Song to the Waters:
A Global Indigenous Call to Protect Sacred Waters

August 15 – 16, 2025 | Queenston Heights Park

Niagara Parks and the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, in collaboration with Michele-Elise Burnett and Corrina Bonshek & Collaborators, proudly present Song to the Waters. A week-long immersive celebration of Indigenous music, culture, and ancestral knowledge. Featuring artists and Elders from Canada, Australia, and Aotearoa (New Zealand), this powerful experience honours water as life and calls us to reflect on our shared responsibility to protect it.

Blending traditional songs, orchestration, and striking visual installations, Song to the Waters is a moving sensory journey rooted in Indigenous worldviews and water stewardship. Join us in listening to the land, the ancestors, and the voices that connect us all.

Event Highlights

Friday, August 15

6:00pm – 7:00pm Illuminated Wearable Art Station
Create glowing animal and plant-inspired art to wear during the evening show

7:30pm Song to the Waters performance at the Queenston Heights Bandshell
Guests are encouraged to bring picnic blankets or lawn chairs to sit on and enjoy the show.

Saturday, August 16

1:00pm – 8:00pm Festival Cultural Activities
– Indigenous food and retail vendors
– Explore the Niagara-on-the-Lake Tiny Museum
– Guided tours of the Landscape of Nations memorial, hosted by the Friends of Fort George.
– Bookmark-making station using a working printing press provided by the Mackenzie Printery.

1:30pm – 2:30pm Māori Song & Cultural Workshop

4:00pm – 5:00pm Katajjaq Inuit Throat Singing & Culture Workshop

6:00pm – 7:00pm Illustration Art Workshop

7:30pm Song to the Waters performance at the Queenston Heights Bandshell
Guests are encouraged to bring picnic blankets or lawn chairs to sit on and enjoy the show.