Society of Stitchers
An embroidery club gathering for community, craft and the love of stitching. Led by Nella Casson.
This program has concluded for 2026. Watch out for it again in the winter months of 2027. The Society of Stitchers! SOS is our annual winter embroidery club led by artist Nella Casson, where we open up our magical studio for the community to gather and get creative. We’ll also be hosting some guest speakers to spark our creativity! No experience required and all are welcome; kids, too!
Your registration fee includes 12 sessions, all supplies & instruction, snacks & tea, and all the good vibes you can handle! Come to as many or as few sessions as you’d like.
PRICE: $45 + HST = $50.85 (that’s just $4.23 per session!) If this price is a hardship for you, please pay what you can. If you would like to “pay it forward” for another participant to take part at a reduced cost, please indicate at time of payment.
TO REGISTER: etransfer krista@deptofillumination.org
LOCATION: The Department of Illumination Studio: lower level of the Armoury, 206 Main St. Picton. Enter via rear doors on Mary St. near Luso Bites. This program has concluded for 2026
A special thank you to our Society of Stitchers Sponsors!
The Delhi Park Project
A weekly art activation in Delhi Park with a community pageant finale.
This project took place from May 17 to August 9, 2025, we set up our mobile studio in Picton’s Delhi Park three days a week, offering free drop-in workshops centered on collaborative art-making and nature appreciation, with a community picnic every Saturday from 4:30-6:30
Delhi Park is a 31-acre green space in the heart of Picton, and a stone’s throw from The Department of Illumination studio. Starting in the spring of 2025 the DOI began our self-appointed artist residency in the park, inviting the community to join us as we explored the flora and fauna, as well as the natural and human history of this place, seeking to deepen our knowledge and find its hidden magic. From May 17 through August, we spent three days a week in the park, offering a mix of free drop-in workshops centered on collaborative art-making. The art we created was inspired by the place itself and shaped by the participants and the professional artists leading the process. We wove these elements together to create a large-scale community pageant that tells the story of this beautiful public space. The Delhi Pageant was presented for free on August 23, 2025 and will be remounted in August of 2026. Watch this space for updates, or sign up for our newsletter.
SUPPORTED BY:
John M. & Bernice Parrott Foundation
THE ELDERBERRY FUND
ABC Choir
A fun and casual choir for those who love singing. Choir director Sam Hirst.
The Aurora Borealis Community Choir, directed by Sam Hirst, is a fun and casual pop-up choir. All are welcome, regardless of age or experience. We won't be meeting again until September 2026, when we will start rehearsing for our performance at The Firelight Lantern Festival.
For more information contact abcchoir@deptofillumination.org
Firelight Lantern Festival
A cherished Prince Edward County tradition since 2013. Two magical evenings of arts and music.
The Department of Illumination lights up the night with The Firelight Lantern Festival, a cherished Prince Edward County tradition since 2013. Two magical evenings of arts and music will unfold at the Crystal Palace in Picton, Ontario. November 6 & 7, 2026. Friday night’s musical headliner is Grievous Angels and Saturday night’s headliner will be Cue The Funk! Save the date!
The Firelight Lantern Festival draws inspiration from traditions of many lantern festivals throughout the world which use light as a symbol to bring people together. The timing of our festival in mid-November coincides with the European tradition of Martinmas which originated in France in honour of St. Martin, a friend of children and patron of the poor. Martinmas is celebrated throughout Europe, its signature being children’s lantern processions. As fall ends and the darkness of winter descends upon us it is easy to feel isolated, especially living in a rural community. Our festival acts as a beacon to encourage our residents, both adults and children, to conjure their own light, bringing it into their hearts and homes to sustain them through the darkness. Making a lantern is a literal application of this metaphor, but in gathering people together to make lanterns in town halls, schools and living rooms, our camaraderie grows and we feel the warm glow of making beautiful things with our hands alongside friends and neighbours.
2025 EDITION SUPPORTED BY
Public Art
We love creating art in public spaces. Available for hire.
We love creating art in public spaces - whether that’s painting murals or picnic tables, decorating our town Christmas tree, or animating public spaces with our giant puppets or projects like Boxtopia (a creative cardboard kingdom for kids). Get in touch if you’d like to know more!
Ice Box
A magical winter wonderland filled with art, music, dancing, installations and surprises galore. PLUS concerts, workshops, snow dances and cozy campfires!
ICE BOX was a winter festival that we held in 2019 and 2020 on the grounds of Macaulay Heritage Park. It was a magical winter wonderland filled with art, music, dancing and surprises galore, featuring five all-new art installations each year, plus concerts, workshops, snow dances and cozy campfires, all in a charming picture-perfect setting. In 2021, due to the pandemic, we offered an at-home version of the festival.
With so much programming going in collaboration with so many wonderful artists in each Ice Box event, we have a LOT of amazing memories!
