EASTSIDE ARTS FESTIVAL | frequently asked questions

FAQ

When is the festival?
- July 17 - 26, 2026, please see individual event listings for the run times.
What is the Event Schedule?
- The 6th Annual Eastside Arts Festival will be held July 17 - July 26th, 2026. Check out our "Schedule" for all the events!
Where is the Event Location?
- Workshops will be held in pop up locations across the Eastside Arts District at venues such as breweries, venues, and art studios.
How Long Are Workshops?
- Each workshop length is 1.5 or 2 hours.
What Do I Get in A Workshop?
- Each workshop will teach participants how to create art or learn a performing art skill.
What About the Weather?
- This event is rain or shine!
Tickets & Refunds:
- Tickets can be refunded prior to July 1, 2026.
- Participants who do not arrive at check in by their workshop start time will forfeit their ticket.
What Should I Bring?
- All materials are provided for each workshop except where noted in each workshop description. All workshops are suitable for beginners and up.
- Bring aprons or smocks to protect clothes for messy activities.
- Comfortable footwear, sunscreen and layers for all weather for Walking Tours.
Can I Bring my Dog?
- Dogs are welcome at the park event on July 25 only. At all other events, only service dogs are permitted. All dogs must be kept on a leash at all times.
What Should I Wear?
- The event is rain or shine. We strongly recommend that participants be prepared for the weather outside during their time at the festival and wear comfortable clothing and footwear, bring layers, bring water and sunscreen.
- Bring aprons or smocks to protect clothes for messy Workshops.
- Comfortable footwear, sunscreen and layers for all weather for Walking Tours.
Parking / Transit / Biking:
- There is controlled street parking along MacLean Park and around Parker Street Studios and Mergatroid Studios, but we encourage everyone to utilize car shares, take transit, cycle or walk to the event.
- There will be dedicated bike racks at Strathcona Park on Saturday available on a first come, first served basis at MacLean Park. Bring your bike lock.
Are there Washrooms?
- There will be washrooms provided on site and in the field house of the park by the playground. Washrooms on site will be gender-neutral portable structures, with one wheelchair-accessible portable washroom. Washrooms are available at studio and workshop venues. Please check Walking Tour info for washroom availability.
Are There Food and Drinks on Site?
- Food will be available for purchase from food trucks on site as well as beer and wine from Strange Fellows Brewing (19+ to purchase). The whole site is licensed, non-alcoholic beverages will also be available.
Can I take photos?
- Prior to taking any pictures, please ask workshop instructors, assistants, and fellow participants for their consent.
- Share your photos using our official hashtag #eastsideartsfestival
What Items are Prohibited?
- No weapons of any kind.
- No drugs and/or drug use.
- No outside alcohol or food.
- No unleashed dogs.
What is the Accessibility of the Outside Events?
- At MacLean Park, the event site is on grass and uneven terrain. The open-air setting will have loud areas with the noise of food truck generators and amplified music, ambient noise, conversational sound levels. There's a wheelchair-accessible portable washroom on site.
What is the Accessibility of the Indoor Events?
- In pop-up locations, each workshop is located in a different Eastside studio, brewery or distillery. Details for accessibility are listed in the workshop details on Eventbrite when tickets become available.
How does ticket tier pricing work?
- Equity: Accessible price for those who cannot afford to attend a workshop or walking tour at the standard cost
- Standard: Price for those who can afford to attend a workshop or walking tour at the standard cost
- Supporter: Price for those who can afford to attend the workshop at the standard cost and contribute to the Eastside Arts Society to build upon a 30-year legacy of connecting the public with the Eastside’s vital arts community through free events.
I am having trouble purchasing tickets on Eventbrite:
- If you are trying to buy tickets on Eventbrite but it won’t allow you to input your credit card expiry date, there are a few tricks you can try to troubleshoot this system error:
- The "Leave Blank" Trick: If you leave the credit card number field completely blank and click Next, it triggers an error message. If you go back to the payment section right after, the expiration date field will become active and allow you to type in it.
- Flip to Landscape Mode: Try turning your phone sideways (horizontally). This stretches the text field just enough to reveal the hidden MM/YY input, allowing you to tap it and enter the date.
- Switch to the Eventbrite App: This issue seems to be specific to mobile web browsers. Try purchasing directly through the Eventbrite iOS or Android app.
- Use a Desktop or Laptop: Try purchasing tickets on a different device. The checkout process should work smoothly on any computer or laptop web browser.