Downtown Orillia bounces back with summer events and new businesses

‘Downtown Orillia continues to amaze me,’ says BIA chair, noting downtown remains a ‘destination of choice’ for locals and visitors alike

The first three months of 2025 were financially and emotionally brutal for our downtown Orillia businesses, so the Board of the Downtown Orillia Business Improvement Area (DOBIA) wanted to take this opportunity to highlight just some of the positive developments happening in downtown Orillia this summer.

To begin, there is a full slate of fun family-friendly events planned for this summer including the Downtown Pirate Party (Aug. 30), the Rotary Classic and Custom Car Show (Aug. 16), Starry Night Art Tour (Aug. 23) as well as parades (Scottish Festival – July 19), promotions and other smaller events (Sunshine City Vintage Bazaar – July 19) all happening throughout July.

The beautification efforts in downtown Orillia are particularly evident this summer.

The SOAR public art project organized by Leslie Fournier and the local community arts organization Streets Alive Productions, showcases over 60 birds of Ontario painted by talented local artists. They have become an attraction unto themselves as different nature and bird watching groups have visited downtown to appreciate them.

Hanging from the light poles throughout each block of the downtown are dozens of baskets of bright, locally grown flowers. These multi-coloured baskets are more like hand-picked bouquets and add an additional layer of colour and vitality to the streetscape. They are watered weekly and will stay in bloom for several months.

Downtown Orillia continues to amaze me,” said Doug Cooper, chair of the BIA. “It’s truly a special place where small businesses are flourishing and our community continues to support them.

“We as a downtown face our challenges, no different than almost every downtown in Ontario. Our collaborative approach to relationships with our community partners and the OPP has yielded great results. As a BIA, we love celebrating the wins and our downtown’s continued growth. This is Orillia’s downtown, we want the people who live and work here to be excited and proud of our downtown. If you haven’t been downtown recently, please come check it out and see the amazing businesses that are operating and the lovely people behind them,” said Cooper.

Downtown Orillia also remains the preferred location for entrepreneurs to operate a small business. Whether it’s an existing business looking to expand or re-locate to a more robust commercial area, downtown is the destination of choice.

Entrepreneurs looking to launch a brand new business are also moving downtown because they’ve done their research and see the value of being in a commercial area that is attracting people and investment. Evidence of this can be found in the fact that there are already five grand openings being planned for July and August.

As first-time business owners, we are grateful for the support and welcome we have received from the Sunshine City. From providing valuable resources, to promoting local opportunities, and organizing events downtown, there is so much downtown Orillia does to engage its community. We are thrilled to have opened Poppies here and look forward to being a part of downtown Orillia’s bright future,” said the co-owner of Poppies Bagel Shop.

All of these factors demonstrate clearly that downtown Orillia is a vibrant, thriving hub of cultural, economic and social activity. If you haven’t been downtown lately to experience all of this and the other features we didn’t have room to mention, treat yourself and a friend. Whether it’s for a morning, an afternoon, an evening or a full day, experience all that downtown Orillia has to offer.

The Downtown Orillia Business Improvement Area (DOBIA) is run by an elected board of volunteers made up mostly of local business owners and is home to prime shopping, dining, arts and entertainment featuring over 150 shops and over 25 restaurants to choose from. The DOBIA is funded through a special commercial tax levy that is assessed only on the commercial property owners in the specified area.

By OrilliaMatters Staff

Ontario Visited Event News – Ontario Community Pulse

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