Art tents, live performances, and a sold-out main stage brought locals and visitors together for a lively festival finish
The 2026 Dooryard Arts Festival went out with a bang. Saturday, July 18, featured an art crawl, games, and live music.
Ross Kinney, the festival’s Program Director, said he’s “extremely pleased” with how the festival turned out.
“It’s been an amazing few days. I don’t have a word for how incredible it was and beyond our expectations. The festival’s been amazing,” said Kinney.
On Saturday, King Street was full of artists’ tents, with each artist showing off the projects they’ve been working on.
Susan Carsley is one of the artists who displayed her pieces. She does linocut, a type of printmaking where you carve into a block of linoleum. She started taking linocut seriously nine years ago, after spending most of her art career as a watercolourist. Now she combines the two by
“I am a watercolorist, and I fell in love with printmaking. Of course, I love all different techniques, and I’m always exploring stuff. But I think I found my niche here. It’s my passion, for sure,” said Carsley.
She is currently doing a series called “Tunnel, Tracks and Trains of New Brunswick,” in which she highlights eight historically significant places across the province. The series is a collaboration with photographer Barb Glanville. The two are combining Carsley’s linocuts with Glanville’s photographs. The series will be on display next year at the McAdam Railway Station.
This year was Susanne Hansen’s first year presenting her piece at the festival, and she said it was time well spent.
“It’s been, you know, a nice turnout and, you know, quite a few people have been by and stopped and just talked. Gloria [Gloria Yachyshen] has been after me for years to come down and take part, and this year I decided to say yes. I’m enjoying it,” said Hansen.
Kierstead Court featured free music performances by Ewan Dobson, Seth Anderson, and Monteith. And Mike Biggar Jazz and Blues Revue gave a free performance early on in the day on the Main Stage.
The evening was packed with people by the main stage to hear The Dooryard Drifters, Sarah Sokal and The Twisted Crew, Campbell and Johnston, and Keith Hallett and The Hookers, who finished off the festival with a bang.
“It’s been sold-out crowds at every event and new people coming, and long-time attendees are here. We couldn’t be happier,” said Kinney.
