a world-class museum
After a decade of planning and more than two years of construction, The Canadian Canoe Museum opened at its new location at 2077 Ashburnham Drive in May 2024.
Located on a five-acre site, the Museum’s two-storey, 65,000-square-foot building was purpose-built to house the world’s largest collection of canoes, kayaks, and paddled watercraft. The Museum and Lakefront Campus also includes space to host temporary exhibits, offer on-water and outdoor education programming, and support private event rentals.
“It seemed only fitting to have an annual celebration welcoming our community and supporters, donors, and partners that have come together during the build and, now that we’re operating, continue to sustain us in bringing this vision to life,” Hyslop says.
During the Lakeside Gala, guests will have the opportunity to appreciate the Museum’s location on Little Lake and the building’s unique architecture, which earned it national recognition on the cover of the April 2025 edition of the well-respected Canadian Architect magazine.
The construction of the Museum features work from Havelock Metal Co. and Emily Creek Woodworking Inc., both of which are returning as Presenting Sponsors for the Lakeside Gala.
“We’re really lucky and honoured to have these lead sponsors who have been there from day one with the build of the Museum back again, now supporting us with our programming through the gala,” says Jeremy Ward, Curator at The Canadian Canoe Museum.
“It’s a really special experience to stand hand-in-hand with them and say we’re so proud of what we’ve made here in the community. It’s important to keep supporting and sustaining that.”
Local chefs offer Canadian-inspired flavours and community connections
Following opening remarks, guests at the Lakeside Gala can explore different food stations and speak with the chefs behind the culinary creations. The stations will feature local chefs from Chemong Lodge, Kitchen Farmacy, The Flying Chestnut Kitchen, Love You, Mean It (LYMI), Mija’s Bakeshop, and Little Miss Drinky Poo.
“While the Museum’s collection and the stories we share are national in scope, we wouldn’t be where we are without the support of our community,” Ward says. “That’s why it’s important to us to support local businesses, artisans, and makers, including offering meals made by chefs who use locally sourced ingredients.”
That includes Chef Adam Brown of Chemong Lodge in Bridgenorth, who participated in the inaugural Lakeside Gala last year along with his wife Sara Brown. According to Sara, the gala is an opportunity for chefs to get out of their kitchens and connect with members of the community.
Reflecting on last year’s gala, Sara says the food station quickly “became a gathering point.”
“People lingered and then came back with someone new in tow. That is what a great fundraiser needs from its food: not a line to move through, but a reason to stay in a room, and that is what our installations are built to do.”
For this year’s event, Sara says they’ll be bringing things that are “Canadian through and through” for their charcuterie installation, where most of the ingredients are either grown or smoked by Chemong Lodge.
Throughout the evening, there will be live music from acclaimed Canadian jazz pianist and composer Thompson Egbo-Egbo, whose music is rooted in storytelling and connection.
Artists and builders contribute one-of-a-kind creations to gala auctions
The theme of “Excellence in the Making” continues through to the Lakeside Gala auctions, where guests can bid on unique items for the chance to take home something they won’t find anywhere else.
Items include a 10-day guided canoe trip on the Great Bear River in the Northwest Territories from Jackpine Paddle, a Swift Canoe package, handcrafted gear, and signed books by notable outdoor enthusiasts including Adam Shoalts and Nick Offerman.
Several artists have also donated one-of-a-kind artwork, including recent Artist in Residence Holly Ann Friesen, a painting by Chistopher Griffin, a stunning piece from renowned photographer Arnold Zageris, and fine artist and avid paddler Susan Oomen, who also has a piece, October Morning, featured in the Museum’s temporary exhibit Canoe Perspectives.
Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation canoe carver Joe Martin — who will be The Canadian Canoe Museum’s Builder in Residence alongside his daughter Gisele Martin at the time of the gala — has donated a handmade Nuu-Cchah-Nnulth canoe paddle.
“The reason this auction can happen is that The Canadian Canoe Museum team has done such an incredible job fostering these relationships,” Hyslop notes. “These are long-term connections; a community that the museum has built. These are friends and family.”
Hyslop says the Lakeside Gala is an “incredible opportunity to immerse yourself in the Museum and its collection, while also being surrounded by contemporary makers that have donated items to support the Museum.”
“It’s this wonderful cycle of support that goes around,” she adds. “As people support us, we support them, and then we expose people to so many more artists and artisans in the area. It’s this reciprocal symbiotic relationship that happens at the gala that gets me really excited and inspired because there are so many good people that are part of it.”
Supporting year-round programming and the daily care of a nationally significant collection
Last year’s inaugural Lakeside Gala raised $150,000 for the Museum’s core programming, including workshops, school trips, camps, on-water experiences, and the Builders in Residence program. The proceeds are also used to help maintain the Museum’s collection of more than 650 nationally significant watercraft.
“This is an ongoing daily responsibility that I think a lot of people might forget about,” Ward says. “Caring for the collection is something that happens each and every day, in big ways and small ways, and in many ways the public doesn’t see.”
“With the collection being at the core of all that we do and inspiring all of these events and programs, it’s critical for that support to be there on a consistent basis, to help us sustain and thrive as a Museum.”
VIDEO: You are invited … Lakeside Gala, October 3, 2026
In addition to supporting The Canadian Canoe Museum, the Lakeside Gala offers guests the opportunity to don elegant cocktail attire and enjoy an elevated evening of community, craftsmanship, and thoughtfully prepared food.
“It’s turned out to be a really incredible evening – one that people are excited about leading up to the event and that they talk about afterwards,” says Hyslop. “It’s a chance for us to showcase what it is that makes this Museum exceptional and one of a kind.”
Tickets for the Lakeside Gala are $250 per person and include a charitable tax receipt. To purchase tickets, visit canoemuseum.ca/lakeside-gala.
This branded editorial was created in partnership with The Canadian Canoe Museum. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
