What to know
- Dog Days of Ontario Culture Days launches at Evergreen Brick Works on Sept. 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Visitors can have their dog sketched for free while another artist draws the portrait artist at work.
- A carnival guesser will try to determine participating dogs’ ages or weights, with donations supporting the Farley Foundation.
- The project will tour several Ontario communities before returning to Toronto.
Toronto dogs are getting their own carnival this weekend, complete with free portraits, games and commemorative keepsakes.
Dog Days of Ontario Culture Days, a carnival-inspired art experience created by Governor General’s Award-winning artist Micah Lexier, is kicking off in Toronto on Sept. 20.
The free event will take place at the Star Garden at Evergreen Brick Works, located at 550 Bayview Ave., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The province-wide project puts a canine spin on familiar carnival traditions while celebrating the special bond between dogs and their humans.
Your dog could become a work of art
One of the event’s main activities, A Portrait of the Person Making a Portrait of Your Dog, adds an unexpected layer to the traditional pet portrait.
A local artist will sketch each participating dog while a second artist draws the first artist at work. Dog owners can take home the portrait of their pup for free, while Lexier will keep the second drawing for a future publication. Together, the drawings will create a growing archive of the artists, owners, and dogs encountered throughout the provincial tour.
Visitors can also put their dog to the test in Guess Your Dog’s Age or Weight. Inspired by a classic midway game, a carnival guesser will attempt to determine a pup’s age or weight — something their humans may think is easier said than done.
In exchange for a donation, participants will receive a custom-minted commemorative coin. Donations will support the Farley Foundation, an Ontario charity that helps people facing financial hardship access essential veterinary care for their pets.
Part of a province-wide arts celebration
Dog Days is part of the 2026 Ontario Culture Days festival, which runs from Sept. 18 to Oct. 4 and features more than 1,500 free arts, culture and heritage experiences across the province. This year’s program includes everything from large-scale art installations and live performances to workshops, community karaoke and interactive public projects.
“Ontario Culture Days is about making arts and culture accessible, surprising and deeply rooted in community,” Ruth Burns, executive director of Ontario Culture Days, said in a press release.
“This year’s Creatives in Residence invite people to participate, contribute and connect, whether that’s bringing your dog to an art event, adding an object to a sculpture, singing karaoke with strangers or stepping inside an immersive installation.”
Dog Days is one of five newly commissioned projects featured in Shifting Ground: Creatives in Residence 2026, the festival’s flagship residency program.
Rather than asking people to simply look at a finished piece, the program turns audiences into active participants. Artists will transform parks, churches, galleries and other public spaces into places for creativity, more conversation and community gathering.
Other projects in the series include Zinnia Naqvi’s community karaoke night in London, Ont., Jon Sasaki’s evolving sculpture made with objects donated by visitors in St. Catharines and Studio Rat’s inflatable installation created from reclaimed plastic in Ottawa.
Toronto will also host Playing Pictures by Timothy Yanick Hunter on Oct. 2 at Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church. The experience combines moving images, sound and improvisation while examining archives, movement and the African diaspora.
A dog-friendly art tour across Ontario
Lexier’s project will travel through Toronto, Oakville, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Temiskaming and Windsor between Sept. 20 and Oct. 4.
After its Evergreen Brick Works launch, Dog Days is also scheduled to appear at 50 Queens Quay East Park on Sept. 27 and Oct. 4 from noon to 4 p.m., according to the Culture Days event listing.
Organizers say the tour will conclude with a special waterfront celebration in Toronto on Oct. 5 for World Pet Day, bringing dogs, their owners and members of the community together for one final event.
