In Mae Martin's upcoming Netflix limited series "Wayward", the Canadian standup comic, writer, and actor ("Feel Good", "Sap") plays a queer detective unravelling the sinister story behind a town and a residential correctional school run by a headmistress played by Toni Collette ("Pieces of Her", "The Staircase", "The Power"). Exterior scenes for the limited series are being filmed in Millbrook on July 10, 2024. (Photos: Matt Crockett, Christian Hogstedt)
Only a couple of months after an episode of the Amazon Prime action-thriller series Reacher was filmed in downtown Millbrook, scenes for a new Netflix thriller series will also be shot there.
Exterior scenes for the eight-episode limited series Wayward (working title Tall Pines) will be filmed on King St. E. between Union and Tupper on Wednesday (July 10) from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
From queer Canadian standup comic, actor, and writer Mae Martin (Feel Good, Sap), the series is set in a seemingly bucolic American small town called Tall Pines, where a residential correctional school for troubled teens is located.
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After 16-year-old pot heads Abby and Leila (Sydney Topliffe and Alyvia Alyn Lind) get sent to the school by their exasperated parents, the two Canadian teens soon discover the school and its headmistress Leanne (Toni Collette) are part of a sinister cult that threatens their friendship, sanity, and lives.
Meanwhile, Detective Alex Dempsey (Mae Martin) has moved to the town at the request of their wife Laura (Sarah Gadon), who grew up there and wants to return home to raise the couple’s soon-to-be-born child. When Dempsey, who has a troubled past of their own, discovers the truth about the town as well as their wife’s deeper connections to the evils the town protects, the detective must join forces with Abby and Leila to take down the cult from the inside.
Wayward also stars Brandon Jay McLaren in an undisclosed role and Patrick J. Adam, Patrick Gallagher, and Josh Close in recurring roles.
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When announcing the Netflix production of Wayward in April last year, Martin said it “is a story I’ve been dying to tell for years, and I’m beyond excited for people to see what we have in store. It’s going to be an insane roller coaster and so different to anything I’ve done before.”
The series is shooting from July to October in Toronto and surrounding area.
During the Millbrook filming, there will be intermittent and full closures of King St. E, between Union and Tupper and Needlers Lane between King St. E. and Hay St., with traffic stoppage on King St. between Cavan St. and Gravel Rd. Pedestrians will not be affected by the closures.
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The filming of Wayward and Reacher are only the latest examples of the picturesque town’s popularity as a location in the film and television industry.
Films shot in Millbrook include 2003’s The Music Man starring Matthew Broderick, David Cronenberg’s 2005 film A History of Violence, and 2009’s Let It Snow, among others. Scenes have also been shot in Millbrook for the Netflix series Jupiter’s Legacy (2020) and Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities (2021), as well as for the Canadian TV series Murdoch Mysteries and Anne with an E.
Wayward is expected to premiere on Netflix sometime in 2025.
Sergeant Natalie Majer of the Haliburton Highlands Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) at Minden Wild Water Preserve where a woman was rescued on July 4, 2024 after falling into the water and being swept away by the current. (kawarthaNOW screenshot of OPP video)
Thanks in part to a retired police officer and off-duty firefighter, a woman is lucky to be after being swept away by white water in Minden on Thursday afternoon (July 4).
At around 1 p.m. on Thursday, Haliburton Highlands Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) along with the Minden Hills Fire Department and Haliburton SMS responded to a 9-1-1 call from a retired police officer.
The retired officer, who was at the Minden Wild Water Preserve, had been told a woman had fallen into the Gull River and was swept away by the current. Witnesses said the woman, who was not wearing a life jacket or a helmet, had entered the water accidentally.
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When police and emergency services arrived on the scene shortly thereafter, an off-duty firefighter who was kayaking nearby located the woman and was able to bring her safely to shore. The women was transported to a medical facility for treatment of minor injuries.
Haliburton Highlands OPP are reminding outdoor enthusiasts to be diligent about safety, whether on land or water.
“Always wear a PFD or life jacket, never swim alone, know your limits and stay within them,” reads an OPP media release.
Families enjoying Victoria Beach on Lake Ontario in Cobourg. (Photo courtesy of Linda McIlwain)
Every Friday during swimming season, we post The Beach Report™ — our weekly report of the results of water quality testing at beaches in the greater Kawarthas region — and update it throughout the week as conditions change.
As of Thursday, July 11, the following beaches are unsafe for swimming:
Rogers Cove – City of Peterborough – Beach closed due to suspected blue-green algae bloom
Beavermead Park – City of Peterborough
Squirrel Creek Conservation Area – South Monaghan
Lions Park – Coboconk
Harwood Waterfront & Dock – Hamilton Township
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Below are the complete results of water quality testing at beaches in the City and County of Peterborough, the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, Northumberland County, and Hastings County and Prince Edward County.
In the City of Peterborough, Peterborough Public Health Inspectors sample the beaches at Rogers Cove and Beavermead every business day, and public beaches in the County of Peterborough are sampled at least once a week (except for Chandos Beach, Quarry Bay Beach, and White’s Beach which are sampled at least once in June, July, and August).
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit provides weekly testing results for beaches in the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, and Northumberland County. Testing is based on the most recent test results from the provincial lab in Peterborough for water samples taken from these beaches.
During the summer, local health units sample water at area beaches and test for bacteria such as E. coli to determine if the water quality at a beach is safe for public use. Popular beaches, like the beach at Roger’s Cove in Peterborough’s East City, are tested every business day while most other beaches are tested weekly. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
Important note
The following test results may not reflect current water quality conditions. Water samples can take one to three days to process and heavy rainfall, high winds or wave activity, large numbers of waterfowl near a beach, or large numbers of swimmers can rapidly change water quality.
You should always check current conditions before deciding to use a beach. You should also monitor other factors that might suggest a beach is unsafe to use, such as floating debris, oil, discoloured water, bad odours, and excessive weed growth.
While we strive to update this story with the current conditions, you should confirm the most recent test results by visiting the local health unit websites at Peterborough Public Health and Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit. As noted above, the beaches at Rogers Cove and Beavermead are tested every business day so the results listed below may not be current.
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Peterborough City/County
City of Peterborough Beaches (sampled each business day)
Beavermead Park (2011 Ashburnham Drive, Peterborough) – sample date 10 July – UNSAFE
Rogers Cove (131 Maria Street, Peterborough) – sample date 10 July – CLOSED due to suspected blue-green algae bloom
Peterborough County Beaches (sampled weekly)
Buckhorn Beach (12 John Street, Buckhorn, Municipality of Trent Lakes) – sample date 8 July – SAFE
Crowe’s Line Beach (240 Crowe’s Line Road, Trent Lakes) – sample date 9 July – SAFE
Douro North Park (251 Douro Second Line, Township of Douro-Dummer) – sample date 2 July – SAFE
Ennismore Waterfront Park (1053 Ennis Road, Ennismore) – sample date 9 July – SAFE
Henry’s Gumming (150 Chemong Street S, Curve Lake) – sample date 8 July – SAFE
Hiawatha Park (1 Lakeshore Road, Hiawatha) – sample date 4 July – SAFE
Jones Beach (908 Jones Beach Road, Bridgenorth) – sample date 9 July – SAFE
Lakefield Park (100 Hague Boulevard, Lakefield) – sample date 2 July – SAFE
Lime Kiln Park (150 Whetung Street E, Curve Lake) – sample date 8 July – SAFE
Norwood Beach at Mill Pond (12 Belmont Street, Norwood) – sample date 3 July – SAFE
Sandy Beach (1239 Lakehurst Road, Municipality of Trent Lakes) – sample date 9 July – SAFE
Selwyn Beach Conservation Area (2251 Birch Island Road, Selwyn) – sample date 9 July – SAFE
Squirrel Creek Conservation Area (2445 Wallace Point Road, South Monaghan) – sample date 8 July – UNSAFE
Warsaw Caves Conservation Area (289 Caves Road, Warsaw, Township of Douro-Dummer) – sample date 2 July – SAFE
Peterborough County Beaches (sampled monthly)
Belmont Lake Beach (376 Mile of Memories Road, Belmont) – sample date 3 July – SAFE
Chandos Beach (2800 County Road/Highway 620, North Kawartha) – sample date 26 June – SAFE
Kasshabog Lake (431 Peninsula Road, Havelock) – sample date 26 June – SAFE
Quarry Bay (1986 Northey’s Bay Road, Woodview) – sample date 26 June – SAFE
White’s Beach (26 Clearview Drive, Trent Lakes) – sample date 24 June – SAFE
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City of Kawartha Lakes
Results updated July 10.
Lions Park – Coboconk – UNSAFE
Beach Park – Bobcaygeon – SAFE
Birch Point – Fenelon Falls – SAFE
Blanchards Road Beach – Bexley – SAFE
Bond Street – Fenelon Falls – SAFE
Burnt River Beach – Somerville – SAFE
Centennial Park West – Eldon – SAFE
Centennial Beach – Verulam – SAFE
Centennial Verulam Parkette – SAFE
Four Mile Lake Beach – Somerville – SAFE
Head Lake Beach – Laxton – SAFE
Omemee Beach – Emily/ Omemee – SAFE
Riverview Beach Park – Bobycaygeon – SAFE
Sturgeon Point Beach – Fenelon Falls – SAFE
Valentia/ Sandbar Beach – Valentia – SAFE
Verulam Recreational Park – Verulam – SAFE
Norland Bathing Area – Laxton – Results pending
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Haliburton County
Results updated July 10.
Rotary Park Lagoon – Minden Hills – SAFE
Bissett Beach – Minden Hills – SAFE
Dorset Parkette – Algonquin Highlands – SAFE
Eagle Lake Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Elvin Johnson Park – Algonquin Highlands – SAFE
Foresters Beach – Minden Hills – SAFE
Glamour Lake Beach – Highlands East – SAFE
Gooderham Lake Beach – Highlands East – SAFE
Haliburton Lake Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Horseshoe Beach – Minden Hills – SAFE
Paudash Lake Beach – Highlands East – SAFE
Pine Lake Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Rotary Head Lake Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Rotary Park Main – Minden Hills – SAFE
Sandy Cove Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Sandy Point Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Slipper Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Twelve Mile Lake Beach – Minden Hills – SAFE
Wilbermere Lake Beach – Highlands East – SAFE
Northumberland County
Results updated July 10.
Harwood Waterfront & Dock – Hamilton Township – UNSAFE
Caldwell Street Beach – Port Hope – SAFE
Cobourg Victoria Park Beach – Northumberland – SAFE
Peterborough County and five area elementary schools have partnered for the 11th annual "Paint a Plow" initiative, where students transform snowplow blades into works of art. The painted blades are now on display at the county's public works depot in Douro and will be used on county snowplows during the winter. (Photo: Peterborough County
In a “fantastic fusion of public service and artistic expression,” Peterborough students and the county have teamed up for the annual instalment of the “Paint a Plow” project.
Peterborough County’s public works operations division recently kicked off its 11th annual Paint a Plow initiative, which pairs the county’s public works division with five local elementary schools.
In conjunction with National Public Works Week in May, the county provided students with snowplow blades and the students put their creativity to work to transform the blades into “vibrant works of art,” a media release stated.
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Bill Linnen, general manager of public works operations, told kawarthaNOW the annual initiative is both a fun and meaningful endeavour for the department, the students, and the general community.
“The program was started in an effort to engage with the community and bring attention to the public safety work the county is responsible for, (including) snow plowing,” Linnen said.
“The hope was that this could be a fun program for the county and for a few local schools,” he continued. “The result is a program that not only engages with students in schools across the county, but is a fun activity that those schools look forward to each year.”
In conjunction with National Public Works Week in May, Peterborough County provided students at five local elementary schools with snowplow blades to decorate. The “Paint a Plow” initiative creates a fun activity for kids while raising public awareness about municipal public safety operations. (Photos: Peterborough County)
The county shares photos of the students’ creations on its Facebook page, and their works are currently on display at the county’s Douro public works depot, located at the intersection of Highway 28 and County Road 4.
“The social media posts allow us to recognize the schools and students who participate in the plow painting program,” Linnen said. “Showcasing the creativity of the students by displaying the artwork at our Douro depot brings it all together for the community and visitors to see.”
And, of course, the decorated blades will add a splash of colour to snow-plowing operations on county roads when winter returns.
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“This initiative not only promotes community art and creativity but also connects our essential services with the imagination and spirit of local students,” Linnen noted in the release.
“Timing this painting event with National Public Works Week highlights, helps to educate youth about the crucial role we play in the community while celebrating the vibrant creativity that makes our work even more rewarding.”
The participating schools this year were Chemong Public School and St. Martin Catholic Elementary School in Selwyn Township, Buckhorn Public School in the Municipality of Trent Lakes, Havelock-Belmont Public School in Havelock-Belmont-Methuen Township, and Millbrook/South Cavan Public School in Cavan Monaghan Township.
Indie folk-rock musical artists Great Lake Swimmers and Tim Baker perform a free-admission concert at Del Crary Park on July 6, 2024 as part of Peterborough Musicfest's 37th season. (kawarthaNOW collage of artist photos)
Just three concerts into the 2024 season of Peterborough Musicfest, we’ve already seen a satisfying mix of music genres showcased at Del Crary Park.
Surely, sooner or later, Canadian indie folk-rock will find its way into the 16-concert lineup.
On Saturday, July 6th, sooner arrives in the form of a double bill featuring Great Lake Swimmers and Tim Baker as the 37th summer edition of Canada’s longest-running free multiple-date music festival continues.
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Peterborough Musicfest presents Great Lake Swimmers add Tim Baker
When:Saturday, July 6, 2024 at 8 p.m. Where: Del Crary Park (100 George St. N., Peterborough) How much: Free admission
Bring your own lawn chairs or blankets (lawn chairs are available to rent). VIP seating available for sponsors. No smoking, alcohol, or pets permitted. There’s no public parking at Del Crary Park, but there’s neighbourhood street parking nearby and ample parking in downtown Peterborough.
Formed in 2003 in sleepy Wainfleet Township in southern Niagara region, Great Lake Swimmers — featuring lead singer Tony Dekker up front — didn’t waste any time recording-wise, releasing its debut self-titled album that same year.
Recorded in a grain solo, the 10-track album promised very good things to come from the quintet and, two years later, that promise was realized with the release of the follow-up album Bodies and Minds, with the momentum continuing in 2007 with Ongiara.
Taking its name from the ferry that took the band to Toronto’s Centre Island where the album demo was recorded, Ongiara featured Millbrook’s own Serena Ryder doing a guest turn.
VIDEO: “Easy Come Easy Go” – Great Lakes Swimmers
Fuelled by the release of Lost Channels, again with Ryder along for the ride, Great Lake Swimmers really hit its stride in 2009. Recorded at various locales in and around the Thousand Islands, the record was nominated for a 2010 Juno Award as the Root and Traditional Album of the Year (Group) and was shortlisted for the 2009 Polaris Music Prize.
Three albums — New Wild Everywhere (2012), A Forest of Arms (2015), and The Waves, The Wake (2018) — followed, but it was five years before Great Lake Swimmers’ latest album, Uncertain Country, was released. The ambitious 15-track release that resulted from Dekker’s 2019 “reconnaissance” of nature’s splendour in the Lake Superior region.
True to the band’s penchant for recording in some in non-traditional recording locations, the album came together in historic churches and buildings in the Niagara region.
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“I’ve always been a firm believer in using the recording space as a member of the band,” revealed Dekker in a June 2023 interview with Stephen Boissonneault of Range Magazine.
“It’s one of the reasons this has been a throughline since the band’s incarnation — to add that extra sonic texture. I love abandoned buildings or places kind of forgotten to time.”
After the first recording session for the album in September 2020, the pandemic started to have an effect on what would ultimately prove to be the underlying theme of the end result.
“We were recording between lockdowns, with masks and social distancing, and I think we realized we wanted to just make music to make ourselves feel better,” recalled Dekker. “I wanted the album to be sort of calming; a soothing balm for all of the anxiety we were facing.”
VIDEO: “Promise Of Spring” – Great Lakes Swimmers
To be clear, recording in unusual locations is very much by design.
“I’m trying to celebrate the beauty of the environment while also being very concerned about its future and the state of it going forward,” said Dekker in a May 2023 interview with the Ottawa Citizen’s Lynn Saxberg.
“If we’re having a good day, and the band is playing well and listening to each other, there’s a certain feel that comes out of that. I can feel it on the recording (Uncertain Country). It’s something that’s been a through line with all our recordings, and it’s been really important to me.”
With performance dates on both sides of the border this summer, Dekker is excited to bring Great Lake Swimmers’ sound and spirit to the masses.
“It really feels great to be out there again, to be playing music and sharing it with people. I hope people haven’t completely forgotten about our band.”
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Meanwhile, if the name Tim Baker doesn’t immediately ring a bell, Hey Rosetta! should conjure up some very good memories.
From 2005 to 2017, Baker led the St. John’s/Labrador born band to a substantial and very dedicated following. That was kickstarted in 2007 following the late 2006 release of Plan Your Escape, the band’s debut full-length album, and then validated at the Music NL Awards with four category wins as Group of the Year, Pop/Rock Group of the Year, Album of the Year, and CBC Galaxie Rising Star of the Year.
Hey Rosetta! released three more albums — the Hawksley Workman-produced Into Your Lungs (2008), Seeds (2011), and Second Sight (2014) — before the band announced in October 2017 that it was taking “an indefinite hiatus.” That break eventually became permanent, but Baker wasn’t nearly done creating and embarked on a solo music career that continues to be most worthy of our collective attention.
VIDEO: “Some Day” – Tim Baker
Baker’s first solo album, Forever Overhead, was released in April 2019 and was longlisted for 2019 Polaris Music Prize. At the 2020 Juno Awards, he heard his name read as a nominee for the Songwriter of the Year statue for his songs “All Hands,” “Dance,” and “The Eighteenth Hole.”
Post-pandemic, Baker released his second album, The Festival, with “Lucky Few,” “Some Day,” and “Echo Park” among its notable tracks. He has since brought forth Along The Mountain Road, a five-track EP.
“The songs of Along The Mountain Road were written and recorded around the same time as The Festival, but while The Festival was primarily about dreaming my way through the pandemic, Along The Mountain Road represents another sort of lane of songs from that time, centring more on my journey of resettlement from Toronto back home to Newfoundland,” said Baker during an October 2023 chat with Jenna Melanson of Canadian Beats.
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The EP’s title track “is about the call of nature, of the forest, the coast, the past,” Baker added. “It’s about the dream of leaving the city and going back to the land — a dream that never seems to diminish in my mind. I never intended it to sound so epic, but sometimes a song just has to stretch out how it likes and you should just go along for the ride.”
In an April 2023 interview with Dillon Collins of Exclaim!, Baker reflected on his years with Hey Rosetta! and the solo career adjustment that followed.
“I worried non-stop, and made myself sick all the time from stress and trying to hold everything together. I would tell myself just to relax. It’s going to be OK. Like, it’s actually going to be OK. It is and it was. (Then) the worst, most inconceivable, thing happened: we ended up breaking up, disintegrating as a band. And then I came out of that OK.”
“I wouldn’t give anything up for the last five years of my own life, making my own music the way that I have. It has been wonderful. Just that you’re alright. The worry does nothing. It’s a waste. What do they say? You’re paying interest on something that you haven’t gotten. That’s what I would say.”
VIDEO: “All Hands” – Tim Baker
Peterborough Musicfest is presenting 16 free-admission concerts during its 37th season, each staged on Wednesday and Saturday nights until August 17th.
Overseen by executive director Tracey Randall and staff, a board of directors, and numerous volunteers, Peterborough Musicfest’s stated mission remains “to provide diverse, affordable live music to enrich cultural and economic prosperity in our community.”
For more information on this concert or the 2024 season, visit www.ptbomusicfest.ca or phone the Peterborough Musicfest office at 705-755-1111.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a headline sponsor of Peterborough Musicfest’s 2024 season.
The tunnel under the Peterborough Lift Lock that connects Armour Road to Ashburnham Drive is a common route for drivers heading in and out of East City. The first intersection west of the tunnel, Hunter Street East and Armour Road, is closed to through traffic effective July 2, 2024 and will remain closed for two to four weeks. (Photo: Google Maps)
If you’re travelling through Peterborough’s East City, you’ll want to avoid using the tunnel under the Peterborough Lift Lock via Ashburnham Drive over the next few weeks.
That’s because the intersection of Hunter Street East and Armour Road on the west side of the tunnel is closed to through traffic effective Tuesday (July 2), and will remain closed for the next two to four weeks according to a construction notice issued by the City of Peterborough on Thursday, two days after the closure.
Armour Road was already closed north of Hunter Street to Clifton Street for a road reconstruction being completed by Green Infrastructure Partners Inc. That closure now includes the intersection of Armour Road at Hunter Street East.
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The work being completed includes removal of existing infrastructure, earth excavation and grading, new storm sewers, sanitary sewers, watermain, concretes curb and gutters, road base and asphalt road structure, streetlights, sidewalk, tree plantings, pavement markings, and regulatory signage.
The Lift Lock tunnel is a common route for residents entering or leaving East City via Ashburnham Drive. The closure of the intersection also means Kaawaate East City Public School and the Peterborough Museum and Archives are not accessible by travelling west on Hunter Street; to reach them, you’ll have to drive through the Lift Lock tunnel via Ashburnham Drive.
Access for local traffic within the road closure area will be maintained, although local traffic may experience delays within the construction limits. According to the city, the work on Armour Road is scheduled to be completed by the end of the summer.
Award-winning vocalist Jane Archer sings blues, soul, and more with Blues to the Bone featuring Liam Archer on drums, Jim Usher on sax, Andy Pryde on bass, and Chris Hiney on guitar on Saturday night at the Black Horse in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Jackie Wimbush / JAX Photo)
Every Thursday, kawarthaNOW publishes live music events at pubs and restaurants in Peterborough and the greater Kawarthas region based on information that musicians provide directly or that venues post on their websites or social media channels. Here are the listings for the week of Thursday, July 4 to Wednesday, July 10.
If you’re a musician or venue owner and want to be included in our weekly listings, email our nightlifeNOW editor at nightlife@kawarthanow.com. For concerts and live music events at other venues, check out our Concerts & Live Music page.
With the exception of karaoke, we only list events with performing musicians. Venues may also host other events during the week (e.g., dancing, DJs, comedy shows).
8pm - Muddy Hack, Jill Stavely, Mr. Not Much Fun ($5)
Tuesday, July 9
9pm - Open mic
The Publican House
300 Charlotte St., Peterborough
(705) 874-5743
Thursday, July 4
7-9pm - Jake Dudas
Friday, July 5
7-9pm - Mike Graham
Puck' N Pint Sports Pub
871 Chemong Rd., Peterborough
(705) 741-1078
Friday, July 5
7pm - Karaoke
Saturday, July 6
8pm - Earl Wilfong
Riverside Grill & Gazebo at Holiday Inn
150 George St, Peterborough
705-740-6564
Friday, July 5
6-10pm - Donny Woods Band (no cover)
Sunday, July 7
1-5pm - Caitlin O'Connor (no cover)
Tuesday, July 9
7-10:30pm - Karaoke
The Rockcliffe - Moore Falls
1014 Lois Lane, Minden
705-454-9555
Saturday, July 6
6pm - Doug Horner
Rolling Grape Vineyard
260 County Rd 2, Keene
705-991-5876
Thursday, July 4
5:30-8:30pm - Cindy & Scott
Sunday, July 7
2:30-5:30pm - Hillary Dumoulin
Royal Crown Pub & Grill
4 King St. E., Colborne
905-355-1900
Saturday, July 6
8-11pm - Unprofessional (no cover)
Scenery Drive Restaurant
6193 County Road 45, Baltimore
905-349-2217
Saturday, July 6
5-7:30pm - Greg Hannah (CANCELLED)
The Social Pub
295 George St. N., Peterborough
705-874-6724
Coming Soon
Saturday, July 20 1-4pm - PMBA Deluxe Live ft The Vortexans ($10 donation suggested)
Tap & Tonic Pub & Bistro
18-22 Bridge St. W., Campbellford
(705) 947-2333
Thursday, July 4
7-10pm - James Higgins
The Thirsty Goose
63 Walton St., Port Hope
Friday, July 5
8pm-12am - Bruce Longman
Saturday, July 6
8pm-12am - Jeff Biggar
Wild Blue Yonder Pub at Elmhirst's Resort
1045 Settlers Line, Keene
(705) 295-4591
Tuesday, July 9
8pm - Tuned Up Tuesdays ft Melissa Payne ($10 cover show only, $49 for BBQ & show, $25 for children 3-12, reservations required)
Coming Soon
Tuesday, July 16 8pm - Tuned Up Tuesdays ft Al Black and The Steady Band ($10 cover show only, $49 for BBQ & show, $25 for children 3-12, reservations required)
The osprey, a fish-eating hawk, has been selected as the "2024 Kawartha Lakes Bird of the Year" in a recent online poll. While the bird is a common sight throughout the municipality, it is also featured as a central element of the City of Kawartha Lakes logo. (Photo: Bird Friendly Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes)
The osprey has a special perch in the Kawartha Lakes in more ways than one.
Also known as Ontario’s fishing hawk, the bird has been named the “2024 Kawartha Lakes Bird of the Year.” In an online contest, voters cast the most ballots for the osprey at 41 per cent, followed by the black-capped chickadee in second place with 22 per cent of the votes.
After receiving “Bird Friendly City” certification on March 22, the municipality — in partnership with the Bird Friendly Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes coalition — launched an online poll to determine which favourite species of bird should be declared the official 2024 Kawartha Lakes Bird of the Year.
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More than 500 participants took part in two rounds of online voting, with the first round of voting narrowing 11 species down to five finalists.
“The osprey soared ahead and took the lead, winning the contest and being declared the official winner,” a media release noted.
When the online contest launched in April, Thom Luloff, professor of conservation biology at Fleming College, told kawarthaNOW he had a soft spot for the osprey, but kept his opinion under wraps so he didn’t sway voters in any way.
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“We are thrilled that the osprey has been chosen as the official city bird of the City of Kawartha Lakes,” said Luloff in a statement on behalf of Bird Friendly Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes.
“The osprey is a magnificent raptor that symbolizes the natural beauty and rich biodiversity of our region,” he said. “Its presence near our lakes and rivers highlights the importance of healthy, clean waterways and thriving ecosystems. As a bird that depends on both land and water habitats, the osprey perfectly represents the interconnectedness of our environment and the vital role we all play in preserving it.”
The osprey also has an integral role in the identity of the Kawartha Lakes. While the bird is a common sight throughout the municipality, it is also featured as a central element of the City of Kawartha Lakes logo.
Residents and visitors can typically see large osprey nests perched atop many trees or hydro poles — a sign of efforts made by the community decades ago to ensure the ospreys made a comeback from dangerously low numbers, Kawartha Lakes noted.
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The osprey is also always near water, such as the shorelines of large lakes, rivers, and ponds. Ospreys migrate to warmer climates of the south during the winter months.
In addition to the osprey and the black-capped chickadee, the northern cardinal secured the third spot in the bird of the year poll. The barred owl flew into fourth place and the eastern loggerhead shrike landed in fifth place.
To view the final results of the poll, visit the Bird Friendly Kawartha Lakes Bird of the Year 2024 project page at jumpinkawarthalakes.ca/bird2024.
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A bird-friendly city is described as a community where threats to birds are reduced, and nature is restored so native bird populations can thrive. Residents are actively engaged in admiring and monitoring local bird populations, and organizations host events to protect birds. Certification entails meeting standards to keep birds safe.
“Becoming a certified bird-friendly city is not just a title; it’s a significant milestone for our community,” Luloff earlier told kawarthaNOW. “It underscores our commitment to environmental stewardship and highlights our dedication to preserving the natural beauty and biodiversity that makes Kawartha Lakes so unique.”
To learn more about bird-friendly initiatives in Kawartha Lakes, visit the Bird Friendly City page at the City of Kawartha Lakes website.
The Peterborough Theatre Guild will be presenting six productions for its 2024-25 season running from September to May. (Graphics courtesy of Peterborough Theatre Guild)
The Peterborough Theatre Guild recently announced its 2024-25 season, with six shows running from September to May.
The new season features the two one-act plays How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse by Ben Muir and Ghost Story by Marni Walsh, Mary’s Wedding by Stephen Massicotte, Dorothy in Wonderland – The Musical by Brian D. Taylor, Outside Mullingar by John Patrick Shanley, Silent Sky by Lauren Gunderson, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat by Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice.
In addition to the full productions, the Guild will also present seven yet-to-be-announced staged readings throughout the season.
Below are the dates and descriptions of each of the shows in the 2024-25 season. Casting for each production will be announced at a later date.
How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse and Ghost Story
September 20 – October 5
For its first production of the 2024-25 season, the Peterborough Theatre Guild is presenting a double-header of two one-act plays.
First staged in 2019, Ben Muir’s How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse was a fringe festival hit and has since spawned a best-selling book, a top-ranking podcast series, a monthly magazine column, two sequels, and more. In the play, four elite members of the School of Survival take audience members through an interactive seminar that not only teaches them how to survive the undead, but tests them to determine which person in the audience will be the ultimate survivor.
In Marni Walsh’s Ghost Story, Frankenstein author Mary Shelley visits the grave of her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, a British writer and advocate of women’s rights who is regarded as one of the founding feminist philosophers. Accompanied by the swirling ghosts of their words and their pasts, the two women reach for a fragile end.
How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse will be directed by Margaret Monis and Ghost Story will be directed by Lee Bolton.
Mary’s Wedding
October 25 to November 9
A two-hander directed by Jane Werger, Stephen Massicotte’s Mary’s Wedding is a romantic drama set during the First World War.
On the night before her wedding, Mary dreams of a thunderstorm, during which she unexpectedly meets Charlie sheltering in a barn beside his horse. With innocence and humour, the two discover a charming first love. But the year is 1914, and the world is collapsing into a brutal war. Together, they attempt to hide their love, galloping through the fields for a place and time where the tumultuous uncertainties of battle can’t find them.
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Dorothy in Wonderland – The Musical
November 29 to December 8
In Brian D. Taylor’s Dorothy in Wonderland – The Musical directed by Sarah Rogers, the worlds of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland collide in a fun, family-friendly musical romp.
Dorothy, Toto, and the characters of Oz get caught in another whirlwind that sweeps them off to Wonderland, where they meet Alice, the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, the Cheshire Cat, and many more. The group of new-found friends faces a dangerous new foe: the Queen of Hearts. Dorothy and Alice and their friends must join forces to defeat the Queen at croquet, but will it be enough to return Wonderland to normal and get everybody back home?
Outside Mullingar
January 24 to February 8
First produced on Broadway in 2014 and nominated for a Tony Award for best play, John Patrick Shanley’s Outside Mullingar is set in rural Ireland and tells the story of neighbouring farmers Anthony and Rosemary.
Rosemary has been romantically interested in Anthony her entire life, but the introverted Anthony is unaware of Rosemary’s feelings and dislikes farming. When Anthony’s father threatens to disinherit his son and leave the farm to a nephew instead, Rosemary steps into the middle of a land feud and family eccentricities to fight against time and mortality in hopes of securing her dream of love.
Outside Mullingar will be directed by Jerry Allen.
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Silent Sky
March 21 to April 5
After presenting Lauren Gunderson’s historical drama Silent Sky as a staged reading last season, the Peterborough Theatre Guild is mounting a full production that will again be directed by Bea Quarrie.
The play tells the story of real-life American astronomer Henrietta Leavitt, whose discovery of how to effectively measure vast distances to remote galaxies led to a shift in our understanding of the scale and the nature of the universe. The accomplishments of Edwin Hubble, the American astronomer who established that the universe is expanding, were made possible by Leavitt’s groundbreaking research and he often said she deserved a Nobel Prize for her work.
In Silent Sky, when Leavitt begins work at the Harvard Observatory in the early 1900s, she isn’t allowed to touch the telescope or express an original idea because she is a woman. Instead, she joins a group of women “computers”, charting the stars for a renowned astronomer who calculates projects in “girl hours.” As she pursues her own research in her free time, she must also take measure of her own life and try to balance her dedication to science with family obligations and the possibility of love.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
April 25 to May 4
For its final production of the 2024-25 season, the Peterborough Theatre Guild will present the famous musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Showplace Performance Centre.
With music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, the musical was the first Webber-Rice collaboration to be performed publicly and the original Broadway production was nominated for seven Tony Awards in 1982. While it didn’t win any awards, the family-friendly retelling of Joseph from the Bible’s Book of Genesis with its familiar themes and catchy music have resulted in many thousands of stagings.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will be directed by Robert Ainsworth.
Subscriptions and single tickets for the 2024-25 season are now available, with single tickets costing $30 ($27 for seniors and $20 for students), except for the family production Dorothy in Wonderland – The Musical, which cost $15, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, which cost $37 ($33 for seniors and $25 for students). Tickets for staged readings are $12.
For more information about the 2024-25 season and to purchase subscriptions and single tickets, visit www.peterboroughtheatreguild.com.
Linda Kassil of Kawartha Kaptures Photography was one of four photographers featured in the "For the Love of Nature" exhibit at Cork & Bean Peterborough during the 2024 SPARK Photo Festival in April. (Photo: SPARK Photo Festival / Facebook)
After 12 successful years, Peterborough’s SPARK Photo Festival is no more.
The festival’s board announced on Thursday (July 4) that the volunteer-run festival will not be continuing for financial reasons.
“Like many arts and cultural efforts today, SPARK has encountered financial pressures that do not appear to be resolvable over the next few years,” reads a media release. “Instead of potentially entering negative cash flow territory, the SPARK board decided it would be preferable to exit following a strong run.”
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Held every April for the entire month, the festival highlighted the best in local photography, celebrating both photography and the artists and enthusiasts behind the camera lens. Exhibits were mounted in traditional galleries and studios, and also in unexpected places such as shops, cafes, libraries, community centres, and even the outdoors.
“The SPARK Photo Festival was made possible, first and foremost, by the dedication, enthusiasm and talent of participating photographers,” reads the release. “SPARK is also grateful for the essential contributions of the SPARK founders, board members and volunteers, sponsors, funders, donors and patrons, supporting partners, suppliers, local media, other arts organizations and all who opened their doors (and walls) as host venues to SPARK exhibits.”
The SPARK Photo Festival website at sparkphotofestival.org will be available until July 20 for those who wish to view archive exhibit pages, virtual exhibits, and past festival catalogues.
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