Located at the Hill Park Learning Centre, the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board Archives contains records and memorabilia of almost 350 former and current Hamilton-region schools. The volunteers and staff of the archives will be compiling photos, records and possibly videos of the music presented at high schools in the area. A treasure trove for former students and families.

Following the Presbyterian tradition, Knox in Waterdown is an important community hub responding to the needs of the parish. The older Georgian hall is used for food service and community gatherings. The Edwardian sanctuary is fitted out with a stage and a full set of musical instruments that are played for Sunday mass, as well as other occasions.

The Lister Block features a two-level, L-shaped interior shopping arcade and distinctive terracotta and brick façade. It is one of Hamilton's first multi-purpose commercial office/retail buildings. Built in 1923, it was restored in 2012. Join architect-led tours both days (every hour from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.) and explore a Tourism Hamilton presentation inside.

This innovative concert hall has a virtual acoustic system. It advances research on human interaction and music's impact on health. It is also used to assist Parkinson's patients, improve music listening for the hard of hearing, and enhance creativity in performances. This acclaimed national treasure offers a unique contribution to understanding the power of music. Limited availability. Registration required.

The MacNab Presbyterian Church was completed in 1857 during a cholera epidemic. The exterior is solid stone masonry with an updated slate roof. After the First World War, nine-window stained-glass windows by the Scottish artists William Wilson and James Ballantyne were installed. The sanctuary has stone walls and columns, blonde wood and a magnificent Casavant organ.

The American House is one of the longest running hotels in Ontario, celebrating 200 years this year. Opened in 1824, it has changed owners many times. But the integrity of the original design has been maintained. It contained the last old-time stand-up bar in Ontario and also retained the practise of segregating men and women until 1966.

The Huxley Building is a prominent property in the Waterdown Heritage Conservation District. Built in 1860, it has been a bank and now this popular used bookstore. The façade has been renovated to provide a retail space on the west side, and a picture window on the south façade. Most of the interior is original.

An 1876 murder ... the killer hanged ... rumours of a ghost. Historical facts or backdrop for great theatre? The Players’ Guild of Hamilton has been a leader in the local community theatre scene since 1875, making it North America’s oldest community theatre group. Enjoy guided tours and a cash bar (alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages). Open rehearsals may also occur.

Built in 1914 as a vaudeville and movie theatre, this distinctive beaux-arts building was designed by Stewart & Witton. After 76 years of continuous operation, the theatre closed in August 1990. But, in 2018, it reopened as an independent art-house cinema. Original architectural features — including lavish interiors — have been beautifully restored, and a new neon sign recreates the long-lost original.

Stoney Creek’s Fox Theatre opened on October 20, 1952 and ran successfully until 1965, when it closed. In 1979, it was renovated and re-opened as the Royal Canadian Legion Battlefield Branch 622. This clever adaptive reuse has transformed a lovely mid-century modern theatre into a community space used today for a wide variety of functions. Enjoy musical performances both days.

This 1885-86 building in the heart of Dundas has been a foundry, indoor skating/curling rink, bus depot, warehouse and, since 2016, this brewery. The wood post-and-beam/brick masonry structure has been preserved yet modernized with the latest in craft beer equipment. The brewery focuses on German-style lagers with an emphasis on quality and authenticity.

Founded in 1826, St. Andrew's has been at the heart of the historical Ancaster Village for almost 200 years. The stone Gothic revival church was completed in 1875; the bell dates from 1835. There were renovations in 1961 and 1990, then again in 2018. The main entrance was redesigned and an elevator was installed.

St. James United is an inclusive 2SLGBTQ+ congregation that has served Waterdown for almost 250 years. In the 1950s, they built a Gothic revival space. Currently under redevelopment, the church will expand to include 44 new rental homes surrounding the retained place of worship. The retained space will be updated to provide new daycare space and improved public outdoor space.

St. John's Anglican Church is a Gothic revival structure in a beautiful park setting. It has a thriving choir and offers many community activities. The original wooden church burned down in 1868, replaced in 1869 by this local stone building, which is noted for its red front doors, central square tower, magnificent stained-glass windows and interior.

Built in 1890, this church was designed in the Romanesque style. With its open plan, stained-glass windows, interior artwork, 1908 Casavant pipe organ and 7.6-metre-high (25-foot) Carrera marble altar, St. Lawrence is a treasure in Hamilton’s north end. There will be live demonstrations of the organ being played throughout the weekend, and complimentary food/drink at noon on May 5.

As an Anglican church, St. Mark’s served the community for over 100 years before closing in 1989. Now owned by the City of Hamilton, the site has undergone extensive restoration, preserving the heritage character of the building and park, while adding modern services, gardens and accessibility. It now has a new life as a community arts and cultural programming space.

Originally the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Stewart Memorial Church boasts Hamilton’s longest surviving predominately Black congregation. The interior is designated for its original pressed tin ceiling and dark, wooden, curved pews. The choir sings spirituals passed down from the original congregation that were sung along the Underground Railroad. You can hear them perform on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.

The Bell Tower Place Community Hub and Stoney Creek United Church provide wonderful examples of both Edwardian and brutalist architecture working together side by side. The site has recently been redeveloped for community use and houses a renovated Masonic lodge (a former 1903 chapel) and a private school (Literacy and Mathematics Academy).

This delightful Stoney Creek restaurant is an original Renaissance-revival power station that provided power to the rail lines in the 1890s. It was intricately refurbished with historical tokens from across Canada to become the space you see today. It is a brilliant example of adaptive reuse, preserving its Florentine arches, scalloping and exaggerated keystones — indicative of the Renaissance revival style.

The Staircase has been a multi-purpose arts incubator for decades. Site of the former Hamilton Hydro Dundurn substation, the 1914 building combines large windows, decorative brick, a large overhanging cornice complete with dentil blocks, and an impressive beaux arts portico. The various performing spaces will have music this year from Jocelyn Lune.

This was Hamilton’s first theatre built expressly to show “talkies” — motion pictures with sound. The beautiful art deco building was fully restored in 2017 by the Westdale Cinema Group and has become a cinematic, cultural and economic hub. The excellent film series Hamilton Originals will be shown on Saturday, while the site will be open for tours on Sunday.

The Theatrix Costume House is located behind an Edwardian gable front beside the fabric district on Ottawa Street. Theatrix has one of the largest collections of costumes available in North America, with over 50,000 professional-quality costumes and accessories from every century. During Doors Open, they are thrilled to showcase music-inspired costumes. The team will be delighted to dress up, too!

With more than 90 retail stores, professional services, cafés and restaurants, Locke Street has become a popular Hamilton destination for locals and visitors alike. This guided walking tour, offered by the local business improvement association, will showcase just a few of the many sites that make this street so popular. Afterwards, enjoy live music on the street by local musicians.

Stoney Creek was first settled by United Empire Loyalists in 1786. It was the site of the Battle of Stoney Creek in 1813, part of the War of 1812, and Canada’s first Women's Institute. Join this walking tour and learn more about this historical community. Then stick around for some live music at the Titan Mortgage Group afterwards.

The Waterdown Heritage Conservation District is a largely intact pre-Confederation and Victorian neighbourhood with a variety of building types and styles. Walking tours will be led by local historians. The beautiful stone façades of residences and old mills mix with later opulent Victorian masterpieces in brick. Most structures are still intact, and the main street has been developed tastefully.