Feeling creative? Come to Picton, where creativity lives large amid heritage buildings, vineyards and glorious waterfront

The premise behind the rebirth of Picton is that you don’t have to live in Toronto to be part of the creative elite. Creativity lives here, too.  

Picton is a town of 4,000 that sits on the edge of Prince Edward County, a near-island separated from the mainland of Ontario by three bridges and a ferry. Situated southeast of Belleville, it is the largest community in the single-tier municipality of Prince Edward that was created in 1997 by amalgamating 10 former towns, townships and villages. The municipal government is headquartered in Picton.  

The entire municipality has a population of just 26,500, and that’s only expected to grow to 31,140 by 2031. This is definitely not one of the Toronto-centric centres of growth identified by the provincial government.  

Picton will remain a small, rural community — but it will not be typical.  

Home to artists, architects, designers, multi-media and film production pros

Prince Edward’s economic development office estimates that “creative occupations” make up 30 per cent of the municipality’s labour force, 46 per cent of all income and 60 per cent of disposable income. Prince Edward represents what has come to be called the “Creative Rural Economy,” and Picton represents its heart.  

A study done in 2006 for the Ontario Arts Council found that Prince Edward — fondly and simply called “the county” by locals — was home to a higher percentage of artists among its labour force than any place outside of Toronto. Artists, artisans, architects, graphic artists, web designers and others who specialize in design, multi-media and film and video production have been moving to the county to enjoy the rural calm among like-minded individuals.  

Recently, a group of broadcast television, new media and digital audio recording practitioners announced it was establishing a centre for creative industries and occupations in Picton. Prince Edward’s economic development officer, Dan Taylor, said: “This collaborative (effort), where other creative talent can rent space and share ideas, is exactly the kind of thing we need to kick it up a notch in our Creative Rural Economy.”  

The area has garnered considerable big-city attention in recent years. Not only have creative professionals been buying up permanent and holiday homes, others have arrived to open new vineyards and wineries, high-end restaurants, spas and other tourist accommodation. Harrowsmith magazine enthused a few years ago that the area offers “the best in rural living.”  

Charming, thriving heritage Main Street

As you drive down Picton’s Main Street and approach its charmingly perplexing intersection with Bridge Street, you’ll be drawn by the array of well-kept heritage buildings, locally run shops, the library, a bookstore, drug and hardware stores and eateries. Perhaps thoughts of Stephen Leacock’s idealized small town brings a glint to your eye.  

You won’t find a Walmart in Picton. One of the few large chains is Canadian Tire. Unlike many small-town main streets, Picton’s seems not only alive, but thriving. New apartment condos have been developed in heritage buildings and more are planned. One proposal aims to resurrect an old hotel and turn it into a boutique hotel with shops, a restaurant and condos on newly built upper floors. Nearby, a yacht club community is planned.  

Picton and area have been compared to Vancouver’s Saltspring Island, the artist’s mecca. Backing up an array of artisans’ shops and glasswork and sculptors’ studios, painters’ galleries and pottery places, there is the Prince Edward County Arts Council and the quilters’ guild.  

There is the 1922 Edwardian opera house, the Regent Theatre, now used for live performances and films. The Regent, a 351-seat theatre with a stage that equals Toronto’s Royal Alexandra in size, is also on the Toronto International Film Festival’s travel circuit. And there is a professional theatre company, the Festival Players.  

Lovely harbour a short stroll from downtown core

Picton and area events include Art in the County, the Artists Studio and Gallery Tour, the Authors Festival, Music in Motion and the Jazz Festival. Gastronome-related events have taken off, with Maple in the County, Taste the County and strawberry and raspberry socials. Recently, Pig Day was introduced to feature county-produced pork products.  

Architecturally, besides some fine downtown heritage commercial buildings, there are many grand 19th-century homes, as well as the Crystal Palace, located at the fairgrounds. The building, dating from 1887, is a scaled-down version of Joseph Paxton’s Crystal Palace, built in 1851 in London. It might be the only such building left in North America.  

Picton has a downtown harbour with full-service marina, plus six municipal parks, including the Macaulay Heritage Park, a group of historic buildings, garden, cemetery and museum, near downtown.  

An important part of the town’s history is its newspaper, the Picton Gazette, which dates back to 1830 as the Hallowell Free Press, and is the oldest continuously operating community newspaper in Ontario.  

Launching point for shipwreck diving excursions

The town has a small airport, used mainly for recreational flying, at the site of a Second World War flying school. After the war, it was turned into a Canadian military base, which closed in 1969. Because of the unique character of the architecture, the airport has been used as a filming location. In a twist of literature and cinema, The English Patient has a character who hailed from Picton.  

The town has a 38-bed hospital that provides primary and chronic care, cardiology and 24-hour emergency services. Picton also has a golf and country club and a fitness and aquatic centre.  

Ducks Diving Centre is located in Picton, from which divers can arrange charters to some of the area’s many wrecks that lie beneath the waters of Lake Ontario. The area is known as “the Graveyard of Lake Ontario” due to the many shipwrecks.  

You can take old Highway 33 into the county, also known as Loyalist Parkway. The parkway contains a paved shoulder for cyclists. The county was once crossed by several rail lines, but the railways are all gone now. Happily, the rail rights-of-way have been used to create the Prince Edward County Trail system, a series of hiking and cycling trails.  

Award-winning wines, ciders

Picton area farm country produces fruits and vegetables as well as beef and dairy products. The area has food processing and packaging companies. But the fastest-growing farm industry is grapes and winemaking. The area has developed a highly respected boutique wine industry in recent years, which has been recognized with the coveted VQA designation, acknowledging Prince Edward as a distinct wine-producing region. Cider and ice cider are also produced from the county’s apples.  

Near Picton, you will find Lake Ontario’s finest beaches at Sandbanks Provincial Park, scattered among a rare series of sand dunes. Travelling the county roads nearby, you will also encounter many roadside farm markets and a cheese factory.  

Tourism is a big industry in Picton and the county, drawing 440,000 people annually who spend $65.4 million. There are many cottages, country inns, B&Bs, spas and resorts nearby.  

If you’re looking for real estate with a water view in Picton, a recently listed three-bedroom, two-bath century home in the heart of town, close to the harbour, was priced at $169,900. Other recently listed waterfront property in Picton included a three-bedroom, one-bath older home on the shores of Picton Bay on offer for $399,000 — complete with boat mooring in the backyard. But if you want to up the budget, a three-bedroom, three-bath brick century home, situated to offer views of Picton Harbour, could have been yours for $849,900.