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A Resounding Success: Jane’s Walk James Bay Festival Celebrates Community and Looks Ahead

The inaugural Jane’s Walk James Bay Festival concluded with resounding success, bringing together neighbors, historians, artists, and curious minds for a vibrant weekend of community connection, storytelling, and urban exploration. Over two days, the streets of James Bay buzzed with energy as residents and visitors alike participated in nine guided walks, two presentations, and creative activities designed to celebrate the history, culture, and unique character of the neighborhood.

The festival, one of more than 300 hundred Jane’s Walks events held around the world inspired by urbanist Jane Jacobs’ legacy of walkable, people-centered cities, offered a grassroots platform for local voices to share their knowledge and perspectives. Walk leaders ranged from longtime residents, authors, historians, youth groups and local business owners, each offering a lens into the multifaceted identity of James Bay. Topics spanned everything from hidden histories and natural landscapes to housing, accessibility, and public space.

Art and music added a festive flair to the walks, with pop-up performances and interactive installations along key routes. Community mural-making, storytelling circles, and a guided photography walk encouraged creative engagement with the neighbourhood’s surroundings. Many attendees expressed appreciation for the inclusive atmosphere and the opportunity to meet fellow community members while learning more about the place they call home.

Feedback from participants, sponsors and partners was overwhelmingly positive, with many citing the festival as a model for grassroots, community-led placemaking. Local businesses and organizations also reported a boost in foot traffic and community awareness. One highlight included the “James Bay Futures” walk, which invited attendees to envision the neighborhood in 2040. It sparked deep conversations about sustainability, housing, and the importance of preserving community character in the face of development.

Due to the overwhelming interest and strong turnout, organizers are excited to confirm that planning is already underway for next year’s Jane’s Walk James Bay Festival to take place the first weekend in May 2026. Building on the momentum of this year’s event, next year’s edition will run for three days, from Friday, May 1 to Sunday, May 3 and will introduce panel discussions and film screenings as new features. These discussions will bring together local leaders, scholars, activists, and residents for deeper conversations around key themes like urban change, reconciliation, climate resilience, and neighborhood heritage.

The addition of panels aims to complement the experiential nature of the walks with space for dialogue, reflection, and collaborative visioning. Organizers hope that this format will help bridge stories told on the ground with larger conversations about policy, advocacy, urban planning and the future of James Bay.

The success of the first festival has shown that when communities are invited to share their stories and shape their spaces, something truly powerful happens. The Jane’s Walk James Bay Festival has become more than a weekend of events — it’s now a movement rooted in local pride, mutual learning, and the collective reimagining of place.

If you have a story to tell or an idea for a walk, film or panel discussion for next year, the organizing team wants to hear from you! Submit your comments and ideas through the contact form on the contact page.

from: James Bay Beacon, June 2025 issue

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