Toronto’s favourite cold-weather art show is back — and this year, it’s messing with your mind.
Winter Stations 2026 returns to Woodbine Beach from Feb. 16 to Mar. 30, transforming lifeguard stations into stunning public art installations that blur the line between what’s seen and what’s real.
Now in its 12th year, the exhibition invites international artists to interpret the annual theme — and this year, it’s all about “Mirage”. In a world shaped by AI and shifting realities, the works play with perception, illusion, and light — using snow, ice, wood, and creativity to alter how we see the winter world.
Out of thousands of submissions, five installations were selected. Here are a few showstoppers:
Glaciate (Toronto + Taiwan)
Created by students from Toronto Metropolitan University and Ming Chuan University, this eerie corridor of ice-filled panels distorts your vision as you search for a hidden red lifeguard chair — a ghostlike figure only ever partially revealed.
Crest (Waterloo)
Looks like driftwood from afar — but step closer, and it morphs into a frozen wave, bending your perspective with every angle. Designed by University of Waterloo students, it’s a masterclass in optical illusion.
Embrace (Saskatchewan)
A giant frozen hug. That’s the vibe here. Created in collaboration with Northcrest Developments, this abstract piece evokes the warmth we crave most in February.
Other winners include SPECULARIA from the U.S. and CHIMERA, a dazzling team effort between artists from Ukraine and Germany.
Location: 1675 Lake Shore Blvd. E., Woodbine Beach
Dates: Feb. 16 – Mar. 30
Dress Code: Parkas, mitts, and an open mind.
Whether you’re in it for the art, the ice, or the Instagram moment — Winter Stations 2026 promises a fresh way to see the beach… even under a blanket of snow.
Get involved.
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