Artists will be here, there and everywhere for Elora Plein Air Festival

ELORA – Organizers of the Elora Plein Air Festival are once again gearing up for an influx of artistic talent from across Canada and the U.S.  

The four-day festival commences on May 16 and continues through May 19.  

A Show and Sale showcasing the artists’ creations will be hosted on May 19 at the Elora Centre for the Arts.

Witness artists capturing the essence of the beauty of Elora and Fergus in town and country. 

You may see artists around any corner, painting in the rain, hunkered down in the gorge or capturing the drama of a night view.  

They love chances to paint farms and hiking trails – they will be everywhere.

Here’s what’s going on:

Quick Paint Competition

May 18 –  Quick Paint Competition in downtown Fergus from 9am to 1pm. Headquarters will be on Provost Lane.

Artists must complete a painting in two hours from 9 to 11am. The event features judging and on-site sale of ‘wet work.’ A great chance to take home an image of beautiful Fergus.

At the Elora Centre for the Arts

May 18 and 19 – At the Elora Centre for the Arts there will be two simultaneous activities from 1 to 3pm on Saturday and Sunday with artist and teacher Meredith Blackmore guiding and orchestrating the creations. All are welcome – adults and kids – to join this free event.

Event 1: Join in a landscape-themed collective painting. Paints and brushes supplied. 

Event 2: Or be part of creating a collective paper-and-nature collage mess. No paint – just easy cut-and-paste fun. 

Walking Tour

May 18 – walking tour of “A.J. Casson’s Elora.” A guided tour will leave from the Elora Tourism office at 2pm and wind through the village locales where this famous Group of Seven painter did his own plein air work in Elora.

Show and Sale

May 19 – The Elora Plein Air Festival Show and Sale runs from noon to 5pm at the Elora Centre for the Arts. This is the culmination of the weekend after more than 70 artists are expected to participate during the event.

There will be a beautiful display of works of scenes from around the township. Discover a piece that must come home with you.