The 2025 winners of the Rotary Club of Peterborough's Rotary Environmental Innovators Fund (REIF) awards celebrate at the McDonnel Street Activity Centre on May 26, 2025: Norm Lamothe of Woodleigh Farms, Hayley Goodchild of Peterborough GreenUp, Steve Paul of Second Nature Studio, Anna Lee and Elliott Groen of Kawartha Land Trust with Justin Sutton of the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough (on behalf of Kieran Andrews of Wild Rock Outfitters), and Eduard Yonathan of SanoStrategy Corporation. (Photo courtesy of Rotary Club of Peterborough)
For the third year in a row, the Rotary Club of Peterborough is rewarding environmental innovators with financial support for local projects through the Rotary Environmental Innovators Fund (REIF).
During its regular meeting on Monday afternoon (May 26) at McDonnel Street Activity Centre, Rotary announced it is awarding a total of $11,000 to five innovative local environmental projects that range from transforming unrecyclable waste plastic into new items to testing new wind turbine technology.
Rotary launched REIF in late 2022 with a goal to promote environmental awareness, sustainability, and remediation by supporting new environmental initiatives in the Peterborough area.
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Since then, the fund has awarded more than $30,000 for projects in the areas of biodiversity, water and wastewater technologies, climate change, sustainable living, pollution, waster disposal, and more.
Applications for REIF funds are judged based on how they might impact the local climate and environment, how innovative the project is compared to existing solutions, the practicality of the project, expected benefits, and how the funds would be used.
This year, three projects were awarded $3,000 each for their innovative approach and high potential for impact, and two projects received runner-up awards of $1,000 each in recognition of innovation, strong community roots, and environmental promise.
Eduard Yonathan of SanoStrategy Corporation with information about his company’s wind turbine design, which is constructed out of sustainable materials and has a minimal environment footprint and wild-life friendly operation. (Photo courtesy of Rotary Club of Peterborough)
Wild Rock Outfitters and Kawartha Land Trust received $3,000 for their Native Plant Horticulture for Invasive Species Control project, which will target invasive dog-strangling vine and aim to establish native plant alternatives with horticultural or agricultural uses to restore local ecosystems and support monarch butterfly habitats.
Kawartha Land Trust is one of the beneficiaries of the ComPassion Project, initiated by Wild Rock Outfitters co-founder Kieran Andrews with support from the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough.
Woodleigh Farms in Cavan received $3,000 for its Catching Carbon project, in which waste wood is transformed into carbon-sequestering biochar, which can be used to improve soil quality and reduce the need for fertilizer.
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SanoStrategy Corporation received $3,000 for its Clean Energy Generation project, which will test the company’s new wind turbine technology with the goal of providing clean, efficient, and accessible wind energy to farmers and remote communities.
GreenUP received $1,000 for its Taproots for Tomorrow project, which will create air prune bed prototypes — a raised planting bed with a mesh bottom that is elevated off the ground — to grow native trees and shrubs with long taproots, such as hickories and pawpaws.
Clean Up Peterborough founder Steve Paul received $1,000 for his Second Nature Studio project, a grassroots microfacility that would conduct research and development to transform local polyvinyl chloride and polypropylene plastic waste, which is generally not recycled, into creative durable goods while also offering sustainability education and community empowerment. The REIF grant will be used to purchase the project’s first plastic shredder.
Clean Up Peterborough founder Steve Paul’s Second Nature Studio intends to transform #2 and #5 plastics, which usually aren’t recycled, into functional community-made products. (Photo courtesy of Rotary Club of Peterborough)
Home to the Peterborough Farmers' Market every Saturday, the Morrow Building is located at the south end of the Peterborough Memorial Centre off Lansdowne Street West. (Photo: Google Maps)
The City of Peterborough has once again opened a temporary homeless shelter in the Morrow Building as it conducts evictions at homeless encampments.
On Tuesday (May 27), the city announced a temporary 30-bed shelter for people experiencing homelessness would be open nightly from 9:30 p.m. to 8:30 a.m at the Morrow Building, located at the south end of the Peterborough Memorial Centre off Lansdowne Street West, from Monday until Friday.
“It will supplement the traditional shelter network that includes 40 beds for men at Brock Mission, 12 beds for women at Cameron House, 30 beds for youth and families at YES emergency shelter, as well as the homelessness services program that includes an overnight drop-in program for 45 people at Trinity Community Centre,” the city states in a media release.
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This is not the first time the city has used the Morrow Building as a temporary shelter, having done so previously in July 2024 and most recently this past March. On both previous occasions, the use of the temporary shelter coincided with evictions at homeless encampments across Peterborough.
The Peterborough Examiner is reporting that, on Tuesday morning, the city began dismantling a homeless encampment with more than a dozen tents in a park next to Rubidge and McDonnel streets. According to the report, residents of the encampment received eviction notices on Monday afternoon.
“People experiencing homelessness who contact emergency shelters or social services to access shelter beds may be referred to the temporary shelter if beds are not available in the regular shelter network,” the city’s media release states.
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kawarthaNOW reached out by email to councillors Keith Riel and Alex Bierk, co-chairs of the city’s homelessness portfolio, as well as councillor and deputy mayor Joy Lachica
Councillor Riel replied that councillors were not informed of the evictions until after the fact.
“We need to find solutions not evictions,” he added.
Councillor Bierk said “Councillor Riel and I have been left out of strategizing around these enforcement-driven actions,” before commenting on the encampment itself.
“What I saw today at the encampment was that there were piles and piles of people’s belongings, pushed to the boundary of the park and everyone was just congregating there — those piles remain this evening.”
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Councillor Bierk also expressed skepticism about whether clearing encampments while offering a temporary shelter for displaced residents is an effective solution.
“My assumption is that once the temporary shelter is closed, people will eventually start setting up in the park again, and this whole song and dance effort will not amount to much — either to make the situation better for those that are unhoused, or for those living near the encampment.”
For her part, councillor and deputy mayor Lachica said she was in meetings throughout the day, and only became aware of the situation through the media and the city’s media release about opening the temporary shelter.
“With this continuous 30-bed shortage, there is need for the city to provide supplemental shelter and support services based on the Housing First model which we endorsed as a council, and which informed the Wolfe Street project,” she said.
“Our social infrastructure is as dynamic as our physical infrastructure. It’s our responsibility to address both, for whole community safety and wellbeing.”
The original version of this story has been updated with comments from the city councillors.
On the outdoor barnyard stage of the picturesque Winslow Farm in the Township of Cavan Monaghan, Millbrook's 4th Line Theatre develops and stages original Canadian plays, written by and about Canadians, that chronicle and explore the region's cultural heritage. Attracting more than 17,000 people each summer, the not-for-profit outdoor theatre company has a $4 million impact on the local economy each season, working with more than 50 local businesses, food purveyors, and partners. (Photo courtesy of 4th Line Theatre)
While agriculture plays a crucial role in Peterborough County’s economy, the Winslow Farm has grown a different type of crop for more than three decades — one that draws more than 17,000 people each summer to the picturesque Millbrook farm.
Now in its 33rd season, 4th Line Theatre has been bringing Canadian history to life on its outdoor stage since 1992.
Under the artistic direction of founder Robert Winslow until 2014, when his long-time collaborator Kim Blackwell took on the role, the not-for-profit organization presents original Canadian plays, written by and about Canadians, that chronicle and explore the region’s cultural heritage. All of this is done on the outdoor barnyard stage of the rustic fifth-generation family farm in the Township of Cavan Monaghan, one of eight townships in Peterborough County.
4th Line Theatre stages two epic historical plays each summer, often telling little-known stories of the people who settled, lived, and worked in Peterborough County’s rural small towns. In 2025, the theatre company will present two world premieres in July and August written by local playwrights. Robert Winslow and Ian McLachlan’s The Housekeeper follows a mysterious woman with progressive views who arrives in Millbrook in 1955 and becomes the housekeeper of a widowed farmer, and Megan Murphy’s Wild Irish Geese depicts the 1825 journey of thousands of Irish settlers to the Peterborough region.
Each summer, 4th Line Theatre employs around 40 people and offers volunteer opportunities to more than 100 local residents. Throughout the year, the company also serves as an incubator for the theatre industry by offering its Emerging Voices Program to help youth explore a career in the arts and its New Play Development Program to help playwrights develop new theatrical projects, as well as administering the Ontario Arts Council’s Recommender Grants for Theatre Creators program that provides grants for new works.
Kim Blackwell (left) is the award-winning artistic director of 4th Line Theatre, a not-for-profit outdoor theatre company that stages original Canadian plays on a barnyard stage on a Millbrook farm owned by Robert Winslow (right), who founded 4th Line Theatre in 1992 and has written or co-written 18 plays and also starred in and directed many productions. (Photos courtesy of 4th Line Theatre)
But it’s not just Canadian talent that is grown on the Winslow Farm, as the theatre company has an economic impact of approximately $4 million each season. 4th Line Theatre works with partnering businesses to offer packages of accommodations, entertainment, and hospitality to patrons coming from out of town for extended stays in The Kawarthas.
Audiences can get a taste of these offerings while attending a production at the Winslow Farm, as 4th Line Theatre sources from local purveyors to provide food and beverage options at the farm, like charcuterie snack boxes courtesy of Peterborough’s Elegant Edged Catering. Other food vendors include Millbrook’s Weenie Land and Vadney’s Island Spot and Peterborough’s The Good Baker. The venue exclusively serves beer from Bobcaygeon Brewing Co. and cider from Baltimore’s Rice Lake Hard Cider.
A list of dining options available at the Winslow Farm, along with dining and take-out options in Millbrook and the surrounding area (including Millbrook Mercantile, Mitchel’s Cake & Chocolate Co., Moody’s Bar & Grill, The Peddler, Springville Tap & Grill, Doo Doo’s Bakery, and more) is available at www.4thlinetheatre.on.ca/local-dining-and-take-out.
These are only some of the more than 50 local businesses and organizations that 4th Line Theatre partners with to make such a vital cultural and economic impact in Peterborough County. Included in that number are long-standing sponsorship support from local businesses including Nexicom, EXIT Realty Liftlock, Grady’s Feet Essentials, Miskin Law, and many more.
Over several years, 4th Line Theatre has also developed a close relationship with Peterborough’s Trent University, gaining discounted billeting access at the Catharine Parr Traill College. Showing the love back, the theatre company was a partner in the establishment of the Jalynn Bennett Amphitheatre at Traill College in downtown Peterborough, demonstrating 4th Line Theatre’s steadfast contribution to arts and culture in Peterborough County at large.
The Local Advantage in Peterborough County is a branded editorial feature series about locally owned independent businesses in Peterborough County, created in partnership with Peterborough County’s Economic Development & Tourism Division.
As part of its response to the impact of U.S. tariffs, Peterborough County is showcasing the many unique businesses located in the county, both by sharing their stories of success and how they support both residents and other businesses in their communities.
Whether by shopping at local businesses, dining at local restaurants, staying at local accommodation, or enjoying local experiences, residents and visitors can enhance the economic resilience of Peterborough County during these challenging times and help establish a sustainable foundation for the future.
For more information about economic development and tourism in Peterborough County, visit www.ptbocounty.ca/ecdev and The Kawarthas Tourism at thekawarthas.ca.
The Lakefield Animal Welfare Society (LAWS) is inviting animal lovers to join the "Doggie Dash," a community dog walk through Lakefield on June 7, 2025 to raise essential funds for the non-profit shelter. Participants can sign up to raise money as an individual or in teams, join the 1.5 or 2.5 kilometre walk, and enjoy a lively post-walk social at Selwyn's Isabel Morris Park, which will include local vendos, pet-friendly shopping, and live music from singer-songwriter Sean Hully. (Photo courtesy of LAWS)
On Saturday, June 7, you can take your dog on a leisurely walk, get your steps in, listen to good music, and have a chance to win some great prizes — all while supporting vulnerable animals in the community.
The Lakefield Animal Welfare Society (LAWS) will be hosting its second annual “Doggie Dash,” a community dog walk at Isabel Morris Park in Selwyn that will raise essential operational funds for the shelter.
Participants will have the option of joining the 1.5 or 2.5 kilometre walk around the town, beginning at 1 p.m., with registration opening at 12 p.m. The walk will be followed by a social in the park featuring live music, local food and retail vendors, and lots of prizes.
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“Last year was great and this year it’s going to be even better,” says Lyndsay Lisson-De Ell, director of operations at LAWS. “We’re really looking forward to more vendors, more food trucks, more participants, and just getting the community out and celebrating the amazing work that people do here.”
With just a handful of paid staff, LAWS has relied on the kindness of the community to run the small non-profit organization for more than 30 years. The no-kill shelter has capacity for about 50 cats and seven dogs and works with experienced volunteers to foster the pets until the shelter can find homes for even the difficult-to-place animals without government funding.
“(The community) funds everything from food, vaccines, spay/neuter, community education programs — because we’ve been in schools this year talking about responsible, respectful pet ownership — and supplies for our fosters,” Lisson-De Ell says. “Everything that the animals needs while in our care comes from community donations, so this event funds everything that happens for these guys for the rest of the year.”
Lyndsay Lisson-De Ell was appointed the director of operations at the Lakefield Animal Welfare Society (LAWS) in November 2024 after holding several roles at LAWS, including adoption and shelter coordinator and volunteer coordinator, over the previous two years. With an increase in animals being surrendered due to rising living costs, Lisson-De Ell says the shelter is often at capacity and has a waitlist. (Photo courtesy of LAWS)
First held in 2024, the Doggie Dash is one of the largest fundraisers the shelter hosts and it has become even more crucial with the recent increase of animals being surrendered. Lisson-De Ell says LAWS is frequently at capacity.
“I think because of the pandemic and because of the economic climate right now, it’s tough out there for people,” she explains. “Veterinary care is tough and it’s hard to access for a lot of folks for various reasons and food is expensive too. We are seeing a huge rise in animals being surrendered due to people being unhoused or under housed, so we are almost always full, and we almost always have a waitlist.”
She adds that the rising living costs also affect the amount of donations, both financial and food, LAWS has received in recent years.
“We do our best,” she says. “We don’t take in animals we don’t have space for so we can only function within the space that we have, but there’s a relentless demand for our services.”
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With fewer community members being able to support their own pets, there has been an increase in interest and participation from volunteers fosters, which helps the shelter take in more animals.
“It’s a great way for people to spend time with animals when maybe they can’t take on an animal long term,” she says. “We provide food and supplies for all our fosters, so they just have to give their love, their homes, and their care, which is just the most important thing, and we provide the rest.”
Given the rising demand of services, LAWS is aiming to raise $15,000 — nearly double the $8,000 raised last year — through this year’s Doggie Dash.
The Lakefield Animal Welfare Society (LAWS), a small non-profit and no-kill shelter that is run strictly on donations, memberships, and adoption fees, is aiming to raise $15,000 through the Doggie Dash fundraising event, which will have animal lovers walking through Lakefield on June 7, 2025. The funds will support the shelter’s veterinary and food costs and provide supplies to the volunteer fosters who care for the animals at a time when pets are continuing to be surrendered at an increasing rate. (Photo courtesy of LAWS)
Participants can sign up to walk and raise funds individually or they can sign up as a team with co-workers, friends, or family. To join the walk, each participant must raise a minimum of $100.
Lisson-De Ell is encouraging friendly competition between teams, and notes that participants do not need to have a dog with them to participate.
“It’s a great way to get community together,” she says. “Lakefield is such an amazing community, and I think we get forgotten about sometimes. So it’s nice to get the community walking through local businesses (and) draw attention to what Lakefield has to offer. People bringing their dogs and being able to have an animal-human friendly event is the best.”
After the walks through Lakefield, participants can return to the park where there will be live music from Peterborough vocalist, guitarist, and woodwind player Sean Hully. They will also be able to get tasty treats — for both humans and furry companions — and shop from vendors including Ghost Taco, The Vine, The Doggery, Costco, Dog E Den, Precious Paws Pet Services, and many more.
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Between a silent auction, registration prizes, and prizes for teams who raise the most money, there will be no shortage of opportunities for great gifts including Blue Jays tickets, golf passes, and gift cards or other prizes from Asta Hairstyling School, Jesse’s Tap and Grill, 100 Acre Brewing Company, The Grape and Wedge, Pizza Alloro, Primrose Cottage Kawartha, Penny and Pip, and many more.
“It’s a really great way for community to all come together for an amazing cause, so we’re really looking forward to just seeing everyone there and enjoying an amazing afternoon celebrating animals,” Lisson-De Ell says. “I can’t imagine a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than hanging out, eating good food, and being with my dog.”
On May 14, the city had announced the traditional parade would be replaced by a “community procession” departing from City Hall at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 1 and proceeding to Millennium Park for a full afternoon of family-friendly festivities.
“The community procession is an inclusive and informal walk open to individuals, families, and local organizations who wish to walk, bike, or roll from City Hall to the park together,” a media release stated. “Please note that this is not a traditional parade and no motorized vehicles or large floats are permitted.”
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On Monday (May 26), the city issued a media release stating that it “heard the feedback over the last week on the plans for this year’s parade and has updated the plans to once again include vehicles in the parade.”
While people are still invited to “Roll, Stroll and Celebrate” by joining the parade, floats on motorized vehicles will exit the parade at Water Street.
Parade participants who are walking, cycling, or rolling will then continue on to Millennium Park for a full afternoon of music, performances, food, cultural activities, and family programming from noon until 6 p.m., with a fireworks display over Little Lake following the city-sponsored Peterborough Musicfest concert featuring retro rock tribute band Neon Nostalgic at 8 p.m. in Del Crary Park.
Parade participants, including floats, need to register by the end of day on Sunday, June 8 by choosing the Performer/Participant form at peterborough.ca/canadaday. The previous deadline of May 30 has been extended.
A scene for the 18th season of "Murdoch Mysteries" being filmed at 181 Perry Street in Cobourg on September 11, 2024. The production company is returning to Cobourg on May 26 and 27, 2025 to film scenes for the 19th season of the popular mystery drama series. (Photo: Experience Cobourg / Facebook)
Shaftesbury, the production company for Murdoch Mysteries, is back in downtown Cobourg on Monday and Tuesday (May 26 and 27) to film scenes for the 19th season of the popular mystery drama series.
Murdoch Mysteries stars Yannick Bisson as William Murdoch, a police detective working in Toronto in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The series is based on characters from the Detective Murdoch novels by British-Canadian writer Maureen Jennings and has a devoted international fan base.
Cobourg has been a popular location for filming of scenes for previous seasons of Murdoch Mysteries, especially Victoria Hall, which was built in the mid-19th century.
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Earlier in May, scenes were filmed over four days at a private residence in Grafton, and a special episode will be filmed in Ottawa in July.
In Cobourg, filming will take place from around 4 to 8 p.m. on Monday outside of Prep Food Company at 7 King Street West and the entrance to the First Street alleyway.
For the entire day on Tuesday, filming will take place at various locations in Cobourg: the south side of King Street West near Brocanier’s Menswear and The Grubby Barber Shop, the north and south sides of King Street East (including from Nessie’s British Shop to MacCoubrey Funeral Home Ltd. and for several hours on the porch at James W. Gordon Insurance), and at 142 King Street East.
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Production vehicles will be parked in a section of the Second Street Lot and the Albert Street Lot, and horses and wagons will be parked on Second Street.
Cobourg police will be working directly with the production company to ensure safety and to provide intermittent traffic control. There will be no full road closures during the filming.
Season 19 of Murdoch Mysteries is scheduled to air this fall.
Recognizing skilled trades are currently among the most in-demand jobs in Ontario, the Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas is offering a new program to help skills tradespeople transition from employees to business owners.
Called BuildUP, the business accelerator program is specifically designed to help workers in the skilled trades — welders, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and more — who want to become their own boss.
Provided at no cost to accepted participants, BuildUP’s eight-week cohort program aims to equip journeypersons, upper-year apprentices, and experienced tradespeople in Ontario with the knowledge, tools, and connections needed to launch and manage a business.
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“The Innovation Cluster’s BuildUP program is directly targeted at helping skilled tradespeople fulfill their entrepreneurial aspirations and succeed,” Innovation Cluster board vice-chair Christine Crandell told kawarthaNOW. “Their success translates into economic growth and more jobs within the region.”
For the first year of the program, the Innovation Cluster is offering two cohorts of 20 participants each in the summer and fall, with the first cohort beginning on Tuesday, June 24. Applications for the first cohort are due by Monday, June 15.
Led by industry experts and successful trades business owners, the program’s curriculum covers setting up a business, tax basics, finding financing, customer service and reputation management, and hiring. Participants will meet once a week for two hours in the evening, both hybrid and in person at the Innovation Cluster’s offices in downtown Peterborough.
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“The Innovation Cluster’s BuildUP program will provide much needed support for skilled tradespeople in Peterborough,” said Rebecca Schillemat, executive officer of the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Home Builders Association, in a media release. “While many tradespeople excel in their craft, they often lack the foundational knowledge needed to launch and sustain a successful business.”
To support BuildUP participants with one-on-one mentorship, Innovation Cluster has expanded its Experts in Residence program to include Trades Experts in Residence: Paul Bennett of Ashburnham Realty (real estate development), Grant Conrad of WorkforceWins (human resources health and safety), Craig Mortlock of Mortlock Construction (general contracting), Hayden Mumford of Sparkies Electric (transitioning to owner from employee), and Madeleine Hurrell (small business financing and cash flow).
Upon completing the BuildUP program, participants will receive a certificate and a digital badge and will be prepared to launch their business and start serving customers.
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According to Crandell, the impetus for creating the BuildUP program came from the portion of the Innovation Cluster’s charter to monitor emerging trends.
“Where those trends fall within the Innovation Cluster’s wheelhouse of competencies, we determine how the organization can address the trends to the benefit and growth of the region,” she said.
“Skilled trades are some of the most in-demand jobs in Ontario. The growing rate at which skilled tradespeople are retiring contributes to a labour shortage. The Innovation Cluster sees firsthand the negative impacts of the growing labour shortage — namely, clients unable to find or build out suitable commercial space and the inability to find local housing for their employees and families.”
The initial response to the BuildUP program has been very positive, Crandell added.
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Designed for commercial and residential trades, the program follows a proven format that the Innovation Cluster uses for its other business accelerator programs, such as the LevelUP program designed for entrepreneurs with a minimum viable product who are ready to enter the market and scale.
BuildUP is an Employment Ontario program funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.
The YourTV Cogeco Northumberland team at the 2023 "Caring Fore Our Community" golf tournament in support of Community Care Northumberland. Cogeco Northumberland is returning as the title sponsor of the 2025 tournament, which will be held on Thursday, June 26 at Shelter Valley Pines Golf Club in Grafton. (Photo: Community Care Northumberland)
Community Care Northumberland (CCN) is inviting area residents to dust off their golf clubs and show they care “fore” their community by taking part in the organization’s annual charity golf tournament.
Registration is now open for CCN’s “Caring Fore Our Community” annual golf tournament. Presented by Cogeco Northumberland, this year’s fundraiser is on Thursday, June 26 at Shelter Valley Pines Golf Club in Grafton.
Golfers can register as individuals or sign up as foursomes by visiting the CCN website at commcare.ca.
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“The biggest hope for the impact of the golf fundraiser is to strengthen our ability to provide essential services across Northumberland County, while helping more people understand the real difference CCN makes every day,” Chelsea Rankin, communications specialist for CCN, told kawarthaNOW.
“To give you an idea of that impact, in 2023/2024, we completed over 32,000 drives for 1,843 clients, delivered more than 34,000 meals to 584 individuals, and supported hundreds through wellness programs, safety visits, and personal alarms,” she noted.
“The funds raised help bridge the gap between government support and the actual cost of meeting the growing needs in our community, ensuring we can continue delivering these vital services to those who rely on us.”
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Last year’s golf tournament raised $18,100.
All proceeds from this year’s event will directly support CCN’s key community programs that make a meaningful difference in the lives of residents across Northumberland County, including nutrition services, transportation, in-home services, wraparound support, wellness programs, and hospice services.
Golf enthusiasts and community supporters alike are invited to mark their calendars for a day of friendly competition, connection, and giving back. The tournament “promises an engaging and enjoyable experience, all in support of a worthy cause,” CCN notes in a media release.
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“Our annual golf tournament is not just a great day out, it directly supports programs that change lives in our community,” said CCN CEO Trish Baird.
“We’re thankful to Cogeco Northumberland for stepping up as our presenting sponsor and to everyone joining us to help make this event a success.”
The tournament has a 9 a.m. shotgun start. The cost is $150 per person, which includes 18 holes of golf, a cart, and lunch.
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There are also opportunities available for sponsorship of the tournament.
“Local businesses looking to make a positive impact while gaining brand exposure are encouraged to explore the many sponsorship opportunities available,” CCN states. “Supporting the Caring Fore Our Community golf tournament not only demonstrates a commitment to local initiatives but also helps ensure the continued delivery of essential CCN services throughout the region.”
For more information about sponsorship opportunities, call CCN’s donor relations and communications office at 905-885-0466.
Heading into its 36th season on August 14 to 17, 2025, the Peterborough Folk Fest has become an integral community-oriented event that continues to prioritize its long-term sustainability as one of the only admission-free folk festivals in Ontario. As a volunteer-run event, the festival relies on sponsorships and community donations as operational costs continue to increase. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Folk Festival)
Thirty-six years after the Peterborough Folk Festival was first organized in 1989, it has grown into so much more than a music festival; it’s become a four-day community event that shows the best of the region’s music — and its generosity.
Despite its growth, the festival, which will run from August 14 to 17 this year, remains entirely admission-free — making it one of only two remaining admission-free folk festivals in Ontario. If that’s not impressive enough, the event is exclusively run by volunteers.
“Because we’re such a community-oriented event, we do have our values and we live by those, and I think that’s really part of why the festival has remained so strong in our 36 years,” says festival chair Rob Davis.
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“We really do fall back on our strengths, and we work hard to put them in place — environmental sustainability, diversity and inclusion in the lineup and audiences, support for children and families, support for local artists, and connecting with First Nations nearby,” Davis adds. “All of that is important to us.”
Now headed into his third festival as chair, Davis spent many years enjoying the festival from the audience since he attended for the first time in 1999, shortly after unpacking his bags after moving to Peterborough.
“I remember thinking, what a cool town this is to be able to pull something like this off as a free-admission community event, with happy people everywhere, a really chill atmosphere, great music, and friends meeting up with friends,” he recalls.
“I’ve lived in lots of other places across the province and across the country, and stuff like this does not happen in other places — nothing like the scale of what we do as a free-admission festival with Peterborough Folk Festival.”
Through the help of more than 200 volunteers and board and committee members, the Peterborough Folk Fest continues to adapt to maintain its sustainability for years to come. With a focus on eco-friendly initiatives, the festival enlists volunteers to wash reusable dishes for the weekend’s food vendors. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Folk Festival)
According to the festival’s artistic director Ryan Kemp, who attends conferences with other music festival organizers from across the country, the Peterborough Folk Festival is highly “respected by peers” in the industry. Perhaps that comes as no surprise, given that it brings in $1.3 million in economic impact for the city through its 15,000 attendees each year.
“From our surveys, there’s a lot of people from out of town so it’s great to bring them to Peterborough and say, ‘Have you been to the Peterborough Zoo, or have you been to the Lift Lock, or the Canoe Museum?'” says Kemp. “It’s really just about bringing people here and together, and it’s very unique.”
What began as a half-day festival has since grown into a four-day event, with ticketed concerts taking place on Thursday and Friday in downtown Peterborough, and the free-admission part of the festival happening on three stages in Nicholls Oval Park during the weekend.
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With policies on inclusion and a gender parity commitment, the music each year is “multi-generational” says Kemp, who adds that this year there were over 700 submissions from artists who applied from as far away as the U.K. and Europe.
“It’s really exciting to see that, and see the recognition of the festival grow nationally,” says Kemp, noting it also provides more exposure for the local artists who perform.
“We want artists to come in and to build up their reputations and for people to get to see them at other venues like Jethro’s, the Pig’s Ear, and Market Hall, where they’ll eventually play. (Being) part of the ecosystem is how we see ourselves as a festival.”
Loreena McKennitt headlining during the 2023 Peterborough Folk Fest at Peterborough’s Nicholls Oval Park. As a community festival, the volunteer board of directors listens to feedback from audiences, gathering suggestions for the artists they would like to see on stage. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Folk Festival)
Another program that has the Peterborough Folk Festival punching above its weight is the Emerging Artist Award. Considering the first award in 2001 went to the now seven-time Juno award winner Serena Ryder, the recognition can be a step on the road to stardom for a local musician or band.
“We’re so blessed in Peterborough to have so many great artists,” says Kemp. “The biggest thing is to interweave them with these touring artists at the festival.”
With support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, in recent years the festival has been able to fund the purchase of essential equipment for the event, like canopy tents, folding tables, and cords. Prior to the purchases, volunteers drove to Orillia before and after the festival to borrow cable ramps from other event organizers.
“All that helps with sustainability of the festival by making it more professional for artists and audiences — and it makes it more sustainable for all volunteers too,” says Davis. “Behind the scenes, we’re just trying to get more and more set up and established to make this festival as sustainable as we can, so that we’re well set up to continue in the future.”
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That focus on sustainability connects to environmental initiatives as well, as organizers are always in search of ways to make the festival more environmentally friendly. That includes having volunteer crews washing the reusable dishes for food vendors, hosting shuttle transportation from downtown Peterborough, and sending as little waste to the landfill as possible. For example, with over 15,000 attendees over two days, the festival sends only around six bags of waste to the landfill.
With so much going into the festival weekend, planning begins a full year in advance — often at the previous year’s festival.
“We’re always thinking about what would work better and what the audiences are reacting to,” says Kemp. “We’re always thinking about how we can improve it and always asking people too. It’s the Peterborough Folk Festival, so we want to ask and hear suggestions because it’s everyone’s festival.”
More than 15,000 people flock to Nicholls Oval Park in Peterborough over the third weekend in August every year to listen to live music from local and visiting artists at the Peterborough Folk Festival. The volunteer board of directors is dedicated to keeping the event admission-free to ensure it remains an accessible community event, encouraging sponsorships and community donations. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Folk Festival)
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Alongside Davis and Kemp, there are 10 board directors who lead various committees of community members from eco-committees to production committees, and everything in between. The year-round volunteers team up with the 200 volunteers who show up for event weekend, lending their hands at the children’s village, washing dishes, parking bikes, and much more.
“It’s incredible, the team that comes together,” says Kemp. “It’s nice to see so many people want to get involved and see the festival grow. It’s just been really amazing to see that support.”
While Davis notes they’ve had a “successful recruitment” of volunteers, and the festival’s revenue from sponsors and funding remains strong, the dollars do not go as far as they once did.
“Some of these other costs that we have no choice but to pay if we’re going to have this festival — renting the stage, food, electrical permits — go up and are eating a greater and greater share of the overall revenue, which is leaving us squeezed in terms of the performer budget,” says Davis.
Volunteers Marianne Vandelinde, Carol Lawless, and Annie Whitty at the 2024 Peterborough Folk Festival. More than 200 volunteers help out at Nicholls Oval Park during the festival each year, along with a year-round 11-member board of directors and an artistic director. Despite the dedication of volunteers, the admission-free festival faces financial challenges from ever-increasing operational costs, including higher performer fees. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Folk Festival)
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For his part, Kemp adds that headlining artist fees have “doubled or tripled” in the past few years — something that’s not obvious to audiences as they never have to pay anything to see the performers, but is important to the festival for attracting big-name headliners.
“It’s amazing what you can see at the festival and the artists that will perform, and it’s all free,” he says. “Our goal has always been to get the artist fee as high as possible and that’s something we’ve built through revenue.”
A larger artist budget would allow the festival to pay for the more in-demand headliners, drawing a larger crowd, and bringing in more listeners for the emerging local talent which, according to Kemp, is one of the most important aspects of Peterborough Folk Festival.
“It’s to support the (headliner) artist and give our local artists a chance to play in front of a big crowd,” adds Kemp. “We want them to get that awareness. We’ve heard many times where a local artist will perform at the festival and they’ll get other gigs from it, whether it’s private shows or other places they get to play. That’s our main goal — to support the artists.”
Blue Rodeo’s Greg Keelor was the Sunday evening headliner at the 2024 Peterborough Folk Festival, one of two remaining admission-free folk festivals in Ontario. With the goal of providing an audience for local talent, festival organizers always aim to have internationally renowned artists perform on the same stages as regional performers. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Folk Festival)
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While other festivals might charge hundreds of dollars per ticket to make up 85 per cent of their operational fees, keeping admission free at the Peterborough Folk Festival is something Davis says continues to be a priority.
“We talk about it every couple of years, and have a big heart to heart, asking ourselves ‘Can we continue like this?’ And we still have, but it’s not easy,” Davis says.
He adds that keeping the festival admission-free keeps it accessible to everyone, including families with children and older adults.
“We really do see ourselves as a community event and a community service too,” Davis says. “We like to be that gathering place for people, and putting up fences and selling tickets and having bracelets would shut a lot of people out that we want to be able to experience the festival.”
“We’ve had lots of people saying this is one of the reasons they live in Peterborough, and this is one of the things that make this town a community — and we would lose that if we had to sell $200 tickets for the weekend.”
My Son The Hurricane performing at Nicholls Oval Park during the 2023 Peterborough Folk Festival. Since the festival was first held 1989, it has grown from a half-day event with one stage into a staple community event that includes a children’s village, the Emerging Artist Award, three stages, and a commitment to gender parity and environmental sustainability. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Folk Festival)
Davis credits a large part of that to the festival volunteers who donate their time to keep it accessible.
“I think it’s a real testament to how much the festival connects with people in the community, the fact that people will want to come out to volunteer,” he says. “It comes from the commitment and belief in what we do, and we see how much it means to the community.”
In addition to the support of volunteers and government grants it receives, the Peterborough Folk Festival relies on sponsors and community donations to keep the festival free and inclusive for everyone.
Linda Kash played Ebeneezer Scrooge while Kerry Griffin played all other characters during New Stages Theatre's production of "A Christmas Carol Comedy" at Peterborough's Market Hall in December 2024. The comedians will be teaming up once again for an unscripted evening of improv with special guests, presented by the Traill College and New Stages at the William and Nona Heaslip Foundation Summer Festival, which will take place on Thursday evenings from June 5 to August 28, 2025 at Trent University's downtown Jalynn Bennett Amphitheatre. (Photo: Dahlia Katz)
If you missed some of the sold-out and highly acclaimed performances at the Brand New Stages Festival held by New Stages Theatre in February this year, you are in luck: select shows will be brought to life again throughout the summer, and this time, they will be staged for free and in the open air.
The evenings of performance, songs, stories, and comedy will be held at the Jalynn Bennett Amphitheatre, located in downtown Peterborough at Trent University’s Catharine Parr Traill College. The free shows will kick off and close out the William and Nona Heaslip Foundation Summer Festival, which runs from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday evenings from June 5 to August 28.
“We are excited to share some of our most popular performance events from our 2024-25 season as part of this exciting summer festival,” said New Stages Theatre artistic director Mark Wallace in a media release. “Many of these shows were first presented at our Brand New Stages Festival in February and we’re sure that audiences will love to see them here at the amphitheatre.”
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Built in 2023, the three-season performance space, which is located at the downtown college’s courtyard, is named for Jalynn Bennett, a former chair of the Trent University board of governors and a trailblazer in business. Bennett’s estate granted $1.13 million to the university in 2018 which was put towards the construction alongside federal and municipal funding the university received to meet the need for a centrally located, outdoor stage in the community.
The William and Nona Heaslip Foundation Summer Festival will bring music, theatre, comedy to the stage performed by local and visiting artists almost every week beginning the first Thursday in June. The festival offers a more diverse line-up and more performances in comparison to the six-concert “William and Nona Heaslip: Music on the Hill” series presented by the college throughout the summer of 2024.
To open the festival on June 5, New Stages Theatre is presenting Fireside Munsch, directed by Dahlia Katz and adapted and performed by M. John Kennedy (New Stages Theatre, 4th Line Theatre).
VIDEO: “Fireside Munsch” trailer
Enjoyable to kids and adults of all ages, the show is a highly acclaimed theatrical retelling of beloved Robert Munsch children’s stories like “The Paper Bag Princess” and “Mortimer.” Performed to a sold-out audience at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre this past February, M. John Kenney has performed the one-person show has been performed all over the province and has been nominated for eight of Toronto’s Dora Mavor Moore Awards.
On Thursday, June 12, Peterborough’s own Megan Murphy will host a Story Slam at the amphitheatre. Following the success of the debut slam at the Brand New Stages Festival earlier this year, New Stages Theatre is reviving the fun by giving audiences a chance to share a true, personal story under the theme of “Great Escapes.”
Whatever story the theme reminds you of, Murphy wants to hear it. Each storyteller will have five minutes on stage to share their story, which must be told without the use of notes or props, must be true, and must be from one’s own experience. Storytellers need not sign up ahead of time.
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New Stages Theatre will then return to the amphitheatre on Thursday, August 21 to reunite the two stars from the New Stages production of A Christmas Carol Comedy, staged at the Market Hall last December, only this time they’ll be unscripted.
World-class improvisers and comedians Linda Kash and Kerry Griffin — with surprise special guests — will have the audience laughing and surprised by what can be done without rehearsals or a script. You never know what trouble Kash and Griffin will get into, though it will undoubtedly be hilarious.
On Thursday, August 28, the final night of the festival, New Stages Theatre will present a staged reading of Magic Lies: An Evening with W.O. Mitchell. Written by Peterborough residents and former Trent University faculty Orm and Barbara Mitchell, the play is a remembrance of the life and work of the legendary Canadian writer who was Orm’s father.
Around 100 people attended the grand opening celebration of the Jalynn Bennett Amphitheatre at Trent University’s Catharine Parr Traill College on May 31, 2023, which featured several musical performances including the drum and vocal group Unity. The three-season outdoor performance venue was named in honour of the late businesswoman and trailblazer who wanted to fill a need for a centrally located, outdoor stage in the community. (Photo: Sebastian Johnston-Lindsay / kawarthaNOW)
The performance is sure to be a memorable one, as O.W. frequently gave readings and held writing workshops at Trent University, from which he received an honorary degree. Performed by Martin Julien with musical accompaniment from Peterborough pianist Rob Phillips, Magic Lies was staged during the Brand New Stages Festival this past February.
The rest of the shows in the William and Nona Heaslip Foundation Summer Festival are “Portraits of Peterborough 1825 to 2025” with folk music by Glen Caradus (June 19), the Peterborough Concert Band performing marches, big band music, and more (June 26), “An Evening of Jazz” with violinist Victoria Yeh and special guests (July 3), “Exploring Agamemnon” performed by The Electric City Players (July 10), Peterborough-born and Kitchener-based indie folk-rockers I, The Mountain (July 24), jazz quintet Carpe Noctem (July 31), and clarinet quintet Clarintella and the Peterborough Dixieland Septet (August 7).
In the event of rain, performances may be moved indoors to Bagnani Hall if needed.
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