Artists, galleries, museums and heritage sites across the Kootenays will welcome visitors free of charge during the 18th annual Columbia Basin Culture Tour on Aug. 8 and 9.
The self-guided event features 85 venues across the Columbia Basin, with dozens located throughout the Kootenays, including Valemount, Revelstoke, Nakusp, New Denver, Silverton, Slocan, Winlaw, Crescent Valley, Blewett, Granite, Castlegar, Robson, Rossland, Trail, Beaver Falls, Fruitvale, Salmo, Ymir, Nelson, the North Shore, Procter, Balfour, Riondel, Crawford Bay, Gray Creek, Creston, Erickson, Cranbrook, Jaffray, Fernie, Sparwood and Invermere.
Visitors can explore artist studios, museums, galleries and heritage sites while enjoying exhibitions, demonstrations and performances throughout the weekend.
“It’s so exciting that year after year the public is able to enjoy arts, culture and heritage in such a significant way through the Culture Tour,” said Kallee Lins, executive director of the Kootenay Regional Arts Council.
“There’s a huge range of options—something to appeal to everyone—throughout the event. We invite people to take a look at the venues and start planning a fabulous weekend!”
The Columbia Basin Culture Tour is a project of the Kootenay Regional Arts Council, supported by Columbia Basin Trust with additional support from Nelson and Kootenay Lake Tourism.
The tour is suitable for all ages and offers a range of experiences through exhibitions, artwork displays, creative-process demonstrations and performances.
“How there are so many talented people in our area? I thought the Columbia Basin Culture Tour was great—never been to one before. I would go next year. Thank you for having this event.” said one 2025 participant.
“I very much enjoyed seeing the artists in their home environments and having the chance to chat with the various artists. I also liked the demos!” said another 2025 participant.
More information, venue listings and an interactive map are available at cbculturetour.com. Printed directories are also available at galleries, visitor centres, chambers of commerce, hotels and cafés throughout the region.
To keep up to date with tour happenings, follow @wkartscouncil on Instagram or Facebook.
