Arts for Peace Orillia: A Celebration of Community and Connection

—by Annalise Stenekes

After a six-year hiatus, the Orillia community is invited to gather on the grounds of the Leacock Museum Historic Site (50 Museum Drive) on Sunday June 22 from 1 to 4 p.m. for the Arts for Peace Festival – a vibrant and heartfelt celebration of local creativity and shared humanity dating back to the 1980s!

Held in the heart of Orillia, this local gem offers much more than entertainment. It’s a chance to slow down and truly connect with your neighbors — not just as passersby in the grocery aisle, but as people with stories, talents, and something to share.

At its core, the festival is about peacebuilding. As co-organizer Becky Bauman described, “Peace building is about knowing other people and connecting with them as human beings.” Whether you’re laughing together, watching a performance, or simply enjoying a moment of stillness in a shared space, the festival is about making those human connections that form the foundation of peaceful communities.

In a world that often feels increasingly divided and disconnected — both globally and locally — Arts for Peace is a refreshing reminder of what brings us together. “It’s important to have things like this that bring people together and create a happy, peaceful atmosphere for everyone to be in,” said Bauman’s grade 10 daughter, Selema, who is helping organize the festival as part of a special school project. 

One of the things that makes this festival unique is the intentional focus on presence, not profit. There are no booths trying to sell you things. No ticket price. No commercial distractions. Just a welcoming space to enjoy music, art, dance, meditation, and fellowship — all offered and facilitated by local community members.

“It’s not about buying things,” Bauman explained. “It’s just about enjoying each other’s presence and wanting to make the world more peaceful”.

That simplicity is part of its beauty. Seasoned and first-time festivalgoers will have an opportunity to watch a performance, listen to storytelling, make a paper crane, learn a tune on the ukulele, or participate in one of the many other activities like Tai Chi, Yoga, bubble making, and crafts.  Attendees are not just spectators; they will collaboratively be part of creating something larger by strengthening the invisible threads that tie our community together.

So mark your calendar for June 22 and drop by the Arts for Peace Orillia Festival! Come for the music and art, stay for the connection — and leave with a little more hope that together we can build peace – one shared moment at a time.