Summer art show brings thousands to Bracebridge

Thousands have been passing through Bracebridge this weekend for one of the region's most significant art shows of the year.

After two years of cancellations, the Muskoka Arts & Crafts Summer Show has returned to Muskoka. The event features over 150 artists, many from across the province.

"The summer show is Muskoka Arts & Crafts biggest fundraiser of the year and really keeps us going and helps us create more programming for our local artists," says Nichole Kitchen, the executive director of Muskoka Arts & Crafts. "So the last two years, not having the show has been really, really tough."

A new layout was one of the new aspects of the show this year. It has local breweries on hand, and the event has been licenced, so open alcohol was permitted, something Kitchen says was a welcome change for regular attendees.

The event, now in its 60th year, is one both local artists and those from across Ontario look forward to every year, Kitchen says. Since it is a juried show, she says it has a good reputation throughout the artistic community.

"I just think it's so amazing. A lot of these artists have been coming here for 30 plus years and just getting to hear their stories and walking around," says Kitchen. "It's pretty special, and so I just think the fact that we can all be back together after two years of the pandemic and bring this show back to life, it's so nice to celebrate 60 years."