Kleinburg, Vaughan, Vaughan
Kleinburg Village, Vaughan
John Nicholas Kline built a sawmill and a gristmill on the Humber River in 1848, and a milling village grew around them. Hotels, shops, churches and schools followed later in the century. The largest reason that people now visit is closed for years, so read the note on the McMichael first.
Last reviewed November 1, 2026 by the York Happening editorial team.
The McMichael closure
The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is closed for redevelopment and plans to reopen in 2029. Its visit page lists the gallery, the cabin and the shop as closed every day. It also says that its parking lot closes to vehicles when construction starts in fall 2026, and that trail access through the site then stops. Trails along the Humber stay open from other access points.
Reading the village
Kleinburg and Nashville began as two settlements. The valley kept the railway out of the village, so the first station went up outside it in 1870, and Nashville grew around that station. The Howland brothers bought the mills in 1852, and the BIA says that they became some of the largest between Toronto and Barrie. William Pearce Howland later became a Father of Confederation.
The City treats the two places together in its Kleinburg-Nashville Heritage Conservation District. The McMichael family began to collect Canadian art here in the 1950s, and the collection opened in 1966. The Kleinburg BIA site lists the current shops, cafes and restaurants, and its calendar holds the current events.
With the gallery closed
The village still works for a short visit: walk Islington Avenue, eat, and use the library if the weather turns. It is the one public indoor stop that we can confirm in the village. The Pierre Berton Resource Library on Rutherford Road is another branch.
For a longer outing with children, drive south. Kortright has more than 16 km of trails and a marsh boardwalk, and it is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Boyd has a pool and a splash pad, but it is closed from November to April.
The Nashville Conservation Reserve is a large natural area in the same part of Vaughan, at more than 900 hectares. TRCA lists trails for hiking, mountain biking and cross-country skiing, but no washroom on site. Use its map to find an access point.
Kleinburg Library
The Vaughan Public Libraries branch in the village.
10341 Islington Avenue North, Kleinburg
Pierre Berton Resource Library
A resource library for a rainy afternoon.
4921 Rutherford Road, Woodbridge
Kortright Centre for Conservation
Woods, a marsh boardwalk and family programs.
9550 Pine Valley Drive, Woodbridge
Nashville Conservation Reserve
TRCA land of more than 900 hectares. We could not confirm a street address.
Getting there
Islington Avenue is the main road, and it runs north from Major Mackenzie Drive into the village. Nashville Road runs west from it. The BIA site has a directions and parking page, which you should read while the McMichael lot is affected by construction. We could not confirm a current bus route to the village, so use the YRT Trip Planner.
The Binder Twine Festival
This September festival began with Charles Shaw Jr.'s gatherings for local farmers, and it is the name that people search for. Wikipedia says that it stopped in 2020. The last edition that we could confirm is September 14, 2019. We found no 2026 listing and no 2027 date, so treat the festival as discontinued unless its organizers announce a return.
Upcoming events
From the York Happening events calendar, updated daily.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the McMichael open?
No. It is closed for redevelopment, and it plans to reopen in 2029.
Why is it called Kleinburg?
The name comes from John Nicholas Kline, who started the mills and lots here in 1848.
Is the Binder Twine Festival still held?
No current edition is listed. The last edition that we could confirm is September 14, 2019.
What is open in Kleinburg while the McMichael is closed?
The village shops and the Kleinburg Library are the main stops. Kortright and Boyd are conservation sites in the area with visitor pages.
Sources
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