Tabetha Wells, Kerry Griffin, Sandy Jobin-Bevans, and Dave Pearce performing at Slap Happy's 10th anniversary show. The award-winning improv comedy troupe reunites for a one-night-only performance at Globus Theatre's Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon on May 27, 2023. (Photo: Hope Baker)
There will be a comedy homecoming in Bobcaygeon on Saturday night (May 27) when the award-winning improv comedy troupe Slap Happy reunites on the Lakeview Arts Barn stage at Globus Theatre for one night only.
The quartet of Dave Pearce, Sandy Jobin-Bevans, Tabetha Wells, and Kerry Griffin first came together in 1997 as an ad hoc group for the now-defunct Peterborough Fringe Festival.
“We were all students together at The Second City, looking for places to play, when Sandy found out that the Peterborough Fringe Festival had a ridiculously low entry fee,” Pearce told Brianne Hogan of the Streets of Toronto in 2012. “We didn’t have to work to connect or be funny. Improv should feel easy, and we could relax onstage.”
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The troupe soon found success and began performing across North America and Europe in the early 2000s. During that time, Slap Happy won three Canadian Comedy Awards for “Pretty Funny Improv Troupe,” with individual members also winning awards as writers, directors, and performers.
“We tried a lot of different things over the years — bigger production values, costumes, a DJ, or duelling guitarists as musical directors — but we always come back to telling a story, playing at the absolute top of our intelligence, and open-mouthed kissing,” Pearce joked when asked about Slap Happy’s brand of comedy.
According to a media release from Globus Theatre, the professional theatre company asked the quartet to reunite for Globus’ 20th anniversary season.
Slap Happy is (left to right, top and bottom) Dave Pearce, Sandy Jobin-Bevans, Tabetha Wells, and Kerry Griffin. (kawarthaNOW collage of supplied photos)
“Slap Happy were a regular fixture in early seasons of Globus before the four parted ways to have excellent individual careers on the comedy circuit and on TV,” says Globus Theatre’s artistic director Sarah Quick. “They’re excited, we’re excited, and you won’t want to miss it.”
Dave Pearce is no stranger to Globus Theatre, having performed at the Lakeview Arts Barn in Meet My Sister, Making a Move, and countless murder mysteries, including last November’s Murder at the Match: A World Cup Murder Mystery. A former senior writer on George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight and regular contributor to The Beaverton and CBC Radio’s The Irrelevant Show, Pearce moved from Toronto to Bobcaygeon eight years ago.
Sandy Jobin-Bevans, a Second City veteran and a nine-time Canadian Comedy Award winner, is the host of HGTV’s Great Home Giveaway, host of Deal With It on the W Network, a star of YTVs Life With Boys and co-host (with his wife Kylee) of Yes TV’s game show Just Like Mom and Dad.
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Tabetha Wells, Slap Happy’s lone female member, is a former member of Second City’s Touring Company in Toronto. Now living in Chicago, Wells has worked for many years with Second City as a director and instructor.
Kerry Griffin, a past member of the mainstage cast at Second City Toronto, has been performing in the Toronto improv scene for over 20 years. Along with being an instructor and director at Second City, Bad Dog Theatre, and The Social Capital, he has appeared in over 100 television and radio commercials as well as appearances on numerous television shows such as CBC’s Schitt’s Creek, Murdoch Mysteries, and Baroness Von Sketch Show, Amazon’s The Expanse, and ABC’s Designated Survivor.
Slap Happy performs at the Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon at 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 27th. An optional dinner is available before the show at 6 p.m. Tickets are $45 for the show only, or $90 for dinner and the show, and are available by calling the Globus Theatre box office at 705-738-2037 or online at globustheatre.com.
Entrepreneur Brad Bourrie (left) has purchased White Electric from Gord White (right), who founded the company in 1978. Bourrie, whose mother is from Garden River First Nation near Sault Ste. Marie, apprenticed with White for almost eight years before obtaining his electrician license. Community Futures Peterborough provided Bourrie with financing and support so he could take over the business from the retiring White. (Photo: Heather Doughty Photography)
With the help of Community Futures Peterborough and Kagita Mikam Employment Services, young Indigenous electrician and entrepreneur Brad Bourrie has taken over the reins of a Peterborough-area electrical company that’s been in business for more than four decades.
Founded by Gord White, White Electric has been providing construction, electrical, and special trade services to area residents since 1978. Bourrie, who has worked for the soon-to-be-retiree for nearly eight years, purchased the company from White in April.
“I thank Gord for building the company to what it is and for trusting me to take over and proceed forward with his name,” Bourrie says, who intends to keep the company’s original name in White’s honour.
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Becoming a business owner wasn’t necessarily part of Bourrie’s original career plans when he enrolled in the Electrical Techniques program at Fleming College. Although pandemic restrictions prevented him from completing the required number of hours of in-class training, Bourrie logged more than enough hours of on-the-job training by apprenticing with White to make up for it. He was able to complete his Skilled Trades Equivalency Assessment and challenge the Certificate of Qualification, which he passed on his first writing last September.
With his electrician license in hand and an offer from White to take over the business, the only thing that stood in Bourrie’s way was obtaining financing.
Fortunately for Bourrie, Community Futures Peterborough was there to help. As a not-for-profit organization funded by the Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), Community Futures Peterborough provides both financing and advisory support to small- and medium-sized businesses.
Brad Bourrie will continue to operate White Electric under its existing name in honour of the original owner Gord White, who is retiring after running the company for 44 years. (Photo: Heather Doughty Photography)
According to Bourrie, taking over White Electric would not have been possible without Community Futures’ support.
“I’d probably still be trying to find financing,” he says.
Since White had been holding out on offers from other potential buyers, it was important for Bourrie to arrange for financing as soon as possible — something that wasn’t going to happen when he applied for financing with other lenders.
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“Community Futures is great,” Bourrie says. “They made things happen on a very fast and very prompt schedule.”
The support from Community Futures went well beyond financing, he adds. Recognizing Bourrie’s Indigenous status (his mother is from Garden River First Nation near Sault Ste. Marie), Community Futures connected him with Kagita Mikam, a service that assists with the recruitment, training, and employment of Indigenous peoples in the region. Kagita Mikam not only provided Bourrie with additional financial assistance, but will also be guiding him through his first year of ownership through their self-employment program.
According to business and loans manager Braden Clark, the Community Futures board was impressed by Bourrie’s dedication to both White Electric and its clientele.
Impressed both by Brad Bourrie’s passion and his dedication to White Electric and its clientele, Community Futures Peterborough provided Brad Bourrie with financing so he could purchase White Electric from retiring owner Gord White. The not-for-profit organization also connected Bourrie to Kagita Mikam Employment Services, which provided him with additional financial assistance and will also guide him through his first year of ownership through their self-employment program. (Photo: Heather Doughty Photography)
“One of the key things the board saw in Brad was his character and his passion for the business,” Clark notes.
That passion is clear from Bourrie’s commitment to keep the company running in the same way it has for the past 44 years. As White moves into retirement, he is helping Bourrie adjust to his new ownership role by advising him on the company’s technical aspects, assisting with quotes, and referring customers.
Continuity of business ownership is something Community Futures supports, and not only from an economic development perspective.
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“This is a well-established business in the community,” says Clark. “It’s important for us that when someone retires, they don’t just close up shop, because it negatively impacts the existing clients who have come to depend on them.”
Bourrie attributes these clients as the reason he wanted to take over the company.
“I’ve enjoyed taking care of clients while working for Gord and I’ve built quite a few friendships along the way,” he explains. “I just want to continue serving the same people and uphold Gord’s good name.”
As White Electric’s original owner Gord White (right) moves into retirement, he is helping Brad Bourrie (left) adjust to his new ownership role by advising him on the company’s technical aspects, assisting with quotes, and referring customers. Along with supporting new entrpreneurs like Bourrie, Community Futures Peterborough encourages existing entrepreneurs like White who are approaching retirement to connect with them to help develop a succession plan. (Photo: Heather Doughty Photography)
Clark says the Community Futures board is always eager to support successions like this because it allows the owners to easily move into retirement without affecting existing clients.
“It’s important within our community that retiring business owners have a succession plan in place,” he says. “We were thrilled to fund Brad’s purchase of White Electric, in tandem with additional funding through Kagita Mikam — an amazing resource for Indigenous entrepreneurs.”
“It’s a win for Gord, a win for existing clients, and a win for Brad. With the older population in our community growing, we anticipate seeing more retirements in the near future. We encourage all entrepreneurs who are approaching retirement to connect with us to help develop a succession plan.”
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As for Bourrie, his plan is to continue White’s success.
“For the future, I hope to get a few good crew members working with me,” he says. “We’ll proceed forward and take on as much work as we possibly can, and then we’ll go home with a happy smile.”
White Electric is located at 2104 Deer Bay Road in Lakefield. For more information on their services or to make an appointment, call 705-740-4467.
This branded editorial was created in partnership with Community Futures Peterborough. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
Kawartha Settlers' Village in Bobcaygeon will host more than 50 local artists and makers, along with food and beverage vendors, live music, and more during the Made in Kawartha Lakes show and sale on May 27 and 28, 2023. (Photo: Kawartha Settlers' Village)
You can browse and buy the works of more than 50 local artists and makers at the Made in Kawartha Lakes show and sale this Saturday and Sunday (May 27 and 28) at Kawartha Settlers’ Village in Bobcaygeon.
Presented by the Kawartha Lakes Arts Council and the Kawartha Art Gallery, the fifth annual event runs rain or shine from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day and features artwork and fine crafts including paintings, photographs, fabric arts, furniture, wood carvings, clothing, jewellery, pottery, and more.
Along with the vendors, there will be food and beverages available including charcuterie boxes from Muster Point, ice cream from Kawartha Dairy Ice Cream, snacks from Snack Shack 2 Go, butter tarts from Kawartha Butter Tart Factory, beer from Lindsay Brewing Company, and smoked meat sandwiches from Back 40. North Country Express will be providing live music throughout the weekend.
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“The setting at the village is perfect for a juried show and sale, as it offers indoor and outdoor spaces that can accommodate a wide variety of artistic mediums, while creating a pleasant backdrop for visitors of the show to explore at their leisure,” says Lesley Drummond, Kawartha Lakes Arts Council board member and the show’s artistic coordinator, in a media release. “With food vendors and music, it’s an enjoyable setting for local artists and artisans to connect with existing and new consumers of their work.”
The artists and makers at the event include:
Ann Shier
Anne Garron
Beke Design Jewellery
Brad Haley
Brushstrokes
Carolyn Showler-Lee
Cedar Dance Designs
Conrad Stewart
Deborah Read
Elizabeth Popham
Ella Oliver
Emma Couette
Esther Van Halteren
Haliburton Clothing Co.
Jacqueline Hope Raynor
Janet Reeds
Jennifer Churchill
Jill Artibello
Julie Wilkin
Kawartha Arts Network Inc.
Kay Gregg
Kelly Denneny
Kelly Whyte
Kyla Vitek
Lesley Hamilton
Lynn Cragg
Margaret Seaton
Marilyn Clayton
Mary Ellen Gerster
On Point Pottery
Paul and Beverley Williams
Rachelle Richard Photography
Rosalee Griffiths
Sarah Weisflock
SKK Fine Art
Stefan Ellery
Suzanne Brown
Thurston Honey Bee Co.
Walpeg Studios
Wendy Cho
Wise Roots Wood Turning
Your Dreams in Wood
The 5th annual Made in Kawartha Lakes show and sale featuring local artists and makers takes place May 27 and 28, 2023 at Kawartha Settlers’ Village in Bobcaygeon. (Poster: Kawartha Lakes Arts Council)
The weekend will also feature two workshops for children and youth.
On Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon, “Kids Making Music in Kawarthas” will help children ages four to nine explore percussion and rhythm, with instruments provided by Maryboro Lodge. Participants will recreate a simple song using a colour system during this two-hour workshop and perform for parents at the end.
On Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon, “The Stage is Yours” will teach children and youth ages 10 to 17 how to use a stage, how to perform with and without a microphone, how sound equipment works, and ways to manage stage fright. Fenelon Live will demonstrate setting up a performance and then the participants will have a chance to try it themselves.
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“The Stage is Yours” will include an open mic segment where each participant will have the opportunity to perform for an audience. They can dance, sing, play an instrument, read a poem or story, or help with sound for a performance.
Kawartha Settlers’ Village is located at 85 Dunn Street, just off of Highway 36. Visitor parking is directly opposite of the main gate and there will be overflow parking just beyond the main gate if public parking is full. Admission to the event is by donation. While some vendors can accept debit and credit cards, cash is preferred.
For profiles of the artists and makers participating in Made in Kawartha Lakes, visit the Kawartha Lakes Arts Council on Facebook at facebook.com/KawarthaLakesArtsCouncil/.
Peterborough's Dan Duran, Megan Murphy, and Lisa Devan get in the spirit to prepare for the seventh Porch Pirates for Good porch food drive on May 27, 2023. On Saturday morning, people are asked to leave a bag of non-perishable food items on their front porch, which will be collected by volunteers to deliver to the Kawartha Food Share warehouse. (Photo courtesy of Kawartha Food Share)
Peterborough’s Porch Pirates for Good are back on Saturday (May 27) for their seventh semi-annual porch food drive to help restock the dwindling shelves at Kawartha Food Share.
On Saturday morning, people are asked to leave a bag of non-perishable food items on their front porch. Beginning at 9 a.m., volunteers will drive around the city, collect the donated items, and deliver them to the Kawartha Food Share warehouse.
In keeping with the ‘porch pirates for good’ theme, many of the volunteers will be dressed in pirate garb. Organizers ask people to mark their bag of donated items as being for Porch Pirates for Good so volunteers can easily spot it from the street.
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While any non-perishable food items are appreciated, items in the greatest demand include canned tuna, pasta noodles and sauce, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, and individually packaged school snacks for children such as apple sauce, fruit cups, and chewy bars.
Other needed non-perishable food items include breakfast cereal, rice, canned soup or stew, and baby formula. Non-food items including feminine hygiene products and diapers are also needed.
Kawartha Food Share assists more than 7,600 people every month through 36 member agencies, with all 51 schools in the community using Kawartha Food Share to help with their breakfast and nutrition programs that feed over 17,000 children daily.
The Kawartha Food Share warehouse before and after the previous Porch Pirates for Good porch food drive last November, which collected 16,000 pounds of food donated by the community. (Photos courtesy of Kawartha Food Share)
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According to a recent report from Food Banks Canada, food banks across the country are straining under historically high demand due to inflationary food costs, low provincial social assistance rates, and housing costs. Seniors and students on fixed incomes and the working poor are increasingly turning to food banks to put food on the table for themselves and their families.
Instead of donating food, you can also help by making a monetary donation at kawarthafoodshare.com/donations.html. For every $1 donated, Kawartha Food Share can purchase up to $4 worth of food.
Porch Pirates for Good has held six spring and fall porch food drives since the pandemic began, bringing in 177,340 pounds of food for Kawartha Food Share, including 16,000 pounds during the previous porch food drive last November.
Jack Hoggarth from Curve Lake Cultural Centre and Meredith Carter from Otonabee Conservation hold up Anishinaabemowin mikinaak (turtle) education signs at the Curve Lake First Nation Mshkiigag Wetlands. (Photo courtesy of Otonabee Conservation)
It’s World Turtle Day on Tuesday (May 23), and Curve Lake First Nation Cultural Centre and Otonabee Conservation are raising awareness about local turtles with the installation of turtle education and trail crossing signs at Curve Lake First Nation and along the Jackson Creek Trail in Peterborough.
World Turtle Day is an annual event held every May 23rd as a yearly observance to help people celebrate and protect turtles — called mikinaak in Anishinaabemowin, the local dialect of the Ojibway language — and their disappearing habitats, as well as to encourage human action to help them survive and thrive.
According to experts, turtles are the most threatened of the major groups of vertebrates, with about 75 per cent of turtles worldwide being threatened or already extinct. All of Ontario’s eight species of native turtles are at risk of disappearing.
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Mikinaak crossing signs will be mounted on kilometre marker posts along the Jackson Creek Trail, providing trail users with a QR code that connects to the Turtle Guardians Sighting Report Form at www.turtleguardians.com, where you can report sightings of any turtles spotted along the trail to help advance turtle conservation efforts.
Turtle education signs, with text and species names of Ontario turtles translated into Anishinaabemowin, will also be installed along the Jackson Creek Trail as well as at Curve Lake First Nation.
“As a result of colonization, Anishinaabemowin has lost many words, sounds, and phrases that will never be regained,” explains Anne Taylor from the Curve Lake First Nation Education Department in a media release. “That includes some of the turtle species included on these educational signs. Where possible the traditional turtle species names have been used, but new names have been created for some species based on what makes these turtles special to the Curve Lake First Nation community.”
At the Curve Lake First Nation Mshkiigag Wetlands, Jack Hoggarth from Curve Lake Cultural Centre holds up a Mikinaak (turtle) crossing trail sign that connects trail visitors to the Turtle Guardians sightings reporting page via a QR code. (Photo courtesy of Otonabee Conservation)
As Anishinaabemowin is mainly a spoken language, work is underway to include QR codes that link to audio clips of Curve Lake First Nation Elders speaking the Anishinaabemowin species names so that visitors can hear the pronunciation of the local dialect.
“Otonabee Conservation is proud to be part of this project and grateful for the opportunity to share turtle education in Anishinaabemowin and English languages,” says Meredith Carter, Otonabee Conservation’s watershed management program manager.
“Otonabee Conservation is looking forward to continued collaboration with the Curve Lake First Nation to incorporate Anishinaabemowin names into educational signage at more Conservation Areas,” adds Jessie James, manager of conservation lands.
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Many turtles are on the move from May to July looking for nesting sites, and they can often be seen crossing roadways. About half of the turtles hit by cars are adult females on their way to lay eggs.
Watch for turtles on roads and help them across if it is safe to do so. You can find information on helping turtles cross the road on the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre’s website at ontarioturtle.ca.
If you find an injured turtle, call the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre at 705-741-5000.
Members of the Ontario Hockey League champion Peterborough Petes gathered round the J. Robertson Cup Monday (May 22) at Quaker Foods City Square in downtown Peterborough. The community celebration of the Memorial Cup-bound Petes drew well more than 500 exuberant supporters of the team less than 24 hours after the Petes downed the London Knights 2-1 to punch their ticket to the 103rd Canadian junior hockey championship in Kamloops, B.C. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
Maroon, white, and bright blue never looked as good together as they did Monday (May 22) as fans of the Ontario Hockey League champion Peterborough Petes feted their hockey heroes under a flawless sky.
The community celebration at Quaker Foods City Square in downtown Peterborough — held less than 24 hours after the hometown side edged the London Knights 2-1 to claim its 10th J. Robertson Cup — drew some 500 raucous supporters of the club.
Following the screening of a video highlighting past Petes’ championships that was projected on a 16-foot video wall, the crowd patiently sat through the obligatory speeches from area political representatives. However, when Petes players were introduced by name before walking a gauntlet with fans jammed tight on both sides, the energy level ramped up considerably.
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Among the more exuberant was Charlene Avon, who grandson JR Avon plays centre for the Petes and, with his teammates, will travel to Kamloops, B.C. later this week to do battle in the 103rd Memorial Cup Canadian junior hockey championship.
Asked her reaction to the Petes’ championship win, Avon posed a question of her own.
“Can you not tell from the smile on my face?” she said, adding “It’s absolutely beautiful and we’re going to Kamloops, and we’re going to win it all.”
“It doesn’t get better than this. You can feel the rise in everyone’s spirits. What a way to send the guys away to Kamloops. They’re going to remember this and they’re going to know that we’re with them.”
Charlene Avon had reason to be particularly proud during the community celebration of the Peterborough Petes’ Ontario Hockey League championship held Monday (May 22) at Quaker Foods City Square. Her grandson JR plays centre for the Memorial Cup bound club. She’ll be making the trip to Kamloops, B.C. to cheer on the hometown side. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
An attendee at every Petes’ home game and a more than a few road games, Avon will make the trip to Kamloops to cheer on her grandson.
Like Avon, season ticket holder Fred Delahey was at the Memorial Centre for the championship-clinching game. He says the atmosphere “was electric … everybody was jumping around and hooting and hollering.”
Looking ahead to the Memorial Cup — the Kamloops Blazers, the Seattle Thunderbirds, and the Québec Remparts will also vie for storied championship trophy — Delahey is cautiously optimistic.
“They’ve got a fair shot at it,” he says. “If they continue to play like they’ve been playing, who knows? They’re on the dance floor.”
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Meanwhile, doing some tandem cheerleading were Angele and Samantha Westlake.
“We couldn’t be more proud of the boys and our community — how we’re all coming together to celebrate them today,” said Angele. “They worked so hard. They never gave up. When they were down in some of the games, they fought back.”
Samantha admits to having been worried during the Petes’ remarkable playoff win, which saw the club win best-of-seven series against the Sudbury Wolves, the Ottawa 67s and the North Bay Battalion before taking out the Knights.
“It was so nerve wracking but the boys pushed through,” Samantha said. “There was no quit. They deserve this so much.”
Samantha and Angele Westlake were determined not to miss the community celebration of the Peterborough Petes’ Ontario Hockey League championship held Monday (May 22) at Quaker Foods City Square. They joined well more than 500 team supporters who jammed the downtown public space. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
A season ticket holder for eight years now, Ted Dawes said he never saw the Memorial Centre look and feel like it did during game six.
“Sudbury in four (games) and then Ottawa in six and North Bay in seven and London in six. Those were not easy series. This is great today for the city. It’s been a long time since we had something like this and it’s great to have it back.”
A long time indeed. Prior this championship, the Petes last wore the Ontario Hockey League crown in 2006 when they defeated the same London Knights. As for the Memorial Cup trophy, the Petes last claimed that prize in 1979 — the one and only Canadian championship ever won by the club.
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Jace Reil, who plays for the U13 Petes, is too young to have any recollection of that but he’s just fine with living in the moment.
“I hope they do really good … I think they’ll do good,” said Jace when asked how he feels the Petes will fare at the Memorial Cup.
Surveying the Quaker Foods City Square, Peterborough Mayor Jeff Leal — appropriately attired in a Petes jersey — liked what he saw and heard.
“This is a great shot in the arm for the city,” said Mayor Leal, who took in the championship win with his son Braden. “It’s a major positive thing for the community. Last night (Sunday) at the Memorial Centre, (there were) 4,100 people — you could not put another body into the PMC. The atmosphere was electric.”
Members of the Peterborough Petes walked a gauntlet of adoring fans during a community celebration of the club’s Ontario Hockey League championship held Monday (May 22) at Quaker Foods City Square in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
“I give full credit to (former) mayor Diane Therrien and her council who made the strategic decision to build a public square in downtown Peterborough,” Leal added. ” I’ve had some other mayors visit me and take a tour of the square here because they would like to replicate it in their downtowns.”
Echoing Mayor Leal’s excitement over the public space’s use was city councillor Matt Crowley.
“This is exactly the kind of event that we want here,” he said. “It’s the perfect venue for something like this. Now, with the Petes going to Kamloops for the Memorial Cup and the (Peterborough) Lakers coming back in a week and a half, it’s a great thing.”
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While it’s not yet official, Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) executive director Terry Guiel said it’s “90 per cent certain” that a community watch party will be held in the square in conjunction with the Petes’ first Memorial Cup game.
That contest takes place at 6 p.m. on Saturday (May 27) at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops against the Western Hockey League champion Seattle Thunderbirds.
Last Friday (May 19), game five of the Peterborough-London series was screened in the square by Porter Sound, sponsored in part by kawarthaNOW. While welcoming the collaboration with the city that made that happen, Guiel said for that partnership to continue moving forward “we need to make sure the red tape is out of the way so we can have impromptu special events like this and we don’t need 90 days to fill out a form.”
A thrilled four-year-old Audrey got up close and personal with Peterborough Petes’ mascot Roger during a community celebration of the club’s Ontario Hockey League championship held Monday (May 22) at Quaker Foods City Square in downtown Peterborough. Audrey made the trip from Omemee with her mom. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
“The community needs a space like this,” Gueil said. “It makes a city a livable, enjoyable place. We have diehard fans of the downtown but there’s also a large demographic that’s new to Peterborough. We need to introduce them to the downtown as well as reintroduce people who haven’t come downtown in awhile.”
Fans can catch the Memorial Cup games on OHL Live, TSN, Freq 90.5, Oldies 96.7 and Classic Rock 107.9.
Those interested in travelling to Kamloops to cheer on the Petes will have to make their own arrangements, with the Petes strongly encouraging fans to arrange tickets through the Sandman Centre or other official sources as capacity is limited at the Sandman Centre.
A huge and excited crowd of around 500 fans gathered well before the start of the community celebration of the Peterborough Petes’ Ontario Hockey League championship held Monday (May 22) at Quaker Foods City Square in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
The Peterborough Petes celebrate after winning the OHL championship and the J. Roberston Cup for the 10th time in the team's history on May 21, 2023. The team is heading to the Memorial Cup for the first time in 17 years, with game one the Western Hockey League champion Seattle Thunderbirds on May 27. (Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes)
The Peterborough Petes defeated the London Knights before a sold-out hometown crowd at the Memorial Centre on Sunday night (May 21), winning the OHL championship and the J. Roberston Cup for the 10th time in the team’s history, and the community is invited to celebrate along with the Petes on Monday afternoon in downtown Peterborough.
The Petes, who won the game 2-1 to take the best-of-seven series in six games, also defeated the London Knights in their last OHL championship 17 years ago, when they swept the Knights in four games to advance to the Memorial Cup where they placed fourth.
A community celebration of the Petes’ historic win will take place on Victoria Day from 3 to 6 p.m. at Quaker Foods City Square in downtown Peterborough, the same location as the community watch party for Friday’s game five in London, which the Knights won forcing a sixth game in Peterborough.
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At Sunday night’s game, goalie Michael Simpson led the way to Peterborough’s victory by stopping 36 of 37 shots.
The game remained scoreless in the first period, with Petes rightwinger Avery Hayes opening the scoring in the second period. London tied it up in the second period before Petes forward Tucker Robertson scored what would be the Petes’ winning goal. After the game, Michael Simpson was awarded the Wayne Gretzky Trophy as the 2023 OHL Playoff’s most valuable player.
As OHL champions, the Petes qualify to compete for the 103rd Memorial Cup in the Canadian Hockey League national championship series, which they have won once in 1979. The series begins on Thursday (May 25) in Kamloops, B.C., with the national championship game scheduled for Sunday, June 4th. Along with the Petes, the Kamloops Blazers, the Seattle Thunderbirds, and the Québec Remparts will be vying for the cup.
Players jump off the bench in front of a cheering sold-out hometown crowd at the Memorial Centre on May 21, 2023 after the Peterborough Petes defeated the London Knights 2-1 to win the OHL championship and the J. Roberston Cup in six games. (Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes)
The Petes’ first game takes place at 6 p.m. on Saturday (May 27) at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops against the Western Hockey League champion Seattle Thunderbirds, who won the Ed Chynoweth Cup for the second time since 2017 by defeating the Winnipeg ICE in five games on Friday night.
Fans can catch the Memorial Cup games on OHL Live, TSN, Freq 90.5, Oldies 96.7, and Classic Rock 107.9. Those who are interested in travelling to Kamloops to cheer on the Petes will have to make their own arrangements, with the Petes strongly encouraging fans to arrange tickets through the Sandman Centre or other official sources as capacity is limited at the Sandman Centre.
A community celebration of the team’s victory takes place from 3 to 6 p.m on Monday at Quaker Foods City Square in downtown Peterborough where the Petes will display the J. Roberston Cup.
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A 16-foot screen will be set up by Porter Sound to highlight the season’s best plays and there will be official championship merchandise, face painting, and opportunities for food and refreshments from local vendors.
The formal program begins at 3:45 p.m. with remarks from dignitaries, players, staff, and executives, official championship merchandise, face painting, and opportunities for food and refreshments from local vendors.
The event will include an official championship photo of the entire Petes team with community members, so fans are encouraged to wear maroon and white. While the event is free, parking will be extremely limited as a large crowd is anticipated.
The Rotary Victoria Day Fireworks over Little Lake in Peterborough in 2017. The annual event was last held in 2019 before the pandemic, and has since been discontinued. (Photo: Scott Tromely)
Victoria Day, celebrating Queen Victoria’s birthday (May 24, 1819), is observed on the Monday preceding May 25. The Victoria Day weekend is colloquially known as the May Two-Four weekend, referring both to the Queen’s birthday and Canadian slang for a case of 24 beers (a popular beverage during the weekend). It’s informally considered to mark the beginning of summer, and many people go camping, open their cottages, garden, or travel during the weekend. Victoria Day itself is traditionally celebrated with fireworks displays.
Victoria Day Monday is both a federal and a provincial statutory holiday, so all government offices and services are closed. All liquor stores and all beer stores are also closed, except for two beer stores in Peterborough. Many grocery stores and big box stores are open, except in Peterborough where most are closed. Most drug stores and pharmacies are open.
For your convenience, we provide this list of holiday hours for 295 selected businesses, services, and organizations across the Kawarthas. This information comes from their websites and social media accounts, which may or may not be up to date, so please always call them first to confirm their hours (we’ve included phone numbers), especially where you see “call” or “call to confirm” or if you are travelling any distance. If your business or organization is listed and the hours are incorrect, please let us know by using our content feedback form. We do not have the hours for restaurants in this list as there are far too many to include.
Bewdley Community Recycling Centre 7650 County Rd. 9, Hamilton 905-342-2514
CLOSED
Brighton Community Recycling Centre 1112 County Rd. 26, Brighton 613-475-1946
CLOSED
Canada Post Mail Delivery / Offices (Note: post offices operated by the private sector will be open according to the hours of service of the host business
No collection or delivery
City of Kawartha Lakes City Hall, Municipal Service Centres, and Administration Offices 26 Francis St., Lindsay 705-324-9411
CLOSED
City of Kawartha Lakes Parks, Recreation and Culture facilities, arenas, and pools Various locations, City of Kawartha Lakes 705-324-9411
CLOSED (ALL RECREATION CENTRES AND POOLS)
City of Kawartha Lakes Public Libraries Various locations, City of Kawartha Lakes 705-324-9411 x1291
CLOSED (ALL BRANCHES)
City of Kawartha Lakes Waste and Recycling Collection 26 Francis St., Lindsay 1-888-822-2225
Mon collection moves to Tue, Tue to Wed, Wed to Thu, Thu to Fri
City of Peterborough Day Cares Peterborough 705-748-8830
CLOSED
City of Peterborough Garbage Pickup Peterborough 705-745-1386
No changes
City of Peterborough Green Waste Pickup Peterborough 705-876-1600
No changes
City of Peterborough Recycling Pickup Peterborough 705-876-1600
No changes
City of Peterborough Social Services (for emergency shelter services call 705-926-0096) Closed, Peterborough 705-748-8830
CLOSED
Cobourg Public Library 200 Ontario St., Cobourg 905-372-9271
Lindsay Human Services 322 Kent St. W., Lindsay 705-324-9870
CLOSED
Lindsay Library 90 Kent St. W., Lindsay 705-324-9411 x1291
CLOSED
Lindsay Ops Landfill 51 Wilson Rd., Lindsay 1-888-822-2225
CLOSED
Lindsay Transit / LIMO Specialized Transit 180 Kent St. W., Lindsay 705-324-9411
NO SERVICE
Municipality of Port Hope Municipal Offices 56 Queen St., Port Hope 905-885-4544
CLOSED
North Kawartha Municipal Office 280 Burleigh St., Apsley 705- 656-4445
CLOSED
North Kawartha Township Recycling Collection 340 McFadden Rd., Apsley 705-656-3619
No change
North Kawartha Township Waste Collection 340 McFadden Rd., Apsley 705-656-3619
No change
Northumberland Material Recovery Facility (no material drop-off by public, but blue boxes, green bins, backyard composters are available for purchase) 280 Edwardson Rd., Grafton 1-866-293-8379
CLOSED
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism Visitor Centre 1400 Crawford Dr., Peterborough 705-742-2201
Making sure all knew who number one in their hearts is were these young Peterborough Petes fans, brought by Ashley Woollacott from Ennismore to Quaker Foods City Square in downtown Peterborough for the community watch party held May 19, 2023. Despite the Petes ultimately falling to the London Knights 4-1, forcing a sixth game on Sunday, fans young and old alike enjoyed the outdoor experience. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
Whatever our differences, there are two things — live music and sports fandom — that more often than not bring us together for a shared experience.
The latter did the trick Friday night (May 19) at the Quaker Foods City Square in downtown Peterborough as some 400 people gathered to take in game five of the best-of-seven Ontario Hockey League championship final between the hometown Peterborough Petes and the London Knights, livestreamed from Budweiser Gardens in London.
Before a 16-foot video wall provided by Porter Sound, Petes fans of all ages gathered, many perched in lawn chairs with extra blankets and travel mugs. Despite a light rain that began to fall with under 10 minutes left in the third period, most stayed put to watch the Petes fall to the Knights by a score of 4-1.
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With the loss, the Petes still lead the series 3-2 with game six scheduled for this Sunday night (May 21) at the Peterborough Memorial Centre. Game seven, if needed, will be played the following night in London (another community watch party will take place if the Knights force a game seven).
While Friday night’s game was the main attraction, what also impressed those who spoke with kawarthaNOW, one of the event’s media sponsors, was the use of the downtown public space for a unique community experience.
“This is perfect — this is exactly what this space is intended for,” raved Sean McCarthy, a diehard Petes fan who has missed but a few home games during the club’s remarkable playoff run.
Around 400 people gathered during a community watch party at Quaker Foods City Square on May 19, 2023 to take in game five of the best-of-seven Ontario Hockey League championship final between the hometown Peterborough Petes and the London Knights, livestreamed from Budweiser Gardens in London. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
“I’ve been to Buffalo Bills tailgate parties … that’s what this reminds me of,” McCarthy added. “It’s exactly what Peterborough needs right now. What’s great is when you look around at this crowd, you see people from all walks of life. All ages — kids, adults, whatever. They’ve all been brought together and united by this fabulous playoff run.”
Sharing the watch party experience were Melanie Clapper and Kevin Holland. They arrived at the square at 1:30 p.m. — six hours before puck drop.
“We’re big fans … we go to every Petes game,” said Clapper.
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“I didn’t really expect them to beat Ottawa (in an earlier playoff series) but I’ll take it,” added Holland.
Clapper was impressed by the watch party set up, saying that “more things like this” would represent a good use of the public space.
Also taking in the experience was Ashley Woollacott of Ennismore, joined by her kids and their friends. She too liked what she saw and heard.
Bennett Hildenbrand, with help from his mom Emily, was in full game mode during the Peterborough Petes community watch party at Quaker Foods City Square in downtown Peterborough on May 19, 2023. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
“I think it’s amazing,” Woollacott said. “We need to bring the community together and liven up downtown. Sport is one of many things that brings people together.”
Arguably the biggest smile seen was worn by Hillary Flood, vibrancy manager for the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Association (DBIA). In partnership with the City of Peterborough and the Peterborough Petes, the DBIA conceived of, and organized, the watch party in just a few days.
“This started as an idea on Monday and from that idea, through the woodwork, the community came together to make it happen,” said Flood. “The Quaker Foods City Square is a space for gathering; a space for community. When this idea came across our desk, we jumped on it. We couldn’t see a celebration not happening for our Petes.”
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With the name of the DBIA game being to bring foot traffic to the downtown core, Flood says the square, and events held there, check that box in a big way.
“This is re-introduction to our downtown core in a whole new way. When we think about a community watch party, it’s a perfect example of a positive intervention — a place-making intervention that transforms what would otherwise have been an empty space into a space for community gathering.”
Key to the event’s success, and its viability from a cost perspective, was the involvement of Porter Sound, which provided the 16-foot high-definition video wall on which the game was livestreamed from the TSN feed.
Why fight the crowd when you can sit right up front? This young Peterborough Petes fan got up close and personal with the 16-foot screen during the Peterborough Petes community watch party held held May 19, 2023 at Quaker Foods City Square in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
“It’s something that was never available in this area — if you wanted the technology you would have to pay major money to bring it in from a major city,” said Bill Porter.
“What a great way to display this new technology that’s here, teaming up with the DBIA and the city to show the Petes in the playoffs. We’re really excited to be able to come here to the square. We hope we can do a lot more with the city and the DBIA.”
Completed in fall of last year at the site of the former Louis Street parking lot, the Quaker Foods City Square hosted ice skating throughout the winter season and recently became the new home of the Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market that will operate every Wednesday and Saturday until October 28th.
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Consultation, planning and design work for the $6.4-million project began in late 2016 but construction didn’t start until early in 2021.
Key funders of the project included the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) which provided $750,000, the City of Peterborough which contributed $677,909, and the DBIA with a $50,000 donation.
Last September, Peterborough city council approved a naming rights agreement with PepsiCo Foods which, through its Quaker brand, will pay $240,000 over 15 years for the city square’s name.
Bill Porter (left) and Nick Miles of Porter Sound had a long day on May 19, 2023, making sure all was good to go for that evening’s telecast of game five of the Ontario Hockey League championship between the Peterborough Petes and the London Knights during the community watch party at Quaker Foods City Square in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)Winter McCoy of Peterborough took time to have her allegiance to the Peterborough Petes properly displayed. She attended the Peterborough Petes community watch party held on May 19, 2023, at Quaker Foods City Square in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)As organizer of the Peterborough Petes community watch party at Quaker Foods City Square held on May 19, 2023, the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Business Association (DBIA) was well represented by (from left) marketing and communications coordinator Amanda McBain, vibrancy manager Hillary Flood, DBIA board member Tiffany Arcari, and programs and engagement coordinator Shivaan Burke. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)Looking good in their Peterborough Petes apparel during the community watch party held held on May 19, 2023 at Quaker Foods City Square were Taigen Overvelde and Tanya Harwood. The duo waa kept busy working the PTBO Northern Originals/Flavour booth, selling Petes clothing and hats. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
The Peterborough Symphony Orchestra's music director Michael Newnham conducts the orchestra during its February 2019 concert at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough. On May 27, 2023, the orchestra will perform "Welcome to the Dance", the final concert in its 2022-23 season. (Photo: Huw Morgan)
The Peterborough Symphony Orchestra is wrapping up its 2022-23 season on Saturday, May 27th at Showplace Performance Centre with “Welcome to the Dance”, a fun and fiery mix of jazz, Latin, and classical sounds along with spoken-word performances by special guest artist Sarah Lewis from Curve Lake First Nation.
Presented by sponsor Euphoria Wellness Spa, the evening’s program includes Russian composer Igor Stravinsky’s The Firebird Suite, American composer Florence Price’s Dances in the Canebrakes, Mexican composer Arturo Marquez’s Danzón No. 2, and American composer Leonard Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story.
Welcoming audiences back to the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra has been a recurring theme of all of the concerts this season, the first since the pandemic began where the orchestra is performing a full slate of five in-person concerts.
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In fact, the idea for “Welcome to the Dance” came from a program the orchestra had originally planned for its pandemic-cancelled April 2022 concert. According to music director and conductor Michael Newnham, that concert was to be called “Jazz Goes to the Symphony” and would have included both Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story and Price’s Dances in the Canebrakes, among other pieces.
Newnham says the season finale concert is called “Welcome to the Dance” because the program consists of music that was either inspired by movement or meant to be danced to.
“A lot of this music also has to do with social change,” Newnham tells kawarthaNOW. “Because of Sarah Lewis’ strong style and pride in her Anishnaabe Kwe heritage found in her poetry, and because of the fact that she was the inaugural poet laureate of our city, we have invited her as guest artist to add the spoken word in between some of the music to be presented.”
VIDEO: “Warrior Cry” – Sarah Lewis
Igor Stravinsky
Born in Russia and later living in France and then the U.S., Igor Stravinsky was a composer, conductor, and pianist who is widely considered one of the most important and influential composers of the 20th century and a pivotal figure in modernist music for his approach to rhythm. Composed in 1910, The Firebird was the first of three ballets that Stravinsky — who was a young and virtually unknown composer at the time — was commissioned to write by Russian impresario Sergei Diaghilev, who had just formed the Ballets Russes company in Paris.
Based on Russian fairy tales of the Firebird, a magical and prophetic glowing or burning bird from a faraway land which is both a blessing and a harbinger of doom to its captor, the ballet was an immediate success and catapulted Stravinsky to international fame. Although it was originally designed as a ballet for the stage, with certain passages accompanying characters and action, the music has since gained much recognition as an orchestral piece. Younger people will recognize The Firebird Suite as the last of eight classical works to appear in the 1999 Disney film Fantasia 2000.
“It forever changed the way symphonic music was written and perceived,” Newnham says. “Stravinsky emphasized unusual rhythms and note patterns, while keeping a strong link in his music to the Russian folk idiom.”
VIDEO: The Firebird Suite – Igor Stravinsky
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Florence Price
American composer, pianist, organist, and music teacher Florence Price was born in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1887, and is the first African-American woman to be recognized as a symphonic composer and the first to have a composition played by a major orchestra. At the age of 15, she enrolled in the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, and eventually moved back to Little Rock after marrying a lawyer who had his practice there.
Unable to find work in the by-then racially segregated Little Rock and, after a series of racial incidents including a lynching, she and her husband and their two daughters moved north to Chicago, where her career as a composer flourished. Before her death from a stroke at the age of 66, Price had composed over 300 works, including four symphonies, four concertos, choral works, art songs, chamber music, and music for solo instruments. She frequently used the music of the African-American church, including spirituals, and material for her arrangements.
“She infuses her style with the atmospheres of her childhood in Little Rock,” Newnham explains. “You can hear the strong influence of Black music in almost everything that she writes. Her Dances in the Canebrakes was one of the last piece she composed before her untimely death, and it feels fresh, free, and untroubled.”
VIDEO: “Dances in the Canebrakes” – Florence Price
Arturo Márquez
Born in Alamos, Mexico in 1950, award-winning composer Arturo Márquez was introduced to music by his mariachi musician father and folk musician grandfather. When Márquez was 11, his family moved to Los Angeles where he played the violin in school. He began composing at the age of 16 and attended the Mexican Music Conservatory to study composition. He later studied music in Paris before returning to California. He began to frequent Mexico City’s dance halls, where he discovered the danzón.
The official musical genre and dance of Cuba, the danzón also became very popular in the Mexican Gulf Coast state of Veracruz, because of the strong Cuban influence in the region, and later in Mexico City. Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 was commissioned by the National Autonomous University of Mexico and premiered in 1994 in Mexico City. According to Márquez, the music was inspired by a visit to a ballroom in Veracruz. Written for full orchestra, the piece features solos for clarinet, oboe, piano, violin, double bass, French horn, trumpet, flute, and piccolo.
“Marquez wrote many danzóns, but his most popular by far is No. 2,” Newnham says. “It combines tenderness, wistfulness, and the unbridled frenetic energy of Latin-American music that we love so much. I chose to include it in this concert because of some similarities it has with the music to West Side Story.”
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Leonard Bernstein
American composer Leonard Bernstein is considered to be one of the most important conductors of his time. He was also a pianist, music educator, author, and lifelong humanitarian who worked in support of civil rights among many other causes. As a composer he wrote in many genres, including symphonic and orchestral music, ballet, film and theatre music, choral works, opera, chamber music, and works for the piano.
Bernstein’s score for West Side Story is his best-known work. With lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, the musical debuted on Broadway in 1957 to critical acclaim and ran for 732 performances before going on tour. Nominated for six Tony awards and winning two, it continues to be regularly performed worldwide and has been adapted into two feature films.
“The influence of jazz and Latin music on Leonard Bernstein’s score is unmistakable,” Newnham notes. “His genius for bringing all the elements of popular music and combining it with the most rigorous classical forms, like the fugue, is spellbinding. This music has been a big part of my life since the first time I heard and fell in love with it at the age of 10. There is a reason why this score is so popular. It’s just great music that transcends all boundaries.”
VIDEO: “Mambo” from Symphonic Dances from West Side Story – Leonard Bernstein
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The Peterborough Symphony Orchestra’s season finale concert promises to be as exciting for the orchestra’s musicians as for the audience, according to Newnham.
“The musicians keep telling me how much they are looking forward to this concert,” he says. “We’ve been waiting for our chance to do it for over three years now, and we can’t wait.”
“Welcome to the Dance” begins at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 27th at Showplace Performance Centre at 290 George Street North in downtown Peterborough. A pre-concert “Meet the Maestro” talk takes place at 6:45 p.m., where Newnham takes the Showplace stage for an intimate chat about the evening’s program.
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All audience members are also invited to a post-concert reception downstairs in the Nexicom Studio, sponsored by Cork and Bean, to meet Maestro Newnham and members of the orchestra.
Single tickets are $33, $48, or $55, depending on the seat you choose, with student tickets costing $12 for all seats. Tickets are available in person at the Showplace Box Office from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, and one hour before the concert, or online anytime at showplace.org. Student tickets are only available online.
New this season is a “rush ticket” option, where seats are available on the day of the concert for only $20 (online only, depending on availability).
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a media sponsor of the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra’s 2022-23 season.
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