Classes and camps
Programs & Events
What's coming up at Annandale National Historic Site
Annandale National Historic Site offers programs throughout the year to help visitors of all ages learn more about the history of Tillsonburg.
Explore upcoming programs and events
Lunch & Learn, Classes
Seasonal celebrations
Programs for Children
Annandale NHS offers interactive camps and classes that help children explore history and culture. We also offer presentations and workshops suitable for school and community groups.
To register, use your Connect2Rec account or call 519-842-2294.
Note: All programs, dates and times are subject to change. Please contact the museum at 519-842-2294 for more information.
Enjoy a fully guided, in-depth tour of Annandale House. Tours can be tailored to meet a wide range of curriculum needs. Explore topics such as the aesthetic art movement, life in Victorian times, sustainability and genealogy.
| Date Offered | Age | Cost |
| By appointment | Grades K-8 | $3.00 per student |
On the last Tuesday of the month, Annandale NHS is devoted to hosting programs for local Home School groups. Call Kathleen at 519-842-2294 to sign up.
| Dates | Times | Cost |
|
Tuesday, September 29th |
|
$45.00 for all three sessions |
|
Tuesday, October 27th |
|
$45.00 for all three sessions |
|
Tuesday, November 24th |
|
$45.00 for all three sessions |
There will be a special Christmas Homeschool Program in December 2025. More Information to Follow
*For group booking details, please call 519-842-2294. Visit our Resources for Teachers page for additional workshop topics.
Programs for Adults
Annandale NHS offers a variety of adult learning opportunities including workshops, lunch and learn sessions and special guest lectures. To register, use your Connect2Rec account or call 519-842-2294.
Note: All programs, dates and times are subject to change. Please contact the museum at 519-842-2294 for more information.
Come and join Sue Griffiths from Stone Home Creatives and learn to make your own tapers and votives candles. All materials and supplies are provided. Pre-registration is required.
| Date | Times | Cost |
|
Wednesday, October 22nd |
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. |
$40.00 (Tax Included) |
Come and learn about indigenous foraging and cooking techniques from acclaimed Chef Tawnya Brant. Learn to braid corn and how to cook cornbread in a squash. All materials and supplies are provided. Pre-registration is required.
| Date | Times | Cost |
|
Saturday, October 25th, 2025 |
2:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. |
By Donation |
Back by Poplar Demand! Soap Making with Danielle from Wild Comfort!
Come explore the art of soap making! 
Learn how soap is made, discover the fascinating history behind it, and create your own. Each participant will take home two handmade bars of soap!
Pre-registration is required. Registrar on Connect2Rec (townoftillsonburg.perfectmind.com) or by calling the Museum at 519-842-2294
| Date | Times | Cost |
|
Thursday, November 6th |
6:00 p.m. |
$50.00 (Tax Included) |
Join Program Coordinator, Kathleen Watkin in making your own Pioneer Inspired Christmas Ornament. All materials and supplies are provided. Pre-registration is required.
| Date | Times | Cost |
|
Wednesday, November 12th |
1:30 p.m. |
$25.00 (Tax Included) |
Special Events
Join us for family-friendly community events and activities, and celebrate special holidays with us.
To register, use your Connect2Rec account or call 519-842-2294.
Don't miss the Founders Day Festival on October 18—a full day of family-friendly fun honouring our community’s rich heritage with lively entertainment and interactive historical experiences!
Note: All programs, dates and times are subject to change. Please contact the museum at 519-842-2294 for more information.
In 1825 George Tillson chopped his way through the dense bush from Normandale to where two streams converged with the Otter Creek. There, he found the perfect place to build an iron forge and furnace, laying the foundation for a small settlement in Dereham Township, Oxford County, Upper Canada.
Dereham Forge quickly attracted other settlers who opened shops and offered the essential goods and services needed to survive and grow. By 1837, in honour of its visionary founder, the growing settlement was renamed Tillsonburg.
Nearly 200 years later, we continue to celebrate those roots. Don’t miss the Founder’s Festival on Saturday, October 18, 2025—a full day of family-friendly fun honouring our community’s rich heritage with lively entertainment and interactive historical experiences!
Schedule of Events
| Time | Event | Cost |
| 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM | Chrissy's Catering Pancake Breakfast at the Tillsonburg Community Centre (45 Hardy Ave) |
Tickets available at the Door (Cash Only) |
| 10:30 AM | Commemorative Tree Unveiling at Annandale National Historic Site (30 Tillson Ave) | By Donation |
| 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Main Festival at Memorial Park featuring:
|
By Donation |
| 7:30 PM |
|
Wear your favourite costume and come and trick or treat in each of the rooms on the first floor of Annandale NHS. (While Supplies Last)
| Date | Times | Cost |
|
Friday, October 31st |
4:00 p.m.to 7:00 p.m. |
By Donation |
Watch as the Museum’s Christmas Garden is all lit up for the season! Then come inside and enjoy visiting Annandale NHS all decorated for Christmas and our seasonal exhibition, “A Pioneer Christmas”.
| Date | Times | Cost |
|
Friday, November 28th |
7:00 p.m. |
By Donation |
Come and explore Annandale NHS completely decorated for the season and enjoy the new exhibition “ A Pioneer Christmas” in the Pratt Gallery.
| Date | Times | Cost |
|
Friday, November 28th |
6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. |
By Donation |
|
Saturday, November 29th |
10 a.m. to TBA |
By Donation |
|
Sunday, November 30th |
1 p.m. to 4 p.m. |
By Donation |