News

❤️ Help Expand Equity Tickets – Pay It Forward!

We want to provide as many low-cost Equity Tickets as possible, but due to overwhelming demand we’re reaching our limit. As a result, the deadline to apply for Equity Tickets has been moved up to April 1. We’ve allocated 10% of tickets in the SideBurn budget for reduced-cost access, but we can only go beyond that with community support.

When purchasing your ticket, you can add a $25 Pay It Forward contribution (or more!) to help fund additional low-cost tickets. Every contribution goes directly toward making SideBurn more accessible for those who need it. We’d love to give an Equity Ticket to everyone who applies, and with your help, we can get closer to that goal.

If you need a low-cost ticket, apply by April 1. The Equity Assist stream will remain open until May 6. With any questions regarding equity or accessibility, please reach out to equity@sideburn.ca.

🔥 Unveiling SideBurn 2025’s Temple & Effigy!

Sacred Grove: A Temple of Reflection, Renewal, and Connection by Sky Ece Ulusoy

The Sacred Grove is a collection of “trees,” inside of which a temple clearing has been created to host mourning, tribute, and connection. This space draws inspiration from ancient sacred groves, which were once common across cultures as places of healing.

It symbolizes the cyclical nature of life—death, rebirth, and growth. Through natural materials and interactive elements, the temple invites participants to slow down, reflect, and engage in a shared experience of communal reverence. It serves as a metaphor for personal transformation, renewal, and our collective responsibility to protect the Earth.

The above description comes directly from the artist. Learn more.

Big Top: A Towering Effigy of Light, Color, and Celebration by Karl Demel & Rich Martin

Embrace joy and freedom of self-expression through a massive interactive structure. Dare to climb Big Top’s guts and peer above the festival landscape. Wrapped in bans of twisting colour, strings of flags anchoring and bathed big top in shimmering lights. The core is open from the earth to the sky by day, and lit in a rainbow kaleidoscope by night.

The silhouette will be seen from all corners of sideburn and perhaps the whole county when we light it up and burn it down on Saturday night. Big Top may only be in existence for 3 days but he will live on forever in our festival hearts. So, step right up and be amazed.

The above description comes directly from the artist. Learn more.

Want to be part of our Temple or Effigy teams? Join us—volunteers needed!

🎨 Bringing Independent Art to SideBurn? Register by March 31st!

Planning to bring an art project to SideBurn but didn’t receive a grant? We’d still love to feature your work! To ensure your piece is included on the SideBurn 2025 map and placed in the best possible location, make sure to register your art by March 31st 11:59 PM EST.

While registration doesn’t guarantee a ticket, it ensures we can plan for your artwork.

Learn More

👐 Introducing CARE: The Consent, Accountability, Resilience, & Equity Team

We are excited to introduce CARE, a new initiative within SideBurn and the broader Flame Ontario Arts Collective. CARE is dedicated to fostering a culture where consent, equity, and accountability are not just ideals–we make them active, lived principles in everything we do.

CARE’s mission is to provide a meaningful and accessible process for individuals to voice concerns regarding SideBurn events, volunteers, and attendees. Through this, we aim to strengthen the foundation of consent and equity across our community, ensuring that every person feels heard, valued, and respected.

Want to learn more or get involved? Visit our website or reach out to care@sideburn.ca.

✊ Our Commitment to Radical Inclusion

SideBurn thrives on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and we stand firmly behind these values. While we embrace radical inclusion, we do not tolerate consent violations, intolerance, hatred, or harassment. Our newly formed CARE Team is dedicated to ensuring a safe and welcoming space for all.

Read our full Statement on Radical Inclusion here.

📣 Call for Volunteers: HR Co-Lead, Art Truck Coordinator, and Temple/Effigy Crew

SideBurn is looking for passionate, organized, and enthusiastic volunteers to help make this year’s event a success! We currently have various key roles open: HQ Co-Lead, Art Truck Coordinator, and Temple/Effigy Crew. Whether you’re great at keeping things running smoothly on-site or coordinating logistics behind the scenes, we’d love to have you on board.

No prior experience is required—just a willingness to learn and be part of an amazing team. Visit our website for more details, and email us at volunteer@sideburn.ca if you’re interested!

Learn More