On June 7, 2026, Arts for Peace will once again bring folks together for a peaceful summer afternoon of music, crafts, dance, storytelling, yoga, bubbles and community.

Started by members of Project Ploughshares Orillia, a non-governmental organization that worked with churches, governments and civilian groups to prevent war and promote peace, the sunny festival on the shores of Lake Couchiching has celebrated peacemaking through the arts since 1983.

A cancellation due to weather, followed by the COVID pandemic, led to several years where Arts for Peace did not take place. Now, the next generation is getting involved by organizing and promoting a revival of this much loved local treasure with financial support from a City of Orillia grant.

“We have teenagers who remember the Arts for Peace Festival fondly and wanted to be part of making it happen again. I suppose they are at the core of our effort to reinvigorate Arts for Peace,” shared members of the organizing team Becky Bauman and Kara Sears. “We want our children to learn to be peacemakers in this world, especially at a local level. We want to be part of a movement that takes peacemaking seriously.” Bauman went on to share that she “loves the simplicity of the idea that art might be a medium for building peace in our community. Maybe some new seeds will be sown that increase peace in the world at a time when war and conflict seem to be all around.”

Adults and children of all ages will be able to enjoy performances by local community members and participate in a variety of activities featuring crafts, stories, music and circle dancing.

While the grassroots festival is free to attend, specialty T-shirts will be sold at the event ($25) and donations will be gratefully accepted to help cover costs.

The theme of our 2026 event is “Love is the Heart of Peace”. It will take place on Sunday June 7 from 12-5PM at Rotary Aqua Theatre, 140 Canice Street, Orillia.

Find us on Facebook “Arts for Peace Orillia” or Instagram “Arts Peace Orillia”