With all the weird weather we’ve been having this spring, you might be tempted to check the calendar to confirm summer is actually coming. No fear: here are eight sure signs that summer will soon be arriving in The Kawarthas.
1. Muddy’s Pit BBQ in Keene is open
Summer means barbeque, and the always-popular Muddy’s Pit BBQ in Keene opened for the season in early April.
Muddy’s is an authentic maple log wood BBQ offering eat-in or take-out service. Specializing in ribs, brisket, and pulled pork, the restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Beginning on Sunday, May 22nd, Muddy’s turns BBQ into a party with live music featuring local performers every Sunday afternoon. This season’s line up includes The Do Good Badlies, Wylie Harold, Chris Culgin, Abel Renton, Mayhemingways, Al Black, Pine Box String Band, Mike Tabares, and Diamond Dave & The Smoke Eaters.
For more information, visit Muddy’s on Facebook page.
2. Silver Bean Café in Peterborough is open
The very popular waterfront café in Millennium Park in downtown Peterborough opened for the season on Sunday, May 1st.
With its outdoor patio overlooking Little Lake, the café has a varied menu and serves breakfast and lunch.
“The Bean” is open during May from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends and holidays (the café is open an additional hour, until 9 p.m., during the summer months).
For more information, visit www.silverbeancafe.com.
3. Farmers’ Markets are opening
In addition to the Peterborough Farmers’ Market at Morrow Park (which runs year-round but moves outdoors in May), the Peterborough Downtown Farmers’ Market is also opening this week, on Wednesday, May 4th.
Each Wednesday morning, the Louis St. Parking Lot (just east of the intersection of Charlotte and Aylmer Streets in downtown Peterborough) transforms into a festive and bustling market filled with vendors selling seasonal produce, meats, cheese, fresh flowers, baked goods, art, plants to grow, coffee, and lunches to go.
Along with monthly special events showcasing local produce as it comes into season, the market brings in guest chefs who provide samples and on-site cooking demonstrations, as well as innovative ideas on using market products throughout market season.
On opening day, the market will be cooking up and handing out pancakes made with local flour and eggs and topped with local maple syrup or preserves. The Peterborough Downtown Farmers’ Market runs every Wednesday until late October from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, visit ptbodowntownmarket.blogspot.ca.
4. Peterborough Musicfest announces its 2016 line-up this week
Concerts run at 8 p.m. every Wednesday and Saturday, from June 25th to August 24th, at Del Crary Park in downtown Peterborough. Best of all, the concerts are free!
Past performers at Peterborough Musicfest have included Gordon Lightfoot, Carly Rae Jepsen, Tegan and Sara, Walk Off the Earth, Emerson Drive, Randy Bachman, and Chad Brownlee. In 2015, Peterborough Musicfest was recognized as a Top 100 Festival and Event in Ontario.
Stay tuned to kawarthaNOW.com for our story on the 2016 line-up.
For more information, visit www.peterboroughmusicfest.com.
5. Doors Open Peterborough takes place this weekend
Doors Open is a free day of fun for people of all ages. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., sites all over the city are open to the public free of charge.
There’ll be various events, including the Ashburnham Rail Trail Heritage Walk. The walking tour will depart at several times during the day from Robinson Street at the Rotary Trail, where you can learn about Peterborough’s historic Mattress Factory.
For more information, visit www.doorsopenontario.on.ca/peterborough
Doors Open Peterborough Promotional Video
6. Drive-in movie theatres in the Kawarthas are open
Nothing says summer like a dusk-to-dawn marathon at a drive-in movie theatre, and The Kawarthas has three drive-ins to choose from (Lindsay, Port Hope, and Havelock).
Both the Port Hope Drive-In and Lindsay Drive-In are now open for the season, with movies running every weekend during the spring.
The Lindsay Drive-In — which is the Kawarthas’ largest drive-in with its two screens — is also open on Tuesdays until the summer, when they’re open every night.
Havelock Family Drive-In opens for the season on Friday, May 20th.
We list the movies playing at the drive-ins on our website, but for more information including location and prices, visit www.lindsaydrivein.ca, www.porthopedrivein.com, and www.havelockdrivein.com.
7. Provincial parks in The Kawarthas are opening
While some Ontario provincial parks are already open (such as Presqu’ile in Brighton and a few locations in Alonquin), most parks officially open for camping and day use on Friday, May 13th.
Provincial parks in The Kawarthas opening on May 13 include Petroglyphs, Lake St. Peter, Silent Lake, Balsam Lake, Emily, and Ferris.
For more information and to reserve a campsite for parks offering camping, visit www.ontarioparks.com.
8. The Kawartha Craft Beer Festival returns
Peterborough’s second annual craft beer festival returns on June 10th and 11th in downtown Peterborough thanks to Smithavens Brewing Company and Publican House Brewery.
The Kawartha Craft Beer Festival brings together beer lovers who are ready to sample Ontario’s finest craft beers. Participants can savour a diverse selection of fresh craft beer, delicious local foods, enjoy live entertainment, and have a great time discovering new craft beer flavours.
The first festival last year was extremely popular, and this year’s event is taking place at Millennium Park to accommodate the crowds.
The event will take place on Friday, June 10th from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. and on Saturday, June 11th from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. This year will feature 11 breweries and one cidery from the region.
Tickets, including day passes and weekend passes, are available t Smithavens Brewing Company, Publican House Brewery, and online at www.kawarthacraftbeerfestival.com.
