Georgina Pioneer Village and Archives

Vintage Christmas

Experience the magic of Vintage Christmas at Georgina Pioneer Village! 

This festive celebration brings the warmth and nostalgia of a classic, vintage-inspired holiday to life.

Enjoy festive fun for the whole family, including visiting Santa at the train station, crafting in the schoolhouse, cozying up by the bonfire, enjoying the puppet show and exploring the snowman scavenger hunt. 

Don't miss the magical photo opportunities, holiday lights and more.

Date: Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024 
Time: 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. 

For full event details, visit the Vintage Christmas event page here.

 

Fall and winter season

The Village is closed to the general public until next spring, but we’re open year-round for rentals, school groups, programs, special events, group tours, donations and research. To find out more information about arranging a visit for your group, or to inquire about any other services and events, email curator@georgina.ca or call 905-476-4301, ext. 2284.

For information on our upcoming fall events, visit the Town Events page

The main office is open year-round, Monday to Friday.

Mobile app

Download the mobile tour app! 

You can find the free app by searching "Georgina Village" on the App Store or Google Play. 

Can’t make it out to the village? You can still access the online version of the tour from home.

 

Learn More

Visit the Georgina Historical Society for newsletters and information on upcoming general meetings.

Learn more about educational programs at Georgina Pioneer Village and Archives.

26557 Civic Centre Rd,
Keswick, ON     
L4P 3G1         
Telephone: 905-476-4301, ext. 2284
Email: curator@georgina.ca

Programs

Program registration is open. You can see a listing of programs available on our Registered Programs page.

Learn about our camps, community and educational programs.

Drop-in programs

Explore and register

 

Rentals at the village

Exterior (photos, birthday party, events)

Permits are required for use of the grounds for ceremonies and photos. Contact curator@georgina.ca for rental rates.

This includes the use of the grounds only. We ask that you check in upon your arrival with the staff member on-site and have your permit with you during your booking.

In order to secure a booking, please provide your preferred date and times along with your personal information such as an address, full name and phone number and we will provide you with a rental permit to be signed and returned.

Full payment will be due at the time of booking.

Note that bookings are “rain or shine” and no refunds will be given due to inclement weather. Rescheduling may occur as long as you report to the Community Services Department the first business day following your booking.

If you have any questions, or for a description of fees, contact our office for assistance.

Interior and weddings

Permits are required for use of the buildings for ceremonies and photos. Pioneer Village is not only unique but offers plenty of great vistas for taking memorable photographs and can accommodate large groups.

Contact curator@georgina.ca for rental rates. A security damage deposit of $100 is added to your booking and refunded two weeks following your event pending a positive report from staff.

This includes the use of one building interior. Buildings that can be rented (hourly) are the Cedar Brae Schoolhouse and the Free Methodist Church. We ask that you check-in upon your arrival with the staff member on-site and have your permit with you during your booking.

In order to secure a booking, please provide your preferred date and times along with your personal information such as an address, full name and phone number and we will provide you with a rental permit to be signed and returned.

Full payment will be due at the time of booking.

Note that bookings are “rain or shine” and no refunds will be given due to inclement weather.

If you have any questions, or for a description of fees, contact our office for assistance.

For marriage ceremonies and licence information, visit the Marriage Ceremonies page.

 

Special events

Refer to our Calendar of Events for upcoming events at the village.

Archives

Archival research (by appointment only)

Appointments are required for access to the archives and are subject to the availability of staff. Access is year-round, Monday – Friday, between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Call or email with details of your query and staff will determine if fees are applicable. Payment can be made at the Customer Service desk at the Civic Centre, or (if from a distance) by phone. We will conduct a 'quick look-up' for information easily at hand, at no charge. 

Telephone: 905-476-4301, ext. 2284
Email: curator@georgina.ca

 

Digitization Strategy

The Georgina Pioneer Village and Archives (GPVA) explored and was successful in securing funding through the Government of Canada's Ministry of Heritage for services to provide a digitization strategy roadmap.  This funding support was explored with the knowledge that further funding could be available to organizations to improve access to heritage collections through digitization and digital content development as well as activities that build capacity in these areas, specifically to organizations that had a digitization strategy in place. Through an RFP process Blackline Consultants were selected to perform the digitization strategy. 

The GPVA staff worked alongside Blackline Consultants to provide detailed information with respect to the GPVA’s current state and continued to provide guidance with respect to the specifics of the preservation and maintenance of GPVA’s archives and artifacts. 

The current scope of GPVA services and stakeholder services were analyzed to determine synergies, overlaps and potential future collaborations.  The attached report outlines asset types, different levels of digitization, facility conditions, staffing and current state prior to providing the digitization strategy which includes options, initiatives to be considered and an implementation roadmap. 

The final report was received by staff in November 2023. 

Government of Canada Logo with words Funded by the Government of Canda Finance par le gouvernement du Canada

About us

About Georgina Pioneer Village and Archives

Explore Georgina's rich history and the people and places of its past with a visit to the Pioneer Village and Archives.

Officially opened on Thanksgiving Day 1975 by Chief of the Chippewas of Georgina Island, Lorenzo Big Canoe, the Georgina Pioneer Village and Archives is a veritable heritage showcase.

Located near the south shore of beautiful Lake Simcoe, this 10-acre site is home to numerous buildings that interpret the history of Georgina between 1850 and 1920, including a one-room schoolhouse, a general store, a train station, a blacksmith shop, an apothecary and a backwoods log house.

Pioneer Village also houses an extensive archival collection comprised of records created by the Councils of the former townships of Georgina and North Gwillimbury, as well as the Village of Sutton. In addition, the Archives contain a number of personal family documents, including land records, photographs, scrapbooks, bibles and related ephemera.

Heritage camps, tours, workshops and school visits are just some of the activities that take place throughout the season.

The village also hosts a number of popular special events, including: 

  • Rise to Rebellion: An Interactive Re-creation of the 1837 Rebellion for Grade 7 students in May.
  • Canada Day celebrations in true 19th-century style on July 1.
  • The Georgina Historical Society Harvestfest takes place each September. Celebrate the arrival of autumn with a display of vintage farm equipment, plenty of food, children's crafts, music, apple cider and historical demonstrations.
  • In October, watch for two spooky events- the kid-friendly Family Fright Fiesta and the hauntingly horrorific adults-only One Dark Night.
  • Kick off the holiday season by stepping back in time at the Old Fashioned Christmas in November when the village comes alive with the sights, sounds and smells of a 19th century Christmas.

For information, contact Georgina Pioneer Village and Archives by email at curator@georgina.caor by telephone at 905-476-4301, ext. 2284.

Pioneer Village red barn

Pioneer wagon

Planning to visit Georgina Pioneer Village outside the regular season or looking for some history from the comfort of home? Take a (virtual) walk through historic Sutton and Jackson's Point with our historical Historical Tour

*The storylines presented at the museum contain language and descriptions from historical records that may be upsetting or offensive.

Records from the historical collection at the Georgina Pioneer Village and Archives reflect the language and attitudes of the historical period in which they were created and the views of the creator. These may include derogatory language that is racist, sexist, ableist, and otherwise discriminatory. These attitudes may exclude diverse views on gender, sexuality and religion.

Historically the museum collected the material culture of a very specific demographic: heteronormative, literate white protestants. This colonizer's viewpoint is outdated and exclusive of the true identity of the population of Ontario at the time.

The museum is working towards a more inclusive view to its storytelling and we appreciate your patience as we work together with new partners to make that happen.

Contact Us

26557 Civic Centre Rd,
Keswick, ON  L4P 3G1

T: 905-476-4301 / 705-437-2210
F: 905-476-8100
info@georgina.ca

Hours of Operation

Monday to Friday
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.