It’s easy to hear the excitement in Mieke Schipper’s voice when she talks about the past 25 years she has spent nurturing the Gamiing Nature Centre into the bountiful and biologically diverse environmental education centre that it is today.
“There are so many wonderful moments,” she says. “It’s hard to think of the best.”
Schipper and the team at Gamiing Nature Centre, which is located east of Lindsay and south of Bobcaygeon, will be reflecting on some of these wonderful moments when the not-for-profit charity organization hosts the Summer Solstice Festival in honour of the 25-year anniversary.
From 1 to 9 p.m. on Saturday (June 22), the Pigeon Lake property will be transformed into a celebration with vendors, games, food trucks, a silent auction, and a wide range of entertainment. Admission is by donation.
“We wanted to do something that would appeal to everyone — kids, adults, and everyone in between,” says Schipper.
Supported by donations, Gamiing Nature Centre — whose name means “at the shore” in the Ojibwe language (Anishinaabemowin) — offers 100 acres of wetlands, forests, and shoreline available for visitors to walk seven kilometres of recreational trails and learn from nature and art-based workshops. The property is also home to the Discovery Shack which offers hands-on, interactive learning opportunities, and an event venue called the “The Hayloft.”
As of 2017, Gamiing is protected in perpetuity by the Kawartha Land Trust, an organization that Schipper herself helped found.
At this year’s festival, Gamiing is honouring those who have made it what it is today by inviting guests who have entertained visitors on the property over the last two and a half decades. The entertainment is kicking off at 3 p.m. with an outdoor performance by Glen Caradus and his Paddling Puppeteers.
“About 24 years ago, he and (Phil Stephenson) came in birch bark canoes and did the whole wonderful Paddling Puppeteers skit … it was fabulous,” Schipper recalls. “A couple of years later, he came again and wowed the audience. Young and old, they all loved it, so we’re happy he’s coming back.”
The Raging Grannies, a group of creative senior political activists who Schipper describes as “utterly, utterly hilarious,” will be returning to the indoor Hayloft singing tongue-and-cheek songs, while Lindsay singer-songwriter Sean Jamieson will perform as part of a duo, before the event comes to an end with a performance by Ken Campbell and Friends.
The afternoon will also include the screening of a video from Eileen and Robert Blake, who brought their acoustic music to the property on several occasions before moving to the United Kingdom last year.
“They have been here since time immemorial — since the beginning — and were the first to play in the Hayloft,” Schipper says, noting that they sent her a video clip of the couple playing her favourite songs. “I just love when she sings. I so enjoy it and it’s really amazing, so we knew we had to show that video clip.”
The Summer Solstice Festival will also include reflections on the past 25 years, as well as a silent auction, which will be held throughout the day and features a range of artwork, paintings and frames, angora scarves, and other one-of-a-kind vintage items.
Vendors for the afternoon include local farmers and artisans such as John Wager, a longtime workshop host for Gamiing, who will offer utensils and other handmade woodwork. Food trucks will be onsite to provide snacks, lunch, and ice cream throughout the afternoon.
Donations from the festival, which can be made in cash or by debit or credit card through the tiptap app, will be going towards the programs and workshops held at Gamiing, including the upcoming summer camps that invite children to spend five days exploring and learning from nature.
“The summer camps are always a highlight,” says Schipper. “I know that kids just love it, so we want to keep it not overly expensive — we haven’t raised the price for many years, and we don’t want to.”
While running the summer camps is certainly at the top of the list on Schipper’s top moments over 25 years, as well as seeing an American bittern — a secretive marsh bird — on the property, it’s mostly the range of people who pass through the Gamiing that leave her with the fondest memories.
“When the community comes just to walk their dogs and walk the trails, that is always great,” she says. “It’s funny that we were never as busy as during COVID with people just walking, because it was and still is so important. That was pretty amazing just for the opportunity to connect to the community.”
Gamiing Nature Centre is open at 1884 Pigeon Lake Road seven days per week from sunup to sundown. Visit www.gamiing.org for more information on the Summer Solstice Festival, summer camps, and other offerings.
You can also follow Gamiing Nature Centre on Facebook and Instagram.
