Art in the Park on pace for record attendance

Crowds flocked to Walkerville over the weekend to see one the largest art and crafts festivals in Ontario.

Thousands of feet shuffled through the gates at Willistead Park Saturday with visitors eager to browse the tents at Art in the Park.

Artists, eateries, and vendors set up shop in Windsor’s Walkerville for one of the largest arts and craft festivals in Ontario.

Allan Kidd, chair of Art in the Park 2026, believes the opening day foot traffic puts the festival on pace for another record year.

“I think if we have a beautiful day like this [Sunday], we’re going to hit our number, which would be 35 to 40,000 people,” Kidd said on Saturday afternoon.

Money collected from the entrance fee supports the restoration of Willistead Manor and the Rotary Club of Windsor’s charitable projects.

“So, everybody working here is working for free. We’re able to put 100 per cent of that money back to work for charity. A great deal comes back to Windsor, and the Rotary Club uses a lot of that money to do some of our charitable work overseas,” Kidd noted.

Under each tent, there’s often a unique offering that’s difficult to replicate. Kidd said there are about 307 vendors set up for the festivities, including businesses from Ontario, Manitoba, and New Brunswick.

“People ask me what’s new. Well, everything’s new, it’s all one of a kind. Almost everything that you see here is original and unique, so that’s a big attraction,” Kidd added.

The two-day festival continues Sunday with free shuttle services available at Hiram Walker parking lot and the 1591 Kildare parking lot.