Family Shorts Film Screening in collaboration with imagineNative
2026-03-20 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Toronto) | Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
“Family Shorts” presented in collaboration with imagineNative Film and Media Festival
Duration: 45 minutes.
See works of whimsical animations, calls for action for future generations, and lessons to listen to your elders!
Allison Goes Berry Picking [5 mins.]
Directors: Allison Anderson (Trondëk Hwech’in), Georgette McLoed (Trondëk Hwëch’in)
Pendleton Man [11 mins.]
Director: Doug Winnipeg (Blackfoot)
The Lemonade Stand – Making Medicines [5 mins.]
Director: Paul O’Bomsawin (Abénaki)
Graduation Day [12 mins.]
Directors: Charlene Moore (Cree), Tasha Hubbard (Cree)
My Friend the Green Horse [11 mins.]
Director(s): Alanis Obomsawin (Abénaki)
Intended Audience: Appropriate for kids and families.

Offered in response to the exhibition Maawnjidyang Maa: We Come Together Here.

Fourth Friday: James Gordon
2026-03-27 19:00 - 21:00 | Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
James Gordon returns to Fourth Friday with Hometown Tunes, celebrating small towns across Ontario. Years ago, as songwriter-in-residence at CBC radio, Gordon created a music series for the Ontario Morning program. CBC listeners would write letters about something they considered ‘song-worthy’ from their towns – an historic incident, a local character, a current event. Gordon would pick a letter each week, write a song about the topic suggested, and perform it live on the air in Toronto, usually at 7:30 a.m., after driving in from his hometown of Guelph. Gordon will revisit these tunes as we take a tour around Ontario from the comfort of Guelph Civic Museum.
Admission by donation starts at 5 p.m. with the concert beginning at 7 p.m. Cash bar available.
About the Artist
James Gordon has had a remarkably diverse and resilient career in the Canadian cultural sector. As a solo singer-songwriter and with the ground-breaking trio Tamarack, he’s recorded 42 albums and toured relentlessly around the world. For more than ten years he was a songwriter-in-residence for CBC radio, and his “Hometown Tunes” feature on Ontario Morning was the starting point for this presentation. Between tours, James is a record producer, playwright, community activist, theatre director, and he served two terms as a Guelph City Councillor.
His song ’Mining For Gold’ was featured in the John Sayles film ‘Silver City’ and was included on the classic Cowboy Junkies album ‘The Trinity Sessions’. Gordon’s iconic ‘Frobisher Bay’ has been recorded by more than 100 different acts world-wide. It’s become a standard in choirs everywhere, and is in ‘Rise Again’, the sequel to the legendary ‘Rise Up Singing’ songbook.
His newest album ‘Wrinkles and Scars” came out last year and his ‘musical novel’ ‘The Ark Of The Oven Mitt,’ was a finalist in the 2022 Stephen Leacock Humour Awards. Gordon had his first ‘viral hit’ with 300,000 views on YouTube and social media for his political commentary song about the ‘Freedom Convoy. He’s touring this year with his one-man ‘activist’ musical “Smashing the Oligarchy and Other Fun Pre-apocalyptic Activities.”
Jamesgordon.ca

Tales from the Hill: Guelph Guild of Storytellers
2026-04-09 19:00 - 20:30 | Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
Tales from the Hill is presented by the Guelph Guild of Storytellers and features a guest teller in addition to Guild tellers. The evening includes hot cider, light refreshments, and conversation. Guests are invited to register a telling or participate during the open mic storytelling.
Tales from the Hill runs on the second Wednesday or Thursday of each month from October to May.
Guests can arrive at 6:30 p.m. for casual socializing, call to order at 7:00 p.m. for storytelling, followed by time for more visits.

Military Lecture: Lives of Servitude and Service: British Home Children and the Making of Wartime Canada by Kelly Morrison
2026-04-16 19:00 - 20:30 | Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
At 102, Sir George Beardshaw is the last surviving veteran of the Second World War-era Queen’s Own Rifles and the only surviving British “Home Child” left in Canada. He is one of approximately 100,000 poor or orphaned child migrants sent to this country as part of British social and philanthropic programs developed across the United Kingdom between 1869 and 1939. Many Home Children, despite enduring hardship and abuse in their placements, chose to stay in Canada and contribute to this country’s efforts in the First and Second World Wars—approximately 10,000 in the Great War and 20,000 in the Second World War. Countless others served in various ways on the Canadian home front. Kelly Morrison’s presentation introduces Beardshaw and a select group of Home Children, revealing how this marginalized group helped to define Canada’s national wartime and postwar identity.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the presentation starts at 7:00 p.m., followed by a question period.
The lecture premiered in-person at the Civic Museum. The recorded conversation is available on YouTube, and our Museum Everywhere Portal. Guelph Museums’ Military Lecture series is presented in partnership with the Laurier Centre for the Study of Canada.
Watch the Recording

About the Speaker

Kelly Morrison is a PhD candidate in history, specializing in War & Society studies at Wilfrid Laurier University. She earned her Honours BA and MA in history at the University of Toronto. Morrison has published two articles: In 2016, “The North West Rebellion Monument and its Enduring Place in the Historical Landscape of Toronto,” for ImagiNATIONS, the University of Toronto’s Journal of Canadian Studies; and in 2020, “The Missing and the Missed of Lanark County, Ontario: Great War Sacrifice and the Memorialization of Exclusion in ‘The Volunteer’ Monument,” for the Journal of Ontario History. She has guest lectured on the subject of War, Commemoration and Propaganda at the University of Toronto and Wilfrid Laurier University. She has been a guest speaker on Home Child history at the Brant Museum and Archives and the British Consulate in Toronto. She is a regular keynote speaker at Remembrance Day luncheons hosted by the Royal Canadian Navy and HMCS York from 2020-2025.

Niwiidosendimin (We Walk with Each Other)
2026-04-23 19:00 - 21:00 | Guelph Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
Niwiidosendimin (We Walk with Each Other)
A guided walking tour with Jordan Jamieson and Edebwed Ogichidaa / Valarie King
On the evening of Thursday, April 23, join us for a community walk from the rivers who meet in Guelph (Speed and Eramosa) to the hilltop where the Museum is located. The walk is guided by Jordan Jamieson and Edebwed Ogichidaa / Valarie King. Jordan Jamieson is an Anishinaabe knowledge keeper, leader and youth ambassador from Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, who is passionate about fostering productive dialogue between Indigenous and settler communities. Edebwed Ogichidaa / Valarie King is a knowledge keeper, educator, and elder from Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.
Participants will walk together, pausing in specific locations to reflect on past and present experiences in the place we call Guelph, and to imagine a shared future. Reflect and learn at the rivers and on the land through First Nations perspectives.
The walking tour ends on the hilltop overlooking downtown Guelph. Witness a 30-foot-wide projection on the east-facing wall of the St. Agnes School, engaging in a dialogue with the land and the surrounding architecture. The video compilation features “The Archive of Steampunk Mishoomis,” created by longtime Guelph resident, Anishinaabemowin speaker, and residential school Survivor, Rene Meshake, who incorporated expressions of Anishinaabe identity and pride into his work.
This event is offered in conjunction with the feature exhibition Maawnjidyang Maa: We Come Together Here, curated by the Decolonizing Place Narratives Collective. Registration is required and includes access to the exhibition.
Please note that the walk will take approximately 60-75 minutes at a moderate pace, with stops for storytelling and reflection at specific locations along the route. Much, but not all, the route is paved. Walkers will climb the steps from Gordon Street to the hilltop, where the Basilica and the Museum are located. Please wear comfortable shoes. Note that there are no washroom facilities until the walkers reach the Guelph Civic Museum.
Participants are welcome to park in the Museum’s lot (entrance off Cork Street) and then walk to the meeting location at the conjunction of the rivers. The Museum’s parking lot is free of charge for participants in the event.
Photo Credit: Amina Lalor
Walking Route

Fourth Friday: Gayle Ackroyd & 2B Jazz
2026-04-24 19:00 - 21:00 | Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
It’s going to be a jazzy Fourth Friday at the Civic Museum when Gayle Ackroyd takes to the stage with her 2B Jazz Band. This all-ages show will thrill those who enjoy legends like Ella Fitzgerald, Julie London, Peggy Lee, and Frank Sinatra, and appreciate the contemporary sounds of Diana Krall and Amy Winehouse. .
Admission by donation starts at 5 p.m. with the concert beginning at 7 p.m. Cash bar available.
About the Artist
Gayle Ackroyd has played clubs and festivals for decades. She started doing Jazz in 2020 and recorded the Jazz Album “He Surprises Me” with producer Rodger Stevenson. Gayle formed a Jazz band with guitarist John Brose and Liam Gallagher on Bass. The repertoire consists of upbeat swinging Jazz standards and originals. Ackroyd has lived in Guelph since 2010.

Mother’s Day Tea
2026-05-10 10:30 - 13:00 | Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
Tea is a serious affair at Guelph Museums! This Mother’s Day, treat mom to an afternoon of tea and treats at the Civic Museum. Enjoy a bottomless pot of our McCrae Private Blend or Garden Blend teas as well as a variety of delicious baked treats and fruit. There are seatings at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Admission to the Guelph Civic Museum is included in the ticket price. Please feel free to browse the exhibition Maawnjidyang Maa: We Come Together Here before or after you enjoy your tea.

Preregistration via Eventbrite is required.

Mother's Day Tea
2026-05-10 14:30 - 17:00 | Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada

Tales from the Hill: Guelph Guild of Storytellers
2026-05-14 19:00 - 20:30 | Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada

Fourth Friday: Rebecca Hass – Manaadjia: A Tribute to Rene Meshake
2026-05-22 17:00 - 21:00 | Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
Join us for a moving evening of music, story, and remembrance honouring the life, art, and enduring spirit of the late Anishinaabe Elder Rene Meshake. Rebecca Hass (Nitaawegiizhigok/Singing Sky Woman), a Métis artist, opera singer, and composer, will share songs and stories born from her deep creative and personal connection with Meshake.
Admission by donation starts at 5:00 p.m. with the performance beginning at 7:00 p.m. The performance will take place on the patio, weather permitting.
Rebecca Hass’s performance is offered in conjunction with the feature exhibition Maawnjidyang Maa: We Come Together Here, curated by the Decolonizing Place Narratives Collective.
Throughout the evening, witness a 30-foot-wide video projection on the east-facing wall of the St. Agnes School, overlooking the museum’s main entrance and parking lot. The video compilation features “The Archive of Steampunk Mishoomis,” created by longtime Guelph resident, Anishinaabemowin speaker, and residential school Survivor, Rene Meshake, whose art is also represented in the “Maawnjidyang Maa” exhibition.
About Rebecca Hass and Rene Meshake
From their first meeting in 2016, Meshake and Hass began dreaming up what Meshake called “Manaadjia,” which means “to take care of our people in order to conserve them for a long time.” Their musical collaborations wove together language, land, and tradition. Through emails, poetry, melodies, and teachings exchanged across the country, their relationship blossomed into a powerful artistic kinship. In Meshake’s words, Hass was his N’dawemaa (sister) and he believed their music was meant to change the world.
Hass will share original songs composed during their collaboration, performed with guitar, hand drum, and pipegwan, alongside stories, teachings, and digital artworks created with Meshake. The evening will offer an intimate window into their shared vision – a tribute not only to Meshake’s legacy as a storyteller, artist, and language keeper, but also to the transformative power of relationship, creativity, and land-based learning.

The Baker Street individuals: Help write the next chapter
2026-05-26 18:30 - 21:00 | Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
As significant work begins on the individuals excavated from the Baker Street public burial ground in Guelph, join the McMaster University research team for a project open house on Tuesday, May 26 at Guelph Civic Museum.
Dr. Megan Brickley will give a brief project update, introducing the team of experts and students working to understand the lives of those buried in Guelph’s earliest colonial cemetery.
No lab coat required—just curiosity! Try your hand at an “isotope detective” game – using chemical clues in teeth to track who was a local and who migrated here. See a mini lab for peptide research and learn how researchers investigate the biological sex and ages at death of those at the site. Interact with micro-CT scanned bones and explore “Excavating the Archive.” And (guaranteed to improve your hand hygiene) learn about “Microscopic Migrants” – parasites that travelled with people – alongside other aspects of health and disease, including working with a 3D bone scanner.
This interactive evening is about you, too.
Researchers need your questions, insights, and input as they plan the next steps, including a future memorial service at Woodlawn Memorial Park to “Honour Their Journey”.
Whether you’re a history buff, a student, or simply curious about who lived – and struggled -on the land beneath your feet, come ask questions, try the hands‑on activities.
Why does this matter today? In an era of global migration, understanding how health and migration intersected in the past helps us build a more informed and compassionate future.
Sessions begin at 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Preregistration via Eventbrite is required.
For more information and to support the work of Dr. Megan Brickley and the research team, visit Guelph Baker Street project page

Plant Kin & Observation Workshop with Roots & Raven (Tanya Gluvakov)
2026-05-31 09:30 - 15:00 | Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
We will spend a creative day together in conversation with the plant world, here, in Guelph. Beginning outdoors on the land, within the hilltop garden and at the rivers, we will observe and sketch our plant kin and listen to teachings of Spring. With care and curiosity, we will pay attention to the plant shapes, texture, and movements. It is an opportunity to look closely, connect and slow down.
After our time outside, we will take a lunch break before gathering at the Civic Museum to create a collaborative art piece inspired by our observations. The piece will inhabit a cabinet located outside the main floor gallery space and will be on display for the duration of the current exhibition, Maawnjidyang Maa: We Come Together Here.
We will meet at the museum at 9:30 a.m. and walk down to the art installation “At the River’s Edge, the Grandmothers are Weaving Tomorrow” located along the Speed River in John Galt Park. This gathering is offered to community members ages 13 and over, and will be held rain or shine. We will be providing sketch paper and materials but invite those who prefer different crafting styles to bring their own materials if they wish. Please wear appropriate clothing and bring a blanket or portable folding chair to comfortably sit on.
There will be a break for lunch at 12 p.m. We encourage participants to bring their own lunch, or to pick up lunch from a nearby food vendor.
Image credit: Amina Lalor
Preregistration via Eventbrite is required.
About the Guest Educator
Tanya Gluvakov is a mixed Mohawk woman with family and “roots” from Six Nations of the Grand River. Growing up in Toronto, Tanya now spearheads projects that bring resurgence of medicines and accessibility to urban communities. She grows and harvests many medicines from her own garden, and honorably from the land and teaches workshops about the many medicines and how connecting with them can help us find our way. She is an herbalist, mom, teacher, and auntie, and proud founder of Roots and Raven, where she welcomes indulgence in a variety of products and experiences created to help find moments of peace and remembrance of our connection to all things.

Piping Nights at McCrae Memorial Gardens
2026-06-03 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-07-08 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-08-05 19:00 - 20:30 | McCrae House, 108 Water Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 1A6, Canada
Listen in on the Guelph Pipe Band as they practice a variety of tunes in preparation for competition. The pipe major will share information about the music and the band. Bring a lawn chair, and settle in for stirring sounds on a summer night.

Tea in the Garden
2026-06-04 14:00 - 16:00 | McCrae House, 108 Water Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 1A6, Canada
Enjoy tea, scones and a bottomless pot of tea in the backyard gardens at McCrae House National Historic Site. Under large pine trees, experience McCrae Private blend tea or our Town Garden blend served with scones, whipped cream, berries and other sweet treats.
Bookings are required at least 48 hours in advance via Eventbrite or by phone at 519-836-1221.
Gluten free options can be made available upon request. The request must be made a minimum of 48 hours in advance.
In case of rain, tea will be served in the coach house or on the front porch.

Community Feast
2026-06-18 17:30 - 21:00 | Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
First Nations, Inuit, and Métis community members are invited to join us in honouring Niibin-Adakiiwan (The Change to Summer) on Thursday, June 18, at Guelph Civic Museum. RSVP on Eventbrite.
Opening by Manitou Mkwa Singers.
Bring a dish to share and your Feast Bundle.
Featuring feast dishes by Pow Wow Café for all to enjoy.
Video projection of “The Archive of Steampunk Mishoomis,” created by Rene Meshake/Steampunk Mishoomis, on the east-facing wall of the St. Agnes building, beside the Museum’s entrance, on view from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Shared in conjunction with Maawnjidyang Maa : We Come Together Here, an exhibition curated by the Decolonizing Place Narratives Research Collective, on view inside the Civic Museum.

National Indigenous Peoples Day Community Gathering
2026-06-21 12:00 - 17:00 | Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
Celebrate Indigenous Culture and Excellence on National Indigenous Peoples Day with an afternoon of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis art, song, and dance.
Featuring Cedar Drummers, a family drumming group with mixed Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe ancestry, and an Indigenous Market from 12:00 to 5 p.m. on the hilltop patio.
Shared in conjunction with Maawnjidyang Maa : We Come Together Here, an exhibition curated by the Decolonizing Place Narratives Research Collective, on view inside the Guelph Civic Museum.
All are welcome
Featured Performers:
Opening Song, drum circle and Closing by Cedar Drummers
Storytelling Drum and Song with Ame Papatsie
Metis Jigging with Alicia Hamilton
Vendors Including:
Bear Beats
El Milargo Foods
Make it Sweet
Melanie’s Beadings
Mystic Mae Creations
Naawigiizhig Creations
Zeeyo Premium Jewellery
Call For Vendors
Indigenous vendors are invited to apply by completing this form.

Fourth Friday: MR. SAUGA
2026-06-26 19:00 - 21:00 | Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
MR. SAUGA is a high-energy Indigenous performer fusing hip-hop with Michi Saagiig cultural elements. His engaging stage presence gets audiences to Get Loud! His latest album “Band Council Secrets” delivers impactful, crowd-ready tracks that showcase his evolving sound.
Admission by donation starts at 5 p.m. with the concert beginning at 7 p.m.. Cash bar available.
SAUGA’s performance is offered in conjunction with the feature exhibition Maawnjidyang Maa: We Come Together Here, curated by the Decolonizing Place Narratives Collective.
Throughout the evening, witness a 30-foot-wide video projection on the east-facing wall of the St. Agnes School, overlooking the museum’s main entrance and parking lot. The video compilation features “The Archive of Steampunk Mishoomis,” created by longtime Guelph resident, Anishinaabemowin speaker, and residential school Survivor, Rene Meshake, whose art is also represented in the Maawnjidyang Maa exhibition.

Backyard Theatre: La Montanara
2026-07-02 20:00 - 21:30 | McCrae House, 108 Water Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 1A6, Canada
La Montanara, an original musical remembrance performed by Mike Ford and Murray Foster, explores Canadian soldiers’ involvement in the Italian campaign of 1943-45. Inspired by the writings of Farley Mowat, Fred Sederberg, Mark Zuehlke, Caroline Moorehead, Tim Cook and others, this performance presents a musical tapestry that spans various styles, with interweaving guitar and bass work and soaring harmonies that evoke the passion, sacrifice, camaraderie, and challenges central to the Italian Campaign.
Museum and cash bar open at 7 p.m. Show starts at 8 p.m. The performance is approximately 60 minutes.
Preregistration via Eventbrite is required.
About the Artists
Ford and Foster bring a wealth of musical achievements: their diverse projects (including as members of Great Big Sea and Moxy Früvous) have sold well over half a million albums, garnered numerous songwriting awards, received nominations for multiple Juno and Canadian Folk Music Awards, earned a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, and have created critically acclaimed musicals, films, and internationally performed historical plays.
This is Ford’s fourth original piece presented at Backyard Theatre, after Sons of ’17, McCrae in the Mirror, and We Lived, Felt Dawn, Saw Sunset Glow

Fourth Friday: The Dufferin Groove
2026-07-24 19:00 - 21:00 | Civic Museum, 52 Norfolk Street, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
Close your eyes and you might just imagine you’re in New Orleans on a hot summer night!
The Dufferin Groove bring their cool, cozy, and cheerful Trad Jazz vibe to the Civic Museum patio, reviving music from the 1920s and 30s by greats like Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, and Joe “King” Oliver.
Gather your favourite people, grab a cool drink, and settle in for an evening of timeless tunes.
Admission by donation starts at 5 p.m. with the concert beginning at 7 p.m. Cash bar available.
About the Artists
Laurent Humeau (trumpet, clarinet, soprano, vocals), Jared Higgins (tenor banjo), and Ashleigh Rose (tuba)
Laurent Humeau (France) started playing guitar at an early age with his father, fell in love with the music of New Orleans, and taught himself soprano saxophone, clarinet, and trumpet. His love for performing the music of the greats, like Louis Armstrong, Johnny Dodds, Django Reinhardt, and Sydney Bechet, has taken him around the world. He leads multiple projects in Canada and Europe including the Jungle Jazz Band, and is delighted to be returning to the Guelph Civic Museum.
Ashleigh Rose (Canada), is a classically trained pianist and saxophonist and grand-daughter of the founder of the Etobicoke Philharmonic Orchestra. She transitioned to tuba and sousaphone within the fanfare culture of southern Europe and later the brass band culture of Berlin, Germany. She has played with the Titubanda (Rome), Salsa Azul (Berlin) the Berlin Brass Caravan (Berlin), Marching Disorder (Toronto), and The Happy Pals (Toronto).
Jared Higgins (Canada) is a Toronto local who has been playing professionally in the scene since graduating Humber College in 2016. Since then, he has become ubiquitous in the Toronto swing music scene, playing with acts like Trombone Charlotte, The Tap Room Gang, Tak Arikushi, The Happy Pals, and more.
