Haliburton Art and Craft Festival 2026: 63 Years of Handmade

A juried, open-air art fair beside Head Lake in the heart of Haliburton Village

📍 Get Directions Hours & Days

A century-old rail station, a lakeside park, and roughly 100 juried Canadian artists and artisans — the Haliburton Art and Craft Festival has been bringing original, handmade work to this lakeside village since 1963.

🎨 ~100 juried artists 👨‍👩‍👧 Free under 15 🎪 Buskers & sketchers 🖼 Free gallery admission

💡 Your $5 admission is good for unlimited entry all weekend — pay once on Friday and come back Saturday and Sunday without buying again.

Why Go Hours The Artists On Site Essentials Getting There Tips FAQ

✨ Six Decades of Juried Craft

The Haliburton Art and Craft Festival has been running since 1963, organized by Rails End Gallery and Arts Centre out of Haliburton’s restored 1893 railway station. Every artist who sets up a booth has gone through a jury process, which is part of why the festival has built such a loyal following over 63 years — the quality is consistently real, and everything is handcrafted in Canada.

The setting matches the substance. The festival takes over Head Lake Park, right beside the gallery’s landmark rail station building, with around 100 artists and artisans spread across the grounds. You’ll find everyone from potters and glassblowers to woodworkers, jewellers, and fine artists, organized loosely by medium so it’s easy to wander toward what interests you.

It’s also genuinely a festival, not just a market — buskers and sketch artists work the grounds, there’s an all-ages art-making zone and a community weave project, and Rails End Gallery itself is free to visit with your festival admission.

🕐 Festival Hours

Three days at Head Lake Park, with one admission covering the whole weekend.

🧑‍🎨 What You’ll Find

Around 100 juried Canadian artists and artisans fill the grounds, loosely grouped by medium so it’s easy to browse toward what catches your eye.

🏺 Ceramics & Glass 👗 Fashion & Accessories 🪵 Fine Woodworking 🏡 Home, Cottage & Garden 💍 Jewellery 🖼 Visual Art & Sculpture

🎪 More to See on the Grounds

Beyond the artist booths, the festival fills Head Lake Park with extra reasons to stay a while.

🎭 Buskers & sketchers 🧶 Community weave project 🎨 All-ages art-making zone 🛝 Adventure playground 🚲 Rotary Free Bike Share 🖼 Rails End Gallery (free entry)

Rails End Gallery itself — housed in the landmark 1893 rail station — is free with your festival admission, and is air conditioned and fully accessible. This year’s summer show, “Gathering,” features a juried exhibition from FUSION Ontario’s Clay and Glass Association.

📋 Essentials

🚗 Getting There & Parking

The festival is set in Head Lake Park, right beside Rails End Gallery at 23 York Street in the heart of Haliburton Village.

Free parking: Head Lake Park Lot, AJ LaRue Arena, Haliburton High School, Rotary Beach, the Haliburton Library, and local streets.

Drop-off: There’s a pick-up and drop-off zone right in front of Rails End Gallery at 23 York Street if you’re dropping someone off.

💡 A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Go

🎟 One ticket, three days. Your $5 admission gets you unlimited entry all weekend — no need to pay again if you come back Saturday or Sunday.

🅿️ Buy ahead to skip the line. Advance tickets at Rails End Gallery (until July 20) can save you a stop at the gate on a busy day.

🚶 Make a day of the village. Haliburton Village and Head Lake Park beyond the festival grounds offer a dog park, beach, tennis and basketball courts, the library, and lakeside paths, all within walking distance.

🌲 Extend the trip. The Haliburton Sculpture Forest is about a 30-minute stroll away, and the Haliburton County Rail Trail starts right at the festival’s doorstep for biking or walking.

🚲 Skip the car for short hops. The Rotary Free Bike Share is available on the grounds if you want to explore the village without driving.

❓ Common Questions