Arts & Culture

Three women and a young girl walking through an alleyway looking at a public art painting of Arthur Shilling

Orillia Arts District

Downtown Orillia

The Orillia Arts District encompasses over two blocks of independent galleries, studios, and creative spaces.

The district is also a home to the annual living art project, Streets Alive, which presents life-sized sculptures throughout the downtown core from spring to fall with a dedicated theme. 

View the Arts Directory

A hand painted sculpture of a vintage van depicts musician Gordon Lightfoot playing guitar by a lake

Public Art

Free, city-wide sites

Orillia packs a robust public art scene which populates the City's winding waterfront trails, major points of interest, and heritage sites. If you're looking to take a self-guided tour, follow the City's Public Art Map, which pinpoints installations across the City.

Explore Public Art in Orillia

Front view of the Orillia Opera House with its red brick façade, twin turrets, and theatre banners beneath a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.

Orillia Opera House

1 West Street North

For over 100 years the Orillia Opera House has served as a cultural hub for the City's residents and visitors. The largest and only professional live theatre venue north of Toronto, the historic theatre brings a long lineup of international names to the stage year-round.

Upcoming events at the Orillia Opera House

View from the sound booth of a live performance on stage at the Orillia Opera House, with musicians under stage lights and audio equipment in the foreground.

Music Scene

Orillia's live music scene packs a robust lineup of Canadian talents who perform at various late-night pubs, restaurants, and major annual festivals and events.

If you're looking to see what local talent is playing at a venue near you, head to Local and Live 365 to search Orillia's listing. 

Into the summer season, a variety of events hosted by the Port of Orillia, Downtown Orillia, and the Orillia Farmers' Market incorporate free live music into their events. And of course, summer marks the return of the grand dame of folk festivals, the Mariposa Folk Festival.