Community-Owned · Volunteer-Run · Since 1873
One of Ontario's last community-owned halls. No paid staff. No operational subsidies. Just us.
Why Gilford Hall
While municipal centres come and go with budget cycles, this hall has been sustained by neighbours for over 150 years. No line items. No bureaucracy. Just people who show up.
Founded in 1873 as a Temperance Hall. Rebuilt after fire in 1923. Volunteer-governed since May 1, 1925, when five local trustees — Sherman Todd, L.A. Neilly, Leonard Gibbons, Urney Rothwell, and Gilson Sawyer — took stewardship.
No paid staff. No operational subsidies. Day-to-day operations sustained entirely by rentals, donations, and people who care enough to keep the doors open. That's rare. That's valuable.
From intimate concerts supporting local talent to weddings, family reunions, and the annual Soup Contest — every event adds to 150 years of memories and keeps the hall standing for the next generation.
Featured Event
"Only in Gilford, a Big Ass Show in a Small Hall"
Intimate live music in a 150-year-old hall. 100 people. Local bands that play for the love of it. Every ticket supports the hall and the artists who make it worth the trip.
The Space
Rustic, imperfect, real. The floors have stories. The stage has decades of history. The yard has been community parkland since 1931.
120 standing capacity
Recently updated appliances
Built for live music
Parkland since 1931
Support the Hall
Gilford Community Hall pays its own property taxes, insurance, and utilities — no operational subsidies from the Town. Every rental, every donation, every volunteer hour is what keeps these doors open.
That's been true since 1925. It only stays true if neighbours like you step up.
“Some things are worth keeping simply because they belong to us.”Community-owned since 1873