The Seaforth & District Food Bank board includes members from the different church denominations in the community. Volunteer staff prioritize confidentiality as well as recognize that every human deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. During Doors Open, come and learn more about the food bank's operations. Maybe you will also discover a way you can help.

Since 1923, there has been a jeweller at this historical location in the Cardno Block (built in 1877 by Alexander Cardno). The original jewellers were the Savauge family until 1970 when Seaforth Jewellers opened, operated by successive owners (including current owners, Doug and Nancy Anstett). During Doors Open, come and explore this unique store, and learn about its history.

There has been a lawn bowling club in Seaforth since the late 1890s. The current clubhouse was built in 1929. On August 14, 1929, the opening tournament on the new greens was reported to be the largest and most successful ever held in Western Ontario. Stop by to learn more about the club and the sport.

Seaforth Public School is a Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8 school that serves the town and surrounding area. It has a student population of 300 students and a staff of 30. This school used to reside at 13 Church Street, where the Maplewood Manor is. During Doors Open, enjoy a walk through the school, which will feature an art show.

Built in 1902, Seaforth’s iconic Round House — once known as the “Crystal Palace” for its many windows — is a rare two-storey octagonal exhibition hall, one of only two remaining in Ontario. Originally constructed to showcase agricultural exhibits at the local fall fair, it continues this tradition today. Visit during Doors Open Seaforth and explore family displays and local history.

Curious about where Seaforth’s drinking water comes from? Come and tour the Seaforth Water Treatment Plant to see how water from three wells is tested, treated and made safe and reliable to drink. Explore the pipes, treatment process and computerized monitoring system that ensures clean water flows from the plant to your tap. Note: Closed-toe shoes required for the tour.

Van Egmond House was built in 1846-47 by Constant Louis Van Egmond, who founded Egmondville two years prior. The Van Egmond House Museum is owned and operated by the Van Egmond Foundation, which hosts a number of events on the property each year, including the popular Ciderfest. Come and learn about the history of Van Egmond and his historical house.

Built of native stone and dedicated to the Congregational church in 1871, this property has enjoyed many uses over the years. Today, this designated building is a thriving yoga, music and dance studio. The teachers and staff all work to create healing, harmony and wellness in the community through classes and workshops. Come and explore this beautifully renovated building.

Join the Bayshore Broadcasting Corporation this year as they celebrate the Year of Radio. Enjoy guided tours by on-air staff, photo displays, an opportunity to record your memories of local station 560 CFOS, and a charity barbecue by the Rotary Club of Owen Sound. This year, as CFOS celebrates its 85th year, they will be moving from AM to FM.

The Billy Bishop Museum remains an Owen Sound landmark. Boyhood home of the eponymous First World War flying ace, this museum invites you to explore the Bishop family and to honour the contributions of service men and women, past and present. Dedicated as a museum in 1987, this site became a National Historic Site in 2002.

This church was built in 1889 for the West Side Methodists. They soon outgrew this little chapel and, in 1911, they sold it and it became the British Methodist Episcopal Church (originally known as “the coloured people's church”). Today, this diverse congregation continues to carry on the legacy of the original Black families who settled in Grey County.

The Marine Rail Heritage Centre, housed inside the Community Waterfront Heritage Centre, was established in 1978 by a volunteer group of enthusiasts to showcase Owen Sound’s history as a thriving port. Located inside the historical railway station, this museum preserves the area’s marine, rail and industrial history with artifacts, scale models, archival photos, interactive stations and railway memorabilia.

This school is a 600-square-meter (6,500-square-foot) maker space that complements the expanding arts scene in Owen Sound. With classes in pottery, jewelry, printmaking, stained glass and more, the school is steadily growing — offering new classes and open studios, and acquiring new equipment regularly. Come and explore this creative space and see how they foster collaboration and skills development.

Originally a church, this dynamic cultural institution is dedicated to providing the community with accessible and affordable spaces to share, create, educate and perform. With a 700-seat auditorium, a commons area, kitchen/banquet facilities, and numerous smaller lofts and studios, the Harmony Centre is an example of the value of retrofitting an existing community asset to respond to changing times.

Morland Place, built in 1920, is known for its splendid gardens. Members of Rural Gardens of Grey Bruce invite you to experience the beauty of these gardens. Meet enthusiastic and knowledgeable gardeners who are happy to share their experiences. Various gardens — in French, Italian and perennial styles — were designed and added by the current owner of Morland Place, Barry More.

Once a railway station, the Mudtown Station Brewery and Restaurant (now designated) offers a meeting place in Owen Sound’s Mudtown neighbourhood that celebrates both the history of the city and the talents of its present-day residents. Stop by for a tour or enjoy some of their scratch-made food produced with local ingredients and paired with local craft beer.

This library was founded in 1855 as a Mechanics’ Institute. The present neoclassical structure — completed in 1914 with a Carnegie Foundation grant — features exterior monumental brick pilasters with carved limestone trim and bases, and a barrel-vaulted ceiling with decorative plasterwork. An addition dates from 1972. The building was designated in 2009. Of architectural note is this library’s vaulted ceiling.

Constructed in 1905 as a retail store, this building was purchased in 1924 by a rival retailer who operated it as a dry goods store until 1989. Designated under the Ontario Heritage Act in 1990, it is now home to the Owen Sound Artists' Co-op — a gallery/retail space for area artists to showcase and sell their work.

Dedicated on December 1, 1920 and designed by the assistant to the man behind France’s Vimy Ridge monument, the Owen Sound Cenotaph serves as a memorial to Canadian veterans from the First World War, the Second World War, the Korean War, and up to the present day. Legion Remembrance Day ceremonies and memorial services are held here to this day.

Greenwood Cemetery is home to Potter's Field, the final resting place for 1,200 indigent and stigmatized citizens. In 2018, John and Shirley Reaburn supported the creation of a permanent monument, which was unveiled in 2021. Learn about the history of Potter’s Field with guides Aly Boltman and Terri Jackson, who will touch on the unique histories of those buried here.

Lawn bowling has been a popular summer sport in Owen Sound for more than 100 years. The club, originally called Owen Sound North (Brooke) Lawnbowling Club, purchased this property for $200 in 1948. After a fire in the 1990s destroyed the St. George’s Lawnbowling Club facility, Roselawn welcomed its members. Come and visit and try your hand at lawn bowling!

The Roxy Theatre building, which was originally the Grand Opera House, was constructed in 1913 and has long been a landmark in Owen Sound. The Owen Sound Little Theatre, a not-for-profit charitable organization, now uses the building for community theatrical productions as well as many stage performances and musical events. Free parking on Saturdays in the lot behind the theatre.

This church is an active community member — with bi-monthly neighbourhood dinners, the O’Share program for those with food and housing insecurity, the annual Great Lakes Sailors Blessing of the Fleet, community concerts, the weekly Shoreline Chorus and a weekly youth karate group in the parish hall. Doors Open Owen Sound is a wonderful opportunity to explore this heritage building.

The former Sydenham Community School, built in 1967, was an elementary school until 2017. In 2018, Grey County purchased the 4,200-square-metre (45,000-square-foot) building and turned it into a regional hub now called Sydenham Campus. The partners and tenants form a collection of trainers and businesses that support workers, entrepreneurs and local organizations by providing access to education and training.

Established in 1967 as a memorial to iconic Canadian landscape artist Tom Thomson, this gallery houses a nationally significant collection of the artist’s works and artifacts. It develops exhibitions and programs that enrich the region and contribute to a national visual arts discourse. Completely renovated in 1988, the gallery features exhibition halls, collection storage, an educational studio and atrium.