Unlock New Stories and Learning at Doors Open Rideau Lakes | August 16 & 17, 2025

As summer winds down and our thoughts begin to drift toward sharpened pencils and the buzz of the new school year, there’s still more opportunities to spark curiosity before the classroom calls. Saturday and Sunday, August 16 and 17, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Ontario Heritage Trust’s Doors Open Ontario program shines a spotlight on Rideau Lakes rich and diverse cultural heritage, making it an ideal day of learning and exploration for all ages. This year’s event invites families, lifelong learners, and curious kids to explore 19 free heritage and natural sites, from historic homes to conservation areas, turning the end of summer into an educational adventure that jump-starts the school season with inspiration, wonder, and a deeper connection to Ontario’s past.

Rideau Lakes sits in the Frontenac Arch Biosphere along the Rideau Canal, where ancient granite and sandstone have shaped the land and its history. Rideau Lakes is an easy weekend getaway just an hour from Kingston, 90 minutes from Ottawa, and under four hours from Toronto making it perfect for a day trip or overnight adventure. Events like the Ontario Heritage Trust Doors Open Ontario are a great opportunity to bring heritage to life—whether it’s stepping into a centuries-old blockhouse, watching millstones grind wheat, or peeking through a jail door in a historic library. Our Teachers on Call in-person and online tutoring team can’t think of a better family outing: equal parts outdoor exploration, hands-on history, and meaningful learning that bridges the books and the real world before school starts.

Participating Sites for Doors Open Rideau Lakes

• Chaffey’s Lock Community Hall – 1661 Chaffey’s Lock Road, Chaffey’s Lock, Ontario, K0G 1E0
• Emmanuel Heritage Centre – 2767 Highway 15, Portland, Ontario, K0G 1V0
• Foley Mountain Conservation Area (Saturday only) – 105 Foley Mountain Road, Rideau Lakes, Ontario, K0G 1X0
• Lockmaster’s House Museum – 1724 Chaffey’s Lock Road, Elgin, Ontario, K0G 1E0
• McKinney House (exterior only) – 798 Highway 15, Lombardy, Ontario, K0G 1L0
• Morton Community Hall – 13 Judd Street, Morton, Ontario, K0E 1N0
• Newboro Blockhouse – 10 Blockhouse Lane, Newboro, Ontario, K0G 1E0
• Newboro Branch, Rideau Lakes Public Library – 10 Brock Street, Newboro, Ontario, K0G 0A4
• Newboro Manor – 11 New Street, Newboro, Ontario, K0G 0A4
• Old Stone Mill – 44 King Street, Delta, Ontario, K0E 1G0
• Old Town Hall – 8 Lower Beverley Lake Park Road, Delta, Ontario, K0E 1N0
• Philipsville Baptist Church – 1407 County Road 8, Elgin, Ontario, K0G 1E0
• Queen’s University Biological Station (Saturday only, registration required) – 280 Queen’s University Road, Elgin, Ontario, K0G 1E0
• Red Brick School – 3 Halladay Street, Elgin, Ontario, K0G 1E0
• Samuel Poole House (exterior only) – 3909 Freeland Road, Portland, Ontario, K0G 1V0
• St. Mary’s Anglican Church – 15 Brock Street, Newboro, Ontario, K0G 1V0
• The Tipped Ship – 3 Main Street, Elgin, Ontario, K0G 1E0
• Wood Mausoleum – 299 County Road 29, South Elmsley, Ontario, K7A 4S5

Check out our interview with Rosanne Lake, Heritage Event Program Assistant, Township of Rideau Lakes

Rideau Lakes is returning to Doors Open after nearly a decade, what inspired its revival this year?

Rideau Lakes is bringing back its Doors Open event for the first time in almost a decade and it’s gearing up to be fantastic, with 19 sites ready to welcome and inspire visitors for free on August 16 and 17, 2025. 

We’re staging Doors Open Rideau Lakes this year to showcase the incredible heritage in the township. Glimpse inside a rare rural mausoleum, view the Rideau from high atop a granite cliff, see a colour-changing stained glass window or stroll on a field walk guided by scientists. 

Gracefully step onto a sweeping wooden staircase in a grand 1860s manor or be intrigued by a 160-year-old full body baptismal font in a church turned private residence! Explore inside a centuries old military Blockhouse - open for the first time in 25 years - or take a trip along the Rideau Canal through historic photos. Watch wide eyed as 200-year-old millstones grind wheat into flour and blacksmiths demo their craft. Go behind the scenes at a shop that has been a merchant’s haven for more than 150 years and then peek through an authentic jail door at one of the oldest stone buildings in the township. Unique experiences await at Doors Open Rideau Lakes!

With 19 in-person sites participating, what kind of visitor turnout are you expecting?

We’re expecting a wonderful turn out for the event! All of the sites are free and we have some wonderful spin-off activities happening, too, such as a heritage walking tour of Elgin, historical talks, and a Pop-Up Museum!

Are there kid and family friendly or interactive features?

Yes, there are several family friendly and interactive activities. The Old Stone Mill in Delta is a wonderful place for families to explore. On Saturday, Aug. 16 the 200-year-old millstones will be grinding wheat into flour at 1 p.m. and blacksmithing demonstrations will be taking place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Families can watch it all in action while also learning from interactive exhibits at the Mill. 

Over at Foley Mountain Conservation Area, on Saturday only, entry is free! There’s also a family forest school drop-in program from 10 a.m to 11:30 a.m., as well as a forest school open house from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. An educator will be available to chat with families about the program, show them the site, and have some activities for children to check out. Otherwise, walk a trail, marvel at the view from Spy Rock and spend some time in the woods!

The Red Brick School in Elgin will also have colouring sheets available for kids, featuring scenes from the historic school. Families can experience a 19th-century heritage classroom here, as well as viewing the new large photo exhibit, the Historic Rideau Canal.

Lastly, the Newboro Branch of the Rideau Lakes Public Library has an authentic jail door on display, harkening back to a former use of the building. Peek through the door, learn about the story behind the building, do a craft and go back in time with a heritage photo taken with the green screen!

If someone has limited time, what are your top three “can’t-miss” sites, and what makes them stand out?

All of the sites in Doors Open Rideau Lakes are intriguing and hosts are planning wonderful ways to interpret the history at each venue. Top sites depend on what your interests are! Interior home tours can be found at the grand 1860s Newboro Manor, the Philipsville Baptist Church to see the original full-body baptismal font, and Revolve Farms near Lombardy to learn about authentic farm-to-table ideas, gardens and a heritage B&B. 

St. Mary’s Anglican Church in Newboro hosts breathtaking stained glass windows and is celebrating its 175 anniversary this year! Natural sites include a field walk at the Queen’s University Biological Station near Chaffey’s Lock (pre-registration required online) and Foley Mountain Conservation Area, as well as a heritage trail walk in Morton. View the Lockmaster’s House Museum in Chaffey’s Lock and a photo display at the Chaffey’s Community Hall. If you're keen on gardens and ground tours, view the exterior of the Samuel Poole House in Freeland to see beautiful gardens, or stop by McKinney House to witness a heritage home mid-rehabilitation. Also, at the Emmanuel Heritage Centre visitors can learn about early Portland life and heritage boats, and the Newboro Blockhouse will be open for the first time in 25 years with a pop-up museum featuring displays, and heritage exhibits sharing the stories of the past.

Go behind closed doors and visit the Wood Mausoleum to learn about this intriguing site. Internationally-renowned illusionists and stewards of The Keyhole House, Ted and Marion Outerbridge, will be providing a talk at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 16  and 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Sunday about the Wood Family and Agnes Lamb who is interred here.

How would you advise visitors to plan their routes? Any recommended “clusters” of sites to visit on foot or by car?

We are a very large township geographically, so it’s recommended that a car be used to access the sites. Here’s a link to an itinerary that breaks down the sites according to community.  Visitors can plan their routes according to their interests and their time.

Are you leveraging digital components—like virtual tours or story videos—as part of Doors Open programming?

Yes! Several of our sites have digital components posted on the Doors Open website. One of our sites, the Old Town Hall in Delta is also hosting a Rideau Lakes Documentary Showcase on Sunday, Aug, 17 to show all of the heritage films created by award-winning filmmaker, Allison Margot Smith. Many of these films pertain to the sites and our communities. Check out the films here.

How do events like this help build local identity or foster pride within Rideau Lakes Township?

The Township of Rideau Lakes is an expansive rural community that is home to six historic villages along the Rideau Canal; a UNESCO World Heritage Site. People come from all over the world to experience Rideau Lakes. The 37 lakes in our municipality provide residents and visitors with outstanding scenic vistas and recreational opportunities, but also with a keen awareness of the natural environment. Events like Doors Open help foster pride in the area by showcasing some of the incredible heritage features we have locally, as well as exciting activities, stunning natural attributes, and creative community members who call Rideau Lakes home. The intrigue of going behind closed doors and experiencing free access to heritage sites is something that sticks with visitors and locals alike for years to come by enhancing rural knowledge and community connection.

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Whether you’re climbing the steps of a grand 1860s manor, watching sparks fly at a blacksmith’s forge, or gazing out over the Rideau from a granite cliff, learning here feels alive. Doors Open Rideau Lakes is a reminder that history isn’t just something we read in books — it’s in the stories we hear, the places we stand, and it’s in every door we open. This August, take the opportunity to make new family memories while uncovering old ones. And if your curiosity carries you beyond Rideau Lakes, explore more heritage adventures in our blog on The Doors Open Cornwall & SDG event, happening the same weekend and filled with its own treasures of local history and family fun.