Vaughan’s Culture Days celebration ranks among the top in Canada!

Every year, hundreds of cities, towns and regions of all sizes come together to participate in Culture Days – a national celebration of the vibrancy of arts and culture in their communities. And this year, Vaughan’s festivities were among the best, ranking eighth overall as a Top Participating Community and fifth among mid-sized cities in Canada. 

This ranking was celebrated by Mayor Steven Del Duca and Members of Council during a special ceremonial presentation at today’s Council meeting. 

Vaughan kicked off Culture Days presented by TD, which ran from Sept. 22 to Oct. 15, with a flag-raising event at Vaughan City Hall and free family-friendly activities. The City also hosted a variety of events throughout the three-week-long festival, including woodlot cleanups, tree planting events, self-guided public art exhibits and a Sisters in Spirit Vigil. 

In 2023, Vaughan was also selected as a Regional Festival Hubalong with 12 other municipalities and regions across the province. It was a unique opportunity to continue to foster cultural understanding and promote inclusivity, all while exploring various forms of art, music, dance and literature. 

Culture Days set aside Sept. 30 to create a space exclusively for events organized to commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This included events sharing First Nations, Métis and Inuit experiences and perspectives celebrating the creative and cultural expressions of Indigenous people and communities.

Events like Culture Days are one of many ways the City supports cultural and artistic diversity in Vaughan. Enriching residents’ lives with art and cultural expression through events, exhibits and festivals is part of providing Service Excellence as outlined in the 2022-2026 Term of Council Service Excellence Strategic Plan priorities.

Learn more about this year’s Culture Days celebrations at vaughan.ca/culture.

QUOTE

“Every year, Culture Days is one of the city’s most anticipated events, where the community gets an opportunity to celebrate our diverse heritage, enjoy engaging performances and experience art installations across Vaughan. Our 2023 event was a resounding success! This year, Vaughan was home to more than 70 events – enough to secure a top spot out of all communities participating nationwide. This is a testament to the City of Vaughan's concerted efforts to foster a vibrant arts and culture sector in the city. I want to congratulate the Events team and the entire Recreation Services portfolio for their hard work to bring Culture Days to life and position Vaughan as a great place to live, visit and raise a family.”

- Mayor Steven Del Duca 

QUICK FACTS 

• The City of Vaughan ranked eighth nationally as a Top Participating Community and fifth among mid-sized cities in the 2023 Culture Days.
• This achievement was recognized during a ceremonial presentation at the Tuesday, Dec. 12 Council meeting.
• Each year, hundreds of artists and organizers participate in Ontario Culture Days – an annual celebration of arts, culture and heritage. This year’s festival took place from Sept. 22 to Oct. 15, with the City of Vaughan selected as a Regional Festival Hub.
• The 2023 presenting sponsor for the Vaughan Festival Hub is TD.
• Ensuring Vaughan is a vibrant, diverse, inclusive and equity-based community for all is a priority for the City of Vaughan as outlined in the Council-approved 2022-2026 Term of Council Service Excellence Strategic Plan.

LEARN MORE 

• City of Vaughan Events webpage
• City of Vaughan Culture Days webpage