Updated June 12, 2022
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!
Spring studio tours
May 28 and 29, 2022
- Vermont Spring Open Studio Weekend (throughout the state)
June 4 and 5, 2022
- Red Trillium Studio Tour (Carp, Dunrobin and Kinburn; there is also a fall edition)
- West End Studio Tour (Ottawa; there is also a fall edition)
June (on hiatus)
- Pontiac Artists’ Studio Tour (western Outaouais)
Summer studio tours
July 2–3, 2022
- Rideau Lakes Studio and Garden Tour (Portland area)
July 2–10, 2022
- Circuit des Arts Mephrémagog (Eastern Townships)
July 15–17, 2022
- Madawaska Valley Studio Tour (between Eganville and Combermere; there is also a fall edition)
July 16–17, 2022
- Fantasy in the Forest (South Frontenac County)
July 16–24, 2022
- Tour des Arts (Eastern Townships)
July 30–31, 2022
- Tour de Forest Artisans Tour (Haliburton area)
August (waiting for updated information)
- Highlands East Studio Tour (between Bancroft and Haliburton)
- Merrickville Artists’ Guild Studio Tour
August 6–14, 2022
- Route des Arts (southern Laurentians)
September (waiting for updated information)
- West End Studio Tour (Ottawa)
- New Edinburgh Studio Tour (Ottawa)
September 3–5, 2022
- Rednersville Road Art Tour (Prince Edward County)
September 10–11, 2022
- Northumberland Hills Studio Tour (east of Toronto, between Brighton and Port Hope)
Fall studio tours
September 17–18, 2022
- Bancroft Studio Tour (about three hours west of Ottawa; first weekend)
- Apsley Autumn Studio Tour (southwest of Bancroft)
September 24–25, 2022
- Chelsea Wakefield Studio Tour (Outaouais; first weekend)
- Apples and Art (in and around Cornwall, mainly between Ingleside and Dalkeith)
- Perth Autumn Studio Tour (Lanark County)
- 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)
September 30–October 2, 2022
- Madawaska Valley Studio Tour (between Eganville and Combermere; there is also a summer edition)
- Prince Edward County Studio Tour (south of Belleville)
October 1–2, 2022
- Chelsea Wakefield Studio Tour (Outaouais; second weekend)
- Tournée des artistes and artisans (Cantley area)
- Merrickville Artists’ Guild Studio Tour (Rideau Valley)
- Haliburton County Studio Tour (about four hours west of Ottawa; first weekend)
October 8–9, 2022
- Haliburton County Studio Tour (about four hours west of Ottawa; second weekend)
- Crown and Pumpkin Studio Tour (Almonte and Clayton, Lanark County)
- Pakenham Maple Run Tour (part of the Mississippi Mills Art Romp)
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 order a copy of my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your Weekend Getaway Guide.
16 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!
[…] you love studio tours? Here’s my list of most of the big artist studio tours in Ottawa and within a few hours in many […]
[…] Looking for tours later in the fall? See my big list of artists’ studio tours. […]
[…] Planning ahead? Check out my extensive list of studio tours throughout the summer and fall. […]
[…] you love studio tours but can’t make it to these, here’s my roundup of 25+ studio tours within easy reach of […]
[…] If you’re looking for a fall studio tour, check out my list of more than 25 nearby studio tours. […]
[…] Planning ahead? Check out my omnibus list of local studio tours. […]
[…] Looking for more ideas? Check out my comprehensive list of studio tours. […]