Have you ever felt stuck in the summer? Beautiful weather, with a seemingly endless list of possible ways to enjoy it, but a limited supply of money to fully enjoy July and August?
You’ll be happy to know there are many great things in Peterborough and The Kawarthas that everyone can enjoy for $20 or less. There are also many free ways to enjoy summer in the region, including music, local history, visual arts, and more.
Here is our first installment of excellent and affordable ways to enjoy summer. Of course, you can always check our wonderful listings of many other events throughout Central Ontario.
Little Lake MusicFest
Del Crary Park, Peterborough
Bring your lawn chair and maybe even your dancing shoes. Shows begin at 8 p.m. and all concerts are family friendly!
For the festival line-up, check out kawarthaNOW’s 2012 Little Lake MusicFest column. For more details about the festival, visit www.littlelakemusicfest.ca.
Lock Jam
Lock 34, Trent-Severn Waterway, Fenelon Falls
August 4th is the Fenelon Falls Lions Club Car Show, with music from Montana Sky and British Invasion.
August 25th will be the Lock 34 Park Party with four bands on the bill.
For a list of Lock Jam events, see kawarthaNOW’s event listings. For more information about Lock Jam, visit www.lockjam.ca.
Concerts in the Park
The Gazebo, Lock 32, Bobcaygeon
Concerts in the Park features two shows each week, with more performers than I can mention in this small space. A children’s show begins at 5:30 p.m. and a show for everyone at 6:30 p.m.
Shows are free, with an optional donation that helps them pay the bills.
For a list of the free concerts, check out kawarthaNOW’s event listings. For more details about the Bobcaygeon Music Council, visit www.bobcaygeonmusic.com.
Art Gallery of Peterborough
Downtown Peterborough
Gallery hours are weekdays from 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. (Wednesdays until 8 p.m.), and weekends from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
For a list of exhibitions at the gallery, see out kawarthaNOW’s event listings. For more information about the gallery, visit www.agp.on.ca
Peterborough Museum and Archives
Armour Hill, Peterborough
Along with the Avro Arrow exhibit, the museum presents its permanent display of Peterborough’s past, ranging from indigenous artifacts and history to a focus on the city’s development over the years, through its galleries. The Early Settlement Gallery presents Peterborough’s early heritage, beginning with pre-contact and local First Nations. The Pammett Gallery explores the settlement of Peterborough up to 1850, including the Peter Robinson Emigration of 1825. The Victorian Gallery traces Peterborough’s evolution from a frontier service town in 1850, to its incorporation as a mainstream industrial city in 1905.
The museum is also offering a wide array of excellent children’s summer camps, where past, present and future creatively collide. Some half-day camps are available for $15.
Museum hours are 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on weekdays, and noon – 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays. Admission is by donation.
For a list of exhibitions and summer camps at the museum, visit kawarthaNOW’s event listings. For details about the museum, visit www.peterboroughmuseumandarchives.ca
So go out and have some fun, without stretching your budget!
Our next list of great and affordable summer fun will feature Hutchison House Museum, Lang Pioneer Village, the Riverview Park and Zoo, fun things to do in Lakefield, a look at area farmers’ markets, and a glimpse into the Peterborough Folk Festival as well as the Hunter Street Hootenanny.
