Indigenous Drum Circle & Cultural Experience - Culture Days 2026

Indigenous Drum Circle & Cultural Experience with Joanne Macksey

Saturday, September 26, 2026 · 4:00–7:00 p.m.

Rain date: Sunday, September 27

FREE · Advance registration required

Rossland Gardens welcomes visitors to our second annual Indigenous Drum Circle & Cultural Experience, led by Joanne Macksey, who is of Métis ancestry.

We will gather near the farmhouse before processing together through Rossland Gardens’ old-growth lilac forest to the lowland fire circle beside the ancient apple orchard.

The gathering will include a traditional smudge, a Métis-led Turtle Drumming Circle, teachings, stories, songs and shared drumming. Joanne will also introduce the Seven Grandfather Teachings. No previous drumming experience is required. You are welcome to participate in the drumming and songs, or simply listen and experience the gathering respectfully.

What to bring

Please bring a lawn chair or blanket for seating and dress appropriately for an outdoor gathering. Four hand drums made by local Indigenous artists will be available for participants to share. If you have your own drum, please bring it with you.

The route includes outdoor paths and uneven ground. A wheelchair-accessible route is available, and seating is available throughout the grounds. Rossland Gardens is committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive experience. Please contact us in advance if you require accommodation. Photography will be limited to appropriate times before and after the circle, as identified by Joanne, so that participants can remain fully present during the gathering.

Following the Drum Circle, guests are invited to gather by the pond for a complimentary beverage and a tasting of Rossland Gardens preserves. The Gallery of Canadian Fine Craft will also be open. Getting here

Participants travelling from the mainland should plan to board, at the very latest, the 3:30 p.m. ferry from Millhaven to Amherst Island. The return ferry departs Stella at 8:00 p.m. Consider coming early to enjoy more of what Amherst Island has to offer.

Admission is free, but advance registration is required as space is limited. Children are welcome and must remain supervised.

No dogs, please.

This is an outdoor event. In the event of unsuitable weather, the gathering will be held on Sunday, September 27. Registered participants will receive any weather-related updates.