Deadline for application: Sunday, August 2, 2026, 12 midnight
Optional Site Visit: Site visits will be held on Tuesdays and Thursday, between 10am to 2pm upon request
Event Dates:
November 25th, Preview night with media and RBG promotional content capture
November 26th, 2026 – January 3rd, 2026 (including December 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30)
26 Dates in total
Thursday through Sunday only
5pm to 10pm each night
The select artist(s) must be present for all nights of Winter Wonders without exception.
About Winter Wonders:
Winter Wonders is Royal Botanical Gardens’ signature winter experience attracting approximately 40,000 visitors over 5 weeks. Guests explore illuminated outdoor trails, enjoy festive music and seasonal treats, and take in the beauty of winter landscapes throughout Hendrie Park. Inside, vibrant plant displays, holiday décor, and a charming model train exhibit offer warmth and wonder for all ages. It’s a joyful tradition that blends nature, light, and celebration.
What we're looking for:
To enhance the Winter Wonders experience RBG is seeking a performing arts element that helps animate the site with live performers. We are seeking a single organization or artist collective who can bring a sense of whimsy and energy to the outdoor festival grounds for the entire duration of Winter Wonders.
The presentation must be:
· Family-friendly, engaging for a multi-generational audience
· Consists of no less than 4 performers at all times
· Include professional costumes, masks, puppets or mobile elements that add to the experience
· Vignettes, bits, characters and moments, rather than a scripted, long-format narrative
· Interactive and engaging for both individuals at an intimate level, or a spectacle for crowds from a distance
What we don’t want:
· A presentation that takes place in one space. We want a performance that engages the grounds of Hendrie Park
· A deeply narrative work that requires the audience to see the entire performance for it to resonate
· A presentation that requires significant technical requirements (ie. No stage, production lighting, PA system, etc.)
· Only a roving musician performance > music is welcome as part of a performance but it cannot be simply a series of musicians performing without a character and visual spectacle
Location:
Winter Wonders takes place in Hendrie Park, located directly across from the RBG Main Centre. This gated park includes multiple gardens (dormant during Winter Wonders), the Dan Lawrie International Sculpture Collection of 20+ permanent works from around the world, the reflecting pond, Tea House, Mitchell’s Field, the historic Hendrie Gates and numerous other stunning features.
Winter Wonders includes interactive and engaging art installations, a vendor market in heated cabins, fire pits and tasty snacks, illuminated trails and photo-ops, indoor live music and thousands of twinkle lights – making Hendrie Park a stunning environment for our guests.
