ArtWalk Brings Art, Music & Creativity to Yonge Street |
Nearly 50 local artists, live music, drumming, hands-on activities and more take over Richmond Hill’s historic village for a free afternoon of creativity. |
Yonge Street is getting a little more colourful.
ArtWalk 2026 returns to Richmond Hill on Sunday, Sept. 20, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., bringing together nearly 50 local artists and creators for a free day of art, music and hands-on fun.
The main action takes place inside and outside the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, where visitors can browse paintings, pottery, jewelry, woodwork and other creations while meeting the people who made them. And this year, ArtWalk is expanding.
Visitors can stroll south to Richmond Hill’s new Cultural Centre at 10184 Yonge St., where artists Yue Gao and Irene YooKyung Cha will be on hand from 1 to 4 p.m. Artist Vicky Talwar will also lead a drop-in mixed-media activity.
Back at the RHCPA, the Richmond Hill Concert Band performs from noon to 1 p.m., followed by the Toronto Women’s Dragon Drum Group from 2 to 3 p.m. The drumming performance even includes an opportunity for visitors to give the drums a try.
Feeling creative yourself? Get a custom pet portrait, try henna or experiment with spray painting.
Visitors can also collect stamps through the city's Passport to Culture for a chance to win a $50 deluxe paint-and-draw kit.
Can't make it for the festival? ArtWalk artists will continue to have their work displayed in the RHCPA's Visual Art Gallery for the rest of September. |
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I appreciate that the work stays up in the gallery for the rest of September. Some of us cannot make it on that Sunday and it is nice they thought of that.
Absolutely, the Visual Art Gallery at the RHCPA will display the artists' work through the rest of September, so you won't miss out entirely if the 20th doesn't work for you.
Nora FilipovicSame situation for me. I have something on that day but I work near the RHCPA so I might pop in during the week to see what's up. Good that they keep it going.
Good reminder about the gallery running all September too. Might pop in on a weekday when it's less busy
The Passport to Culture stamp thing is a clever idea. Gets people to actually walk around and see everything instead of just stopping at one spot.
grace_wAgreed, my kids would never leave the first table they liked without something like that to keep them moving. Smart way to design an event.
Exactly, and the prize doesn't hurt either: a $50 deluxe paint-and-draw kit is a pretty great incentive to explore every corner of the event.
Yue Gao and Irene Cha are both incredible artists, really happy to see them featured. Worth the walk down Yonge for sure
Not really my thing but glad the town does free events like this. Better than nothing on a Sunday
The custom pet portrait thing is so cute. My dog is already nervous about sitting still lol
Glad they added the Cultural Centre stop this year. The RHCPA is great but spreading things down Yonge makes the whole area feel more alive.
Tom BrennanTotally agree. That stretch of Yonge has been a bit quiet for a while. Nice to see the Cultural Centre getting used for something like this so soon after opening.
That's exactly the spirit behind this year's expansion, with artists Yue Gao, Irene YooKyung Cha, and a drop-in mixed-media activity at 10184 Yonge St., the whole corridor really does come alive.
Does anyone know if there's parking nearby or is the lot at the RHCPA usually packed by noon
Love that they're expanding to the Cultural Centre this year. About time that space got some use!
Free AND a chance to win a paint kit? We're so there with the kids
We go every year, it's such a good vibe on Yonge St. Can't wait for the dragon drum group this time!
Custom pet portraits! My dog is basically famous in our neighbourhood already so this feels like fate.
Ha, we love this, your pup deserves the recognition! Head over and let an artist make it official.
PatriciaMHa same energy here. My cat would absolutely not cooperate for a portrait sitting but I am willing to try.
Does anyone know if there is parking near the Cultural Centre on Yonge? That stretch gets busy on weekends and I want to actually enjoy the walk without stressing about the car.
That's a great practical question, we'd recommend checking the City of Richmond Hill's website for parking details near 10184 Yonge St. Ahead of the Sept. 20 event.
ray_rhThere's a municipal lot just behind the RHCPA off Church St that's usually fine on Sundays. For the Cultural Centre end I'd probably just park near the library and walk down. Honestly not a bad stroll at all.
The Toronto Women's Dragon Drum Group is incredible. Glad they are part of this. And visitors can actually try the drums? That alone is worth showing up for.
The interactive element is such a highlight, there's something special about a performance that invites the audience to actually feel the beat for themselves.
Sandra LimTried the drums at a different event a few years back and it is genuinely so fun even if you have zero rhythm. Can imagine it being a highlight for the kids especially.
50 artists on Yonge Street for free? That is a great deal honestly. Richmond Hill is doing more of this kind of thing lately and I am here for it.
Dave K.It really has picked up. Between this and some of the other events they've been running it feels like there's actually a reason to spend a Sunday in the area now.
Free admission and nearly 50 artists covering paintings, pottery, jewelry, woodwork and more, it really is a remarkable amount of creativity for a Sunday afternoon.
We went last year and it was such a nice afternoon. The kids loved watching the artists work. Definitely going back this September.
So glad you're making it a tradition, and with the Richmond Hill Concert Band, the Dragon Drum Group, and hands-on activities, there's even more to keep the kids engaged this year!
Maria T.Good to know! Were the lineups bad at the interactive stuff or pretty relaxed? Thinking of bringing my two and wondering how long we'd need.