What’s on at the Festival: Family Events

Check out family friendly events to enjoy at the Northumberland Festival of the Arts, September 16 – October 2, 2022, taking place in Northumberland County’s picturesque towns and beautiful countryside. NFOTA’s family events showcase film, art, ecology, literature and music—something for all tastes.

“Art is the expression and sharing of something true and available to everyone. Art makes us feel and that makes us more fully alive.”

Shannon Linton (organizer of “Together We Can: Music Across Generations”

Saving Monarchs – Family Film, Art & Ecology Event (Brighton)

8-year-old Morgan from Morgan’s Monarchs

Sun Sep 18; 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM Free with Presqu’ile Park admission

Join Film Access Northumberland (FAN) and NFOTA for a family event at Presqu’ile Park. FAN will screen Nick de Pencier’s award winning NFB film “Four Wings and a Prayer.” Staff of Presqu’ile will demonstrate their Monarch Tagging Program, and NFOTA welcomes 8-year-old Morgan Mansfield of Morgan’s Monarchs, an advocate for growing monarch habitat, and her mother Gavy Swan, who are both Butterflyway Rangers with the David Suzuki Foundation’s Butterflyway Project.

Find out how Morgan creates butterfly habitat, rescues caterpillars and releases the emerged monarch butterflies and how kids can make a difference. Edward Hagedorn, artist and retired expressive arts therapist, will offer hands-on workshops for children, giving them the opportunity to make their own beautiful butterflies or paint a picture related to their migration. A fun afternoon for the whole family!

Sponsored by:


Graphic Novel Workshop with Ted Staunton and Josh Rosen (Port Hope)

Ted Staunton & Josh Rosen having fun with the kids

Mon Sep 26; 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM. Free but registration required.

Author Ted Staunton and illustrator Josh Rosen will take kids into the world of creating a graphic novel and share some stories too. Kids can ask questions and participate in a hands-on graphic novel activity.

Sponsored by Port Hope Rotary


Together We Can: Music Across Generations (Cobourg)

Sat Oct 1; 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM; $20 adults; Under 12 free

An intergenerational concert celebrating all things musical in Northumberland County combining the talents of our local professional musicians with young musicians. From fiddles to choir, original songs to musical theatre, come witness the results of a week of collaboration and mentorship between paired local performers of all genres. Artists include: Hill & Landing; Sarah Lewis; Jessica Outram; Shannon Linton & SONG; Ted Staunton; The Abzolutely Choir; Saskia Tomkins and more!

Sponsored in part by Ontario Arts Council


Book Fairs (Brighton & Port Hope)

NFOTA presents 2 opportunities to buy books by local authors on the weekend of Sat Sept 24 & 25.

In the east part of the county visit our book booth at Brighton Applefest from 10 – 4pm.

In the west part of the county, the NFOTA Book Fair (& Goats) will be part of Cultivate Festival at Haute Goat farm north of Port Hope.  Our Book Tent will be open 11-5 both days. We have invited popular children’s authors to entertain the kids at regular “Storytime” sessions so parents can browse the book tables laden with books of all genres and do some early holiday shopping.

Tickets: Free with purchase of Cultivate Festival ticket. Contact the Cultivate Festival for tickets.

Sponsored by Spirit of the Hills Arts Association, Port Hope Rotary & Writescape


Help Us Spread the Word

Please share this post on your social media and with your contacts.

View the entire event schedule and purchase tickets here :

Northumberland Festival of the Arts is a volunteer-run not-for-profit arts organization.

To volunteer for NFOTA, please contact info@festivalofthearts.ca

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *