Goose on the Grand

Goose on the Grand is a family-friendly outdoor event held at Mill Race Park along the Grand River. The celebration features local art displays, live music, interactive activities, and family programming, along with a Rubber Duck Race on the river and photo opportunities with an 18-foot inflatable goose. With food vendors, hands-on activities for all ages, and community-led attractions, the event celebrates local culture, creativity, and riverside recreation.

Goose on the Grand Public Art

A feature of the 2026 Goose on the Grand event was the official unveiling of five 4.5-foot tall geese, each designed and painted by a local artist. 

Following the event, the City commissioned a second 'flock' of these public art pieces and are installing these one-of-a-kind artworks in public spaces across the City.  Click on the drop-down headings below for more information on each artist and their unique design.  

Ræ Azzopardi, also known as MORTVL, is a Cambridge-based multidisciplinary artist who specializes in illustration, painting, and graphic design. They graduated from the Illustration program at OCAD U with honors in 2023. The subject matter of their work contemplates duality, nature, technology, and identity by contrasting the beautiful with the horrific. 

This goose was created to celebrate our fresh waterways and ecosystems in Cambridge, Ontario. All the creatures and plants within the piece are native to the Tri-City region. The intention of this goose is to promote the importance of protecting the Grand River, wetlands, and other fresh bodies of water by highlighting the natural beauty in our local ecosystems. 

A 4.5-foot-tall fibreglass goose standing in front of a large yellow brick building. The goose is painted with a landscape featuring a body of water below green willow trees and a cloudy blue sky.

 

Madeline Belford is an illustrator, graphic designer, and artist born and raised in the Region of Waterloo and now lives and works in Toronto. She enjoys flexing her creative skills through projects spanning illustration, murals, marketing, and packaging design. She’s most intrigued by the intersection of form and function—believing design never exists in a vacuum, and that strong work is grounded in intention, strategy, and thoughtful problem-solving. Painting and drawing first led her to graphic design and installation work, and she loves creating work for both the city and the area she grew up in and the city she now calls home.

This goose was sponsored by the Discover Preston BIA (Business Improvement Area). The Preston Goose is on the loose.  Explore Preston and its many local businesses to find it.

A 4.5-foot-tall fibreglass goose painted to look realistic with a grey body and black neck. The goose is wearing a maroon and tan jacket featuring an emblem with the letter P and several small patches.

I live in the moments that tether humans to the natural world. Whether those bonds are intimate or expansive, it is there that I discover my place as an observer, a student, and a medium. For me, art is not just a form of expression, but a means to connect with others, to create a community. I aim to create art that is accessible with integrity and kindness.  

It's humbling to hear strangers share how my drawings have moved them, whether it's a cherished memory, a moment of pride, or a deep loss. These conversations keep me aware how much we all crave connection and community, a place where we feel seen and accepted. In a world that often pushes us apart, I use my art to defy individualism and disconnection. I strive to create art that fosters little connections, gentle and open, to others and to ourselves even in the midst of fear and uncertainty.

My life and family have provided the foundational skills I need and the confidence to explore new paths. Here I can seek opportunities for growth, evolution and identity. It is my own nature to give people an easy and approachable way to connect their ideas with nature. Making art accessible, comforting, and familiar is a value that will always guide me, no matter the medium or materials.

As fellow citizens of Waterloo Region, artists, observers, collaborators, or simply friends, I hope we can find common ground and connect through our shared passion for creativity and community. 

A 4.5-foot-tall fibreglass goose standing in front of the baseball field and grand stand. The goose is painted with organic marks in blue, green, turquoise and yellow with a crest on its chest displaying a baseball player and an image of the grand stand.

Simone is a local artist who specializes in semi-abstract landscape paintings in her signature colour cube style. Simone predominantly paints scenes local to the Cambridge countryside and often feature bodies of water in her work.

A 4.5-foot-tall fiberglass goose wearing an orange and yellow high-visibility construction vest.

 

Marley Butt grew up in Cambridge. She studied Graphic Design at Fanshawe College and Animation at Mohawk College. Marley works as a Graphic Designer mainly in the textile and home decor space.

Marley's design was sponsored and inspired by the Firehall Museum and Education Centre. It is on view during Museum hours: Saturday from 9:30am-12:30pm.

A 4.5-foot-tall fibreglass goose painted to look like a firefighter with red jacket and helmet.

 

Holly Enter is a multidisciplinary visual artist based in Brant County, Ontario. Her artwork is shaped by a desire to find beauty in ordinary places and everyday moments, reflecting the creativity and design found throughout the world around us. Alongside her personal practice and private commissions, Holly enjoys being involved in community-focused and public art projects. She aims to create artwork that engages the public, celebrates local culture and heritage, and transforms shared spaces into places of interest and conversation. 

This painting celebrates Cambridge's historic buildings in and around the Gaslight District, where historic places have been reimagined to preserve their character while creating new spaces for the community to gather. The scene brings together iconic landmarks, including the Gaslight District's buildings and water tower, the Old Post Office, and church steeples that have shaped Cambridge's skyline for more than a century. The Grand River serves as the connecting thread, reflecting the warm glow of windows, streetlights, and string lights. Together, these elements celebrate a place where history and modern life meet along the banks of the Grand River.

Large fibreglass goose sculpture painted with lanscape featuring buildings and a river below an evening sky. The goose is standing in front of large electronic billboard that reads 'the Gaslight District'.

Andrew Kolb is an illustrator, author, game designer, and now a goose-painter from Kitchener, Ontario. He's worked with a range of companies like Penguin Random House, Mattel, Disney, Nickelodeon, DC Comics, and the TTC. His work is driven by a blend of design, storytelling, and surprise. 

With this goose, Andrew is celebrating the rich community in Cambridge, with an emphasis on Galt. From Cambridge's distinction to having the first hospital in the region, to its history of industry with the Tiger Brand Knitting Company and the Goldie & McCulloch Company, there's so much to highlight. Kolb's approach takes these details, like the pike in the Grand River and the city's Bee City designation and turns them into literal badges of honour to be worn. The result is a Goose proudly declaring its home. 

a 4.5-foot tall fibreglass duck painted golden yellow with orange beak and feet. The duck is painted to look like it is wearing a light blue and white striped shirt under a green jacket with patches representing a ghost, a shoe, and a bridge

Currently on view at the Queen's Square location; 1 North Square. 

Lisa Leskien is an artist on the loose with a passion for capturing joy, energy, and vibrant colour in everything she creates. Her work is inspired by her explorations while running, hiking and cycling, particularly through the rugged beauty of the Canadian Shield near her home, in Sydenham, Ontario. 

Lisa specializes in stylized, representational oil paintings, as well as linocut and woodcut prints that reflect the wonder she sees in everyday life. Using bold mark-making, thick “juicy” paint, and highly exaggerated colours, her pieces are full of life and movement. Lisa’s enthusiasm for the creative process is infectious—something she shares not only through her art, but also as an art instructor at The Hive Studio, Artnoise and The Senior’s Centre in Kingston. She teaches a range of classes including beginner and intermediate painting, landscape and still life painting, printmaking, crochet, and arts workshops. 

In 2024, Lisa won the Quinte Plein Air Competition for her bright and playful acrylic painting Greetings from Jimmy the Goat at Hagerman Farms. This piece reflects her love for capturing local colour, character, and energy in her work. 

Lisa earned a Honours Bachelor of Fine Arts from York University and a Bachelor of Education from Brock University. After a 19-year career as an elementary school teacher, she made the leap to follow her dream of becoming a full-time artist in 2024—and hasn’t looked back since.

A 4.5-foot fibreglass goose on a white pedestal. The goose is painted with illustrations of architectural landmarks in Cambridge Ontario and books authored by prominent female artists

Jessica Penney is a Cambridge based artist and painter exploring form, gesture, and movement. A graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design and L’École des Beaux Arts de Saint Étienne in France. 

Inspired by Cambridge’s wildlife and winding riverbanks, this goose celebrates the nature woven into our city. Painterly wildlife silhouettes as well as silver and gold accents honour the value of our natural spaces, while a bright heart on its back represents the rivers as the heart of Preston. Teal echoes the tones of City Hall, tying it all back to home. 

a 4.5-foot-tall fibreglass goose standing on a concrete base on green grass. The goose's feet, neck, and head are painted silver and its torso light green with white silhouettes of plants

Lennon Sykes, or Rattlingteeth, is a black/biracial, trans, queer, and neurodiverse artist born and raised in Cambridge, ON. Their paintings mix vibrant colours, nature, portraiture and surrealism while leaning on inspirations such as afrofuturism, expressionism and the colours of the world around them. Using art as an outlet Rattlingteeth tackles topics such as identity, ecology, community, love, joy, pain, wellness and more. 

This piece was inspired by the vibrancy and colours of Downtown Galt on a hot summer day. The diverse 2SLGBTQ+ community of Cambridge can be sometimes hard to find, especially during winter months. I wanted this piece to be a pillar of colour and a bold visual reminder that we are not alone and we belong within the greater community. 

Whether you are questioning, in the closet, ‘out’ or somewhere in the middle I made this bouquet for you! Remember, there is beauty in our differences and strength in our love. 

This goose was sponsored by Grand River Pride.

A 4.5-foot-tall fibreglass goose painted with a bouquet of colourful flowers tied with a rainbow ribbon, set in front of a cloudy blue sky.

Helen Turner is an accomplished artist from Cambridge, ON, Canada, who spent three rewarding decades in education — as a teacher, vice-principal, and principal — before retiring to pursue her lifelong love of art. Her paintings, greeting cards, and gift items carry the warmth of someone who has spent a lifetime nurturing others. 
 
Sir Honks-A-Lot is the proud keeper of the Cambridge Farmers’ Market. This painted goose honours the heart of the market and the community it feeds. A beehive crowns his back, with bees spiralling down his sides — a tribute to the honeybee’s vital role in our food and farming. Fresh local market treasures are woven into his design, celebrating the connection between land, grower, and our shared table. Sir Honks-A-Lot is a reminder of community, wellness, and knowing where your food comes from. 

Sir Honk-A-Lot is on view during Market hours: Saturdays from 7am-1pm.

A 4.5-foot-tall fibreglass goose standing on grass in front of a river and arched bridge. The goose is white with an orange beak and is wearing a purple bowtie. Its body is decorated with image of fruits, vegetables, meat and flowers with the words Cambridge Farmers Market across its chest.

Carol Walthers is a multidisciplinary contemporary artist based in Cambridge. Her work focuses on issue-based art, humanity’s connection to nature, and spirituality. She completed her art education at the Ontario College of Art. Carol has held numerous exhibitions throughout Waterloo Region and is now represented by Mood Yellow Gallery in Preston. 

The artwork depicts a peaceful wetland scene viewed simultaneously from above and below the water’s surface. In areas of the Grand River where lilies and aquatic plants, such as the colourful pickerelweed (Pontederia), grow, there is an abundance of life beneath the water. It is a symbiotic ecosystem in which plants provide oxygen for the creatures below. Canadian geese and numerous other waterfowl thrive in this environment. 

This goose is on view during Theatre hours.

4.5-foot tall fibreglass goose decorated with a colourful painting featuring a wetland landscape of fish, water lilies and flowers below a bright blue sky.

#FindTheFlock

Use the interactive map to find each work of art!

Goose on the Grand Public Art Map