upcoming 2026 Events
Wiigwaasi Jiimaanke
Traditional Birchbark canoe build
September 28-October 9
RIVERMILL PARK HUNTSVILLE ON
Join First Nations Master Canoe builder Chuck Commanda for a ten day
bark to birthing cultural immersive experience. Visit educational teaching lodges to learn about the process of canoe building, the sacred importance and history of the canoe to Indigenous people.
Check out the link to the event on our main page.
Past EveNts
Our past events and milestones.
June 21
National Indigenous Day
River Mill Park
September 28-October 9
Birchbark Canoe build
River Mill Park
September 30
National Indigenous Day
Orange Shirt Day
River Mill Park
Join us for a celebration of joy and unity of community in Huntsville Ontario. Experience Indigenous culture filled with music, vendors and much more. Jared Big Canoe, The Lyon Sisters and Logan Staats will be centre stage throughout the day.
From the sourcing and stripping of bark, shaping and sewing onto a wooden frame to the birthing into the waters of Muskoka on October 9 this build showcases the history and significance of Indigenous canoe craftsmanship.
Red Girl Rising in Hollywood!
Red Nation International Film Festival
The largest Indigenous film festival worldwide
Nominated for best documentary short
November 15, 2025
WE WON!
Best Short Film Documentary
Hunters Bay Radio
Our exclusive Gala media sponsor
Our community
raised $18,000
Nia':wenkowa Thank you
Our Community Kin: The Great Vine and Algonquin Outfitters
Our sponsors: NDP Powered, Clearwater Future Foundations, Youth Culture, Leadership Intelligence, Camp Tawingo, Ron Henry Jewellers,
Lakeland Power, Cedar Canoe Books, Flow Marital Arts, Wild Muskoka Botanicals, Arbour Vitae, The Hudson Hair Salon
Our Community supporters: The Town of Huntsville, Arrowhead Provincial Park, Huntsville Festival of the Arts, The Rotary Club of Huntsville, The Mill on Main, The Good Food Co-op, BP Imaging, Humble Pie Bakery, Citizen Minutes and The Rossy Foundation
Featuring:
Indigenous singer/songwriter Ila Barker
Guest speaker Faith Howe international award winning Indigenous film producer
Screening of Red Girl Rising
Live drumming with Jared Big Canoe
Indigenous appetizers created by Chef Taylor Parker
April Mitchell-Boudreau and Doug Boudreau: Reclamation-a song for Survivors
Local singer Shatira Jackson
Ribbon skirt fashion show
Live auction
National Truth and Reconciliation/Orange shirt Day
September 30 River Mill Park Huntsville
10:45am gather 11:00am Memorial walk
11:45am presentation
National Indigenous Day
June 21
River Mill Park
Huntsville On
4pm-8pm
Red Girl Rising
Premiered at TIFF Lightbox Toronto
Screening coming to Huntsville
October 24, 2025 at our Gala event
Volunteer appreciation and information workshop
April 23 1:00-2:15
Huntsville Public Library
Come and learn about our 2025 events and sign up to volunteer.
September 23 at 7:00pm
Canvas Brewery Huntsville
Join our community partner Cedar Canoe Books for an evening with MARIE WILSON.
Her book, NORTH of NOWHERE
is a powerful reflective story of her time as one of three, Truth and Reconciliation Commissioners.
Tickets: $10.00 Contact CC books
National TRC Survivor flag raising
Monday September 23
9:00 am
Town Hall Huntsville
EVERYONE WELCOME
September 30
National Truth and Reconciliation Day
ORANGE SHIRT DAY
Join the Huntsville Library, The Town of Huntsville and Hope Arises
Remembrance event. Guests include residential school Survivors.
Meet at 10:45am River Mill Park Huntsville for our Remembrance walk.
NEW addition: Award-winning Indigeneous documentary, The Nature of Healing-is the experience of 7 Residential school survivors, screens at 7pm, The Algonquin Theatre. Click on the button for details.
Join us in RiverMill Park
Huntsville On.
4:00pm-8:00pm
Sacred Strength Ribbon skirt Exhibition
A student led reconciliation experience
Muskoka Arts and Crafts Gallery
63 Manitoba St. Bracebridge Ontario
"Sewing is becoming a lost art in this world of fast fashion. Most of my students are new to sewing, it is not something they grew up with. If they do know a bit about sewing it is often their grandmother that showed them how to thread a needle or sew on a button. These skirts are not perfect, they are not sewn by master sewers. They are sewn by teenagers who want to share with you their new learning, their personal experience and their newfound Indigenous knowledge."
Connie Verkuyl, Fashion teacher
Huron Heights Secondary School Kitchener Ontario
May 31-June 22, 2024
Opening Reception
Muskoka Arts and Craft Gallery May 31, 2024
Sacred Strength:
An Indigenous ribbon Skirt Installation
Hope Arises Project Inc. is proud to present, Sacred Strength, an Indigenous ribbon skirt installation. Hope Arises Project founder and president, Joyce Jonathan Crone, travelled to Huron Heights Secondary School to share her knowledge of Indigenous ribbon skirts and cultural practices with grade 11/12 fashion students. The students spent a month sewing and crafting unique skirts, they wrote profound emotion filled reflections on their connection and the humbling experience.
Ribbon skirts reflect our connection to Mother Earth, to one another and to our value as Indigenous women.
Through this exhibit, student seamstresses hope you will find peace, relationship, and community. It is their expression of Truth and Reconciliation.
Contact info@hopearises for information on hosting the exhibition at your gallery or studio.
Orange ribbon
rolling workshop
June 2
1:30-3:30
Huntsville Public Library
Everyone welcome
Remember with us
Orange ribbon rolling
"We die twice in life, once when we die, and a second time when no one says our name or remembers us."
Circle of Strength: Ribbon skirt making and cultural teaching
Honoring MMIWG
May 7, 2024 from 9:00am-4:00pm
The Huntsville Public Library
Registration necessary-contact the library/spots limited
MMIWG Mocmile
Walk to Remember Walk to honour
MEET AT THE HUNTSVILLE LEGION PARKING LOT-NEW START LOCATION
Walk begins: 9am
Welcome 8:45am
Wear RED or carry a RED dress
May5
Thank you for your support.
Hope Arises celebrates ONE year
as a not for profit!
Hope Arises Orange Shirts 2023
Local student, Alice D., from Muskoka Montessori School was selected to design this year's orange shirt.
Thank you for purchasing an orange shirt.
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Orange Shirt Day 2023
Thank you to all those were present on September 30 to honour, listen, learn and remember. Kana':ta -Canada in Mohawk, means "village", that everyone has a role and responsibility, everyone is cared for and no one goes without, and that we keep each other safe and maintain peace in our community.
Stand in Silence 2023
The Town of Bracebridge joined Huntsville in community solidarity to be voices for the voiceless.
In remembrance of our Indigenous children found and those yet to be.
National Indigenous Peoples Day
We have partnered with the Town of Huntsville and the Huntsville Festival of the Arts in planning this year's National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations in downtown Huntsville, ON. The event will take place beginning at 4:00 pm on June 21 at Rivermill Park and will feature Indigenous vendors; live entertainment by JUNO award-nominated Shawnee Kish; and an opportunity to view Hope Arises Project Inc.'s Sacred Strength: Indigenous Ribbon Skirts art installation. All are welcome!
2023 Hope Arises project Inc, Orange Shirt Day Scholarship
Local student, Alice D., from Muskoka Montessori School was selected to receive the 2023 Hope Arises Project Inc. Orange Shirt Day Scholarship. Alice received a $100 scholarship and her artwork submission is featured on this year's orange t-shirt.
Virtual Event: Ribbon skirts & Shirts with Natalie Pepin
On April 25, 2023, we hosted our first knowledge-sharing event. Special guest, Natalie Pepin, joined us virtually to teach us about ribbon skirts/shirts, their history, their importance, and the beautiful teachings they share. Our community learned about who wears ribbon skirts/shirts, where we wear them, and what they represent.
Presentation to Town Council
On January 30, 2023, Hope Arises Project Inc.'s president and vice-president had the opportunity to present to Her Worship, Nancy Alcock and council for the Town of Huntsville respecting Hope Arises Project Inc., our cultural competency initiatives, and our continued relationship with the Town of Huntsville.
Partnership with the Huntsville public library
On January 27, 2023, Hope Arises Project Inc. and the Huntsville public library announced their official partnership.
Ribbon Rolling Workshop
On January 13, 2023, we hosted a ribbon rolling workshop at the Huntsville Public Library. Participants learned about the residential school system in Canada while helping us prepare ribbons for our ongoing orange ribbon campaign. Joyce delivered an emotional and thought-provoking experience at this hands-on, educational event.
Incorporation & First Donation
In November of 2022, Hope Arises Project Inc. was officially incorporated as a not-for-profit. Following the opening of our corporate accounts, we received our first donation from one of our community partners, Deerhurst Resort. Huntsville Mayor, Nancy Alcock also attended to wish us well.
Orange Shirt Day 2021/2022
Hope Arises Project and the Huntsville Public Library have worked together to arrange Huntsville's Orange Shirt Day march and gathering. On both occasions, our president, Joyce Jonathan Crone, was invited to speak at this annual day of remembrance and reflection
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Rivermill park Installation
In 2021 the Town of Huntsville partnered with Hope Arises Project by supporting the installation of orange ribbons in Rivermill Park. Downtown businesses displayed vessels of ribbons; free for the public to take. In solidarity, many added their ribbons alongside the ones in Rivermill Park to help Hope Arises Project create a sacred space for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to reflect, learn, and heal. Each ribbon is inscribed with the name of a child who attended residential school and never made it home. We continue to make orange ribbons available to the public through our community partners. You can still find orange ribbons adorning local businesses, private residences, and the trees in Rivermill Park.
Stand in silence vigil
In May of 2021, two Huntsville mothers, Joyce Crone and Robyn Taylor discussed the devastating discovery of 215 children in unmarked graves at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in BC. Joyce and Robyn saw a need to act and Hope Arises Project was born. They worked to create "Stand in Silence"; a vigil held on the Highway 11 overpass at Ravenscliffe Road. They purchased orange fabric to cut into ribbons that were distributed to those assembled for the vigil. The ribbons waved in the breeze as travellers on the highway below honked and waved in support of the children and families impacted by the horrific legacy of Canadian residential schools.