If shopping for pottery, paintings, textiles, photographs, garden art or other artworks and crafts is your idea of a perfect weekend, you’re spoiled for choice: there are so many studio tours within easy reach of Ottawa that you’ll need several seasons to explore them all.
These self-driving weekends have become so popular that several of them now run on multiple weekends, or have several editions a year. That’s great news for everyone: travellers have more opportunities to visit the studios, and artists and artisans—who often move to rural regions for the inspiring surroundings and affordable rents, but find themselves far from large concentrations of potential buyers—get a chance to make lots of sales.
This list of studio tours is by no means complete, but it will give you a taste of what’s out there. I hope it inspires some creative touring!
Do you know of a tour I missed? Let me know!
Cover photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash.
Spring artist studio tours
April 6–7, 2024
May 25–26, 2024
- Vermont Spring Open Studio Weekend (throughout the state)
June 1–2, 2024
- Red Trillium Studio Tour (Carp, Dunrobin and Kinburn; there is also a fall edition)
Summer artist studio tours
June 29–30, 2024
- Rideau Lakes Studio Tour (Portland area)
June 29–July 7, 2024
- Circuit des Arts Mephrémagog (Eastern Townships)
July 13–21, 2024
- Tour des Arts (Eastern Townships)
- Route des Arts (southern Laurentians)
July 20–21, 2024
- Madawaska Valley Studio Tour (between Eganville and Combermere; there is also a fall edition)
- Fantasy in the Forest (South Frontenac County; there is also a late summer edition)
August 3–4, 2024
- Bonnechere Valley Inspired (Eganville area)
- Tour de Forest Artisans Tour (Haliburton area)
August 24–25, 2024
- Highlands East Studio Tour (eastern Haliburton County, mainly between Bancroft and Haliburton)
August 31–September 1, 2024
- Fantasy in the Forest (South Frontenac County; there is also a July edition)
August 31–September 2, 2024
- Rednersville Road Art Tour (Prince Edward County)
September 7–8, 2024
- Arteast Ottawa Fine Arts Studio Tour (mainly Gloucester, Orleans and Cumberland)
- Northumberland Hills Studio Tour (east of Toronto, between Brighton and Port Hope)
Fall artist studio tours
September 20–22, 2024
- Prince Edward County Studio Tour (south of Belleville)
September 21–22, 2024
- West End Studio Tour (Ottawa)
- Bancroft Studio Tour (about three hours west of Ottawa; first weekend)
- Apsley Autumn Studio Tour (southwest of Bancroft)
September 28–29, 2024
- New Edinburgh Artists’ Studio Tour (Ottawa)
- Chelsea and Wakefield Studio Tour (first weekend)
- Apples and Art (in and around Cornwall, mainly between Ingleside and Dalkeith)
- North Frontenac Back Roads Studio Tour (in and around Plevna and Ompah, about an hour and 45 minutes southwest of Ottawa)
- Bancroft Studio Tour (about three hours west of Ottawa; second weekend)
- Tweed and Area Studio Tour (north of Belleville)
October 5–6, 2024
- Chelsea and Wakefield Studio Tour (second weekend)
- Merrickville Arts Guild Studio Tour
- Madawaska Valley Studio Tour (between Eganville and Combermere; there is also a summer edition)
- Haliburton Highlands Studio Tour (about four hours west of Ottawa; first weekend)
- Vermont Fall Open Studio Weekend (throughout the state)
October 12–13, 2024
- Perth Autumn Studio Tour (Lanark County)
- Haliburton Highlands Studio Tour (about four hours west of Ottawa; second weekend)
- Crown and Pumpkin Studio Tour (Almonte and Clayton, Lanark County)
October 19–20, 2024
- Red Trillium Studio Tour (Carp, Dunrobin and Kinburn; there is also a spring edition)
Looking for more tips on things to see and do in Eastern Ontario, the Outaouais, northern New York state and beyond? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or pick up a copy of my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your Weekend Getaway Guide, from which this post is adapted.
As the owner of Ottawa Road Trips, I acknowledge that I live on, work in and travel through the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.
20 comments
Hello,
I understand that you can’t advertive an event if you were’nt notified but this comming week-end: September 26 & 27, Prescott-Russell will host Artour an art and studio tour.
Their website: http://www.artour.ca
Thank you
Hello,
I understand that you can’t advertise an event if you were’nt notified but this comming week-end: September 26 & 27, Prescott-Russell will host Artour, an art and studio tour.
Their website: http://www.artour.ca
Thank you
Thanks for the info, Carole! I will update the post and add the event to my roundup of things to do this weekend, which will be posted tonight or tomorrow.
To my knowledge, the Westport Studio Tour will not happen in 2017. I am an artist in that group.
Sharon Benson
Thanks, Sharon. Sorry to hear it won’t happen this year. I’ve updated the post.
Could you please note Winchester’s Spring Makeover Madness on facebook. Its a great event that is a contrast for a complete makeover, head to toe put on by Winchester businesses. Just buy $5 or more at the participating businesses and fill out a ballot nominating yourself our anyone. Contest ends 28th April. If you need more info contact me.
Thanks, Carrie! Do you have a website I could link to that readers could check for more information?
Here are a few others – http://www.circuitdesarts.com/en/index.html
http://festivaldesarts.net/index.php/en/
http://www.kanataartists.com/KAST/Home.html
Thanks so much, Sharon! I had KAST in the list, but they are taking a break in 2017, so I’ve kept the address on file for when I update the post in 2018. I will check out the others!
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There’s also the Merrickville Arts Guild 2024 Studio Tour, October 5 & 6, 10am to 5 pm. https://www.mag-artists.ca
Thanks, Fiona–I’ll add it!