New Oneida Arrival Day Mural to be Painted for Port Stanley
On October 9th, 2026, festivities in Port Stanley will mark the October 1840 arrival of the Oneida people at Little Beach. The event is scheduled for 11am to 6pm at Little Beach and will include Oneida storytelling, cultural teachings, historical displays, food, arts and craft vendors, activities for families, and more. All are welcome to attend the event presented by the Oneida Nation of the Thames in partnership with the Port Stanley Village Association.
The Port Stanley Business Improvement Area (BIA) is very pleased to help support the painting of a new mural to commemorate the Oneida Arrival Day. Celebrated artist Mike Cywink has been engaged to develop the design and paint the piece, and he will facilitate a series of workshops with local Oneida youth, including students from Standing Stone and various secondary schools in the Thames Valley District School Board. These workshops will provide opportunities for youth to share their perspectives, ideas, experiences and creativity. The final design and imagery will be developed through this process, ensuring the work is informed and shaped by community voices.
Design work will proceed this fall with the expectation that the mural will be installed at 177 Main Street in spring 2027. The location was selected because of the close proximity to Little Beach and the high visibility of the wall. In addition to BIA funding, the mural is being supported by private individuals as well as local service clubs, specifically the Optimist Club of Port Stanley, Kiwanis Club of Port Stanley, Kettle Creek Swans and Port Stanley Legion. An interpretive plaque will be installed on-site following the completion of the mural.
Mike Cywink is a talented Indigenous artist who has painted many murals in the area including in London at the Grand Theatre, N’Amerind Friendship Centre, and London Children’s Museum, as well as inside many Thames Valley District School Board buildings. In St. Thomas, he has painted pieces for the Horton Farmers’ Market and St. Thomas Elevated Park. Staff and students at Wilfrid Laurier University will be familiar with his spectacular mural on-campus in Waterloo.
Beginning in 2025, the Port Stanley BIA started to work in collaboration with the team at Andrew Gunn Consulting and young & free press to add new artwork in the village. In June 2026, artist Michelle Hoogveld painted a beautiful mural at McFarlan Rowlands Insurance Brokers at 289 Bridge Street. Additional murals and installations are planned in the coming months.
For additional information, please contact:
Andrew Gunn
President, Andrew Gunn Consulting
c. 519.709.5227
