Celebrating 20 Years of Willowbank: Craft, Culture & Community

Aug 11

6 min read

Updated: 5 days ago

Join us Saturday, September 19 for Willowbank's 20th Anniversary Celebration!

FREE COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE | 1–5 PM

EVENING WITH THE WOODSHED ORCHESTRA | 6–9 PM | $20

September 2026 marks an extraordinary milestone for Willowbank: 20 years of the Willowbank School of Restoration Arts and its unique approach to heritage conservation education. To mark this milestone, we are opening the doors of the Willowbank National Historic Site for an afternoon and evening celebrating the craftspeople, students, teachers and community who have shaped the School over the past two decades. Join us for a free Community Open House from 1–5 p.m., followed by an evening celebration with the wonderfully eclectic Woodshed Orchestra from 6–9 p.m (tickets $20).

Everyone is welcome! This celebration is also an opportunity for our community to come together in support of Willowbank's future. As we work to raise the funds needed to match up to $193,000 committed by the Government of Canada through Parks Canada, the 20th Anniversary celebration will help support this important restoration project and unlock the full federal investment. You can learn how you can double your impact by supporting this critical project here.

Community Open House | 1–5 p.m.

Free admission

Spend the afternoon exploring Willowbank and experience heritage conservation in action. Throughout the historic campus, Willowbank faculty will demonstrate some of the traditional skills at the heart of our program, alongside an artisan market, special anniversary exhibit, virtual-reality experience, family activities, food and more.

Explore 20 Years of Willowbank and the Indigenous Love Garden and Good Eats!

Step inside the Manor House to explore a special anniversary exhibit tracing the founding of the School and some of the people, projects and milestones that have shaped Willowbank over its first two decades.

As part of the day’s celebrations, all visitors are invited to visit the Willowbank Community Love Garden, learn about this sacred garden space and join a special Thunderbird totem pole retiring ceremony at 2 p.m. held in tribute to community elder Albert Choken Baa and Missing Murdered Indigenous Boys & Men + (MMIBM). This ceremony will be facilitated by Grandmother Marie Jones, a Mohawk traditional woman born on the Six Nations Territory, Turtle Clan and Fred Bowering, Mohawk Nation.

Family-friendly activities will be available throughout the afternoon, and Michaels will be joining us with fun, hands-on crafting activities for kids in the Love Garden!

BBQ from PigOut Catering – available during the Open House from 1–5 p.m., the roasting area will be positioned away from the main event space.

Pig Roast from PigOut Catering – available for an additional fee during the evening celebrations from 6–8 p.m.

Marble Slab Creamery will be joining us for the day with “The Twist” — featuring their full menu alongside a Sundae Bar, shakes, a Fudge Brownie Delight, mini donuts and plenty of customizable sweet treats.

Heritage Skills in Action with Willowbank Faculty

Bruce Chambers — Furniture Restoration

Watch artisan woodworker Bruce Chambers restore a Windsor chair using traditional woodworking and furniture-making techniques. Bruce creates furniture one piece at a time using time-honoured craft techniques and has extensive experience in both restoration and custom furniture making. Bruce also has his own line of furniture and collaborates with his customers to design and create custom pieces of fine furniture to suit their needs and space.

Lori Le Mare — Historic & Decorative Finishes

Watch Lori as she demonstrates how to replicate historic paint finishes (in particular “faux” marble). Lori will be utilizing modern and traditional materials to replicate a marble block panel similar to the original painted marble found in the foyer of Willowbank School for Restoration Arts. Since 1988, Lori Le Mare Studio has earned a solid reputation as master artisans in heritage restoration and painted decoration. From large scale historic restoration projects to custom residential design, the studio has a portfolio of a wide range of projects.

Architectural interior painted surfaces that have been restored by Lori Le Mare Studio include The Colonial Building, St. John’s NL, Dundurn Castle, Hamilton On, Assumption Church, Windsor, On, Osgoode Hall, Spadina House and Casa Loma, Toronto On.

Dean McLellan — Drystone Construction

Over the course of the afternoon, Dean will construct a commemorative drystone cairn marking Willowbank’s 20th anniversary. Dean became Canada’s first Master Craftsman, examiner and instructor through the Drystone Walling Association of Great Britain’s certification program and has since taught and examined thousands of students across Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. A dedicated advocate for authentic craftsmanship, Dean is committed to ensuring these time-honoured building traditions continue to be practised and passed on to future generations.

Keith Blades — Traditional Lime Mortars

Keith Blades will be offering demonstrations and teaching about traditional lime mortars ahd sharing the process of converting lime stone to lime mortars. Come along and discover how limestone becomes the traditional lime mortars that have held historic buildings together for centuries. Keith is known nationally and internationally as Canada’s leading masonry conservation consultant and has worked extensively on Parliament Hill and other nationally significant sites. He has also taught at major preservation centres both in Canada and abroad. He combines an intimate understanding of both theory and practice in the field. Keith has an MA Conservation Studies from the University of York, England.Known nationally and internationally for his expertise in masonry conservation, Keith has worked extensively on Parliament Hill and other nationally significant sites and is a Co-Dean of Willowbank’s Diploma Program.

Magali Furieri — Decorative Plaster

Watch Magali demonstrate the artistry and craftsmanship of traditional decorative plaster. A fourth-generation plaster conservator and Willowbank graduate and faculty member, Magali has worked on significant heritage projects including the West Block of Parliament, Massey Hall, Osgoode Hall and Union Station. Carrying forward a family tradition of plaster craftsmanship spanning four generations, she brings extensive hands-on experience in the conservation, restoration and recreation of historic plasterwork.

Meet Our Artisan Market Vendors

Our anniversary Artisan Market brings together local artists, makers and craftspeople celebrating creativity, craftsmanship and the handmade.

Molly Yimlei Yep — Art M YY Canada

Explore Molly’s collection of small, handcrafted works in clay and soapstone.

Rachel Weasner — Elemental Nish

Discover traditional medicines, smudge sprays, bath and body products, jewellery and other handcrafted items from Elemental Nish.

Amanda Faulkner — Quilts by Amanda

Browse Amanda’s collection of handmade quilted goods, combining traditional textile skills with contemporary creativity.

Tammy Lacas

Explore a colourful collection of handcrafted beaded jewellery and regalia pieces, alongside handmade textile goods.

Chris Hartmann - Third Space Pottery Chris runs Third Space Pottery, a community pottery studio in St. Catharines, ON. Chris' pottery is a reflection of their love of nature, their garden & cooking. Chris aims to create pieces that are functional but also interesting to look at and to touch.

Experience Historic Willowbank in Virtual Reality

Niagara College students will invite visitors to experience a virtual-reality interpretation of the Willowbank Estate in the 1800s. Developed through a collaboration between Willowbank and Niagara College, led by Willowbank Board Director Conor MacNeil, Professor in Niagara College’s School of Media and Game Development program, the project brought Niagara College and Willowbank students together to reimagine the historic Estate. Drawing on photographs, floor plans, archival research and conversations with community members, the experience offers an immersive glimpse into Willowbank’s past.

Discover the Niagara Geopark

As a partner of the Niagara Geopark, Willowbank is a significant Geosite with evidence of Indigenous presence dating back more than 9,000 years. Visit the Niagara Geopark booth to discover the remarkable geology, archaeology and cultural history of the Willowbank landscape — and stories that extend far beyond the 1834 Manor House.

Connect with the Niagara Foundation and Mackenzie Printery

Founded in 1962, the Niagara Foundation has played an important role in protecting and celebrating Niagara-on-the-Lake’s architectural, cultural and natural heritage. Learn more about its work in heritage preservation and advocacy, as well as its stewardship of significant places such as The Wilderness, the historic five-acre property on King Street being preserved for future community use.

Located just down the road from Willowbank in Queenston, the Mackenzie Printery brings more than 500 years of printing history to life. Housed in the restored home of publisher, reformer and Toronto’s first mayor William Lyon Mackenzie, it features working heritage presses and traditional letterpress techniques.

Connect with these two organizations at Willowbank at 20 and discover more about the people, places and traditions helping to preserve and share Niagara’s remarkable heritage.

An Evening with The Woodshed Orchestra | 6–9 p.m.

As the sun goes down, the celebration continues.

Join us for a joyful evening on the Willowbank grounds with friends, food, drinks and the wonderfully eclectic sounds of The Woodshed Orchestra.

The Woodshed Orchestra is a collective of talented musicians brought together by a belief in the power of music to uplift and connect people. Moving across an exciting blend of musical styles, they are the perfect soundtrack for an evening celebrating 20 years of Willowbank.

Enjoy live music, food and a cash bar featuring local beverages such as Oast, as we raise a glass to the people who have shaped Willowbank, those carrying its traditions forward today, and the next 20 years still to come.

Evening concert admission: $20

Proceeds from every ticket purchased will support Willowbank's Parks Canada matching-funds project — meaning your $20 ticket can have a $40 impact. By joining us to celebrate 20 years of Willowbank, you'll also be helping to protect this National Historic Site and open more of it for education and community use. You can buy your ticket here.