Hamilton Winter Solstice Festival returns to Corktown Park

Hamiltonians will be celebrating the longest day of the year tomorrow when the Hamilton Winter Solstice Festival returns to Corktown Park.

With plenty of music, dance, aerialists, fire performances and even a fire sculpture, there’s something for everyone at the show.

Traditionally the longest day of the year, the winter solstice also marks the beginning of winter in the northern hemisphere. In Hamilton, that’s as good an excuse as any for a party.

Corktown Park will be transformed into a winter wonderland Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., snow or no snow.  There will be live performances, fire spinners and a fire sculpture finale, and kids can use their smartphones to scan QR codes and activate cool augmented reality elements.

Thanks to festival partners Red Tree Artists’ Collective, Corktown Neighbourhood Association and The City of Hamilton Ward 2 office, the Hamilton Winter Solstice Festival is free.

Sounding Spaces, featuring Tony Vieira, Miles Koseleci-Vieira and special guest, Sarah Good – a sound art/music collective based in Hamilton – will kick off the show at 5:30. The musical collective will perform improvised and sketch-composed soundscapes that respond to architectural spaces and natural physical elements.

At 5:45 the Hamilton Aerial Group performs, followed by Sounding Spaces once more from 6 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. The Sound Effect Crew interactive dance performers will showcase their talents from 6:20-6:40, with Hamilton Beat Harmonic performing from 6:45 to 7:10.

Fire performances by Billy Bones and Hot Carl is next on the agenda and the night will culminate with the lighting of a fire sculpture by Melanie Skene.

Bring your LED lights and battery powered lanterns and join in the celebration of the longest night of the year in downtown Hamilton’s Corktown Park.