Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Home Blog Page 292

Four Peterborough entrepreneurs overcome pandemic challenges to launch businesses with focus on helping people

By Paul Rellinger -
These four Peterborough entrepreneurs overcome pandemic challenges to launch businesses with a focus on helping people. Each particpated in Starter Company Plus, an entrepreneurial training program offered locally by the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development Business Advisory Centre with funding from the Ontario government. Left to right, top and bottom: Michelle Godfrey of Discover Trager, Kate Griffin of Mental Wealth Counselling, Caitlin Smith of ReCreate Space, and Ineke Turner of Turner & Pooch Dog Training. (Photos: Jenish Odigski)

While pandemic restrictions challenged all of us, they were particularly daunting for small businesses — but four Peterborough-area entrepreneurs have overcome those challenges to build successful businesses with a focus on helping people.

During the pandemic, ‘pivot’ became the new buzzword as existing business owners searched for innovative ways to serve their customers despite a rollercoaster of on-and-off-again lockdowns, and entrepreneurs preparing to launch their start-ups suddenly had a massive wrench thrown into their business plans.

However, the pandemic met its match with the power of the entrepreneurial spirit. Where some only saw challenges, many local entrepreneurs also saw opportunity. Opportunity to learn. Opportunity to plan. Opportunity to offer a new product or service. Opportunity to reinvent. Opportunity to finally bring a long-held business dream to life.

Four Peterborough-area entrepreneurs passionate about helping people — Michelle Godfrey, Kate Griffin, Caitlin Smith, and Ineke Turner — took the courageous leap to either launch or expand their businesses.

Related stories

A commitment to community brings success to seven Peterborough County entrepreneurs

Six Peterborough entrepreneurs take their creative ventures to the next level

Pandemic inspires six Peterborough entrepreneurs to establish sought-after service-based businesses

During the pandemic, all four participated in Starter Company Plus, an entrepreneurial training program offered locally by the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development Business Advisory Centre with funding from the Ontario government.

Now, with lockdowns finally in the rear-view mirror and leveraging what they learned through Starter Company Plus, Michele, Kate, Caitlin, and Ineke are continuing to grow their businesses and realize their dreams of helping people.

Find out about their businesses, in their own words, below.

 

Discover Trager™

Owner: Michelle Godfrey, Certified Trager Practitioner
Website: discovertrager.ca
Social: Facebook

Michelle Godfrey, owner of Discover Trager. (Photo: Jenish Odigski)
Michelle Godfrey, owner of Discover Trager. (Photo: Jenish Odigski)

My business is teaching through movement. The Trager® Approach created by Dr. Milton Trager applies gentle non-invasive movements to increase mobility throughout the body, and facilitates the release of pain, tension and mental patterns, encouraging deep relaxation and increased body awareness.

These movements are experienced in two different ways, one passively while lying on a padded table (like a massage table) in my Trager studio. Clients also learn ‘mindful movements’ to take away and integrate in daily life. Many people benefit from The Trager Approach, such as those experiencing the normal aging process, aches and pains, recovering from surgery, restriction of movement, arthritis, depression, anxiety, or neuromuscular disease such as Parkinson’s or Multiple Sclerosis.

Discover Trager™ is unique in that the approach to movement is very different from any other bodywork. It is really defined well as movement re-education. We are learning to remember how it feels to be more relaxed, free of pain and tension. Discover Trager™ seeks to reach the unconscious mind where holding patterns in the body/mind are stored. Through the use of specific hands-on movements, the practitioner works, or rather is ‘playful’ in her approach, eliciting the feeling and the possibility of change.

 

Mental Wealth Counselling

Owner: Kate Griffin, Registered Social Worker
Website: mentalwealthcounselling.ca
Social: Facebook, Instagram

Kate Griffin, owner of Mental Wealth Counselling. (Photo: Jenish Odigski)
Kate Griffin, owner of Mental Wealth Counselling. (Photo: Jenish Odigski)

Mental Wealth Counselling is a virtual counselling and psychotherapy practice, supporting adults across Ontario. We have both a Registered Social Worker and a Registered Psychotherapist available to help you reach your goals.

We practice from a trauma-informed lens and tackle challenges such as anxiety, self-esteem, stress, life transitions and trauma. We are relational therapists with a focus on helping clients through a variety of modalities such as Emotion Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, EMDR, Sex Therapy and Strengths Based Therapy.

Mental Wealth Counselling is unique because we offer therapy that you can access in the comfort of your own home which helps to remove barriers to access such as childcare, transportation, etc.

With Mental Wealth Counselling, you can expect to feel heard and supported. Our clinicians focus on building a strong rapport with clients so they can open up and get as much as they can out of their time in therapy.

 

ReCreate Space

Owner: Caitlin Smith
Website: www.recreatespace.ca
Social: Facebook, Instagram

Caitlin Smith, owner of ReCreate Space. (Photo: Jenish Odigski)
Caitlin Smith, owner of ReCreate Space. (Photo: Jenish Odigski)

ReCreate Space is a professional organizing business that helps overwhelmed individuals, families and businesses clear the clutter and develop systems. My mission is to help residents of Peterborough and the Kawarthas get a little more organized so they can reclaim their homes and focus on living their best life.

ReCreate Space provides a vast array of services including home organization, business/paper organization, life transitions, packing and unpacking services, and hobby/collection organization. Whatever your organizing need may be, Caitlin can help.

I work one-on-one with clients in a supportive, non-judgmental, and compassionate way to provide personalized solutions to meet each of my client’s individual organizing goals and needs.

ReCreate Space prioritizes sustainable practices by reusing, recycling and donating unwanted items to reduce the amount the amount of material going to the landfill.

 

Turner & Pooch Dog Training

Owner: Ineke Turner
Website: ptbodogtrainer.ca
Social: Facebook, Instagram

Ineke Turner, owner of Turner & Pooch Dog Training. (Photo: Jenish Odigski)
Ineke Turner, owner of Turner & Pooch Dog Training. (Photo: Jenish Odigski)

Turner & Pooch Dog Training helps dog owners whose dogs have issues with behaviours such as aggression, not listening to commands, pulling on their leash, leash reactivity, or overall bratty behaviour, so that they can live cohesively with their best friend without undue stress or worry.

I understand dogs better than I understand most people. My goal is to use my unique understanding of canine behaviour to educate and inspire dog owners to learn about their dogs, and have a better understanding of dog behaviour in general.

I have worked with more than 1,000 dogs and owners during the more than 10 years that I have been working with dogs, the last nine of which in a professional capacity. I have extensive experience with many different levels of behaviour challenges from moderate brattiness to severe aggression, and everything in between.

 

This is one of a series of branded editorials created in partnership with Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.

Police make arrest after man with gunshot wounds dropped off Tuesday at Cobourg hospital

By kawarthaNOW -

Police have arrested a person in connection with a shooting investigation after a man was dropped off at Northumberland Hills Hospital in Cobourg early Tuesday morning (March 7) suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.

Related story

Cobourg police seeking witnesses in early Tuesday morning shooting

The victim was subsequently transported to a Toronto-area trauma centre with critical injuries. He is now in stable condition and has been identified.

While Cobourg police responded to the initial report from the hospital, the investigation was taken over by the Northumberland County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

As part of the OPP investigation, there was an increased police presence on Wednesday in the Shearer Point Road area in Roseneath.

Police resources deployed for the investigation included the OPP Tactics and Rescue Unit, Urban Search and Rescue – Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives Response Team, Central Region Emergency Response Team, Central Region Forensic Identification Services, Digital Forensics, Northumberland and Peterborough OPP Crime Unit, Peterborough Northumberland Community Street Crime Unit, and the Provincial Liaison Team.

Police have not provided any further details about the incident or of the charges laid against the person who was arrested. The investigation is continuing under the direction of the OPP’s Criminal Investigation Branch.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Northumberland OPP at 1-888-310-1122. If you prefer to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at stopcrimehere.ca. You may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.

In addition, the OPP is asking anyone in the area of Roseneath during the early morning hours of March 7, 2023 to upload dashcam or video camera footage at the OPP Evidence Submission Portal at ontarioprovincialpolice.ca.evidence.com/axon/community-request/public/e230273155.

When should you take your government retirement benefits?

By Paul Rellinger -
For many Canadians approaching retirement age, the question of when to start collecting the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) retirement pension can be a signuficant one. Should you begin collecting a reduced monthly benefit early at age 60, wait until 65 to collect the full monthly benefit, or defer until you are 70 and collect an even higher monthly benefit? The right answer, according to executive financial consultant Adam McInroy at McInroy and Associates Private Wealth Management in Bobcaygeon, depends on each person's larger financial plan for their retirement. (Stock photo)

To CPP or not to CPP? With all due respect to Prince Hamlet, that is the question for those who have contributed to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and are approaching their 60th birthday.

The answer, however, isn’t quite as simple. Ditto for those pondering whether to collect Old Age Security (OAS) when they first qualify to do so at age 65.

At Bobcaygeon-based McInroy and Associates Private Wealth Management, executive financial consultant Adam McInroy CFP, CLU says, “It’s a big decision” – a do-I-or-don’t-I fork in the road that involves a number of factors.

“There’s a ton of research and there are tons of opinions, but I always go back to that great answer of ‘It depends,'” says Adam, referring to the simple fact that everyone’s financial situation is different and is the most important consideration when making a decision.

Related stories

People are more than numbers at McInroy & Associates Private Wealth Management

Achieving a sound retirement plan starts with a conversation at McInroy & Associates Private Wealth Management

McInroy & Associates Private Wealth Management helps clients navigate their retirement journey

McInroy and Associates Private Wealth Management helps clients avoid sleepless nights

Legacy giving starts with a conversation at McInroy and Associates Private Wealth Management

McInroy and Associates Private Wealth Management helps clients manage financial uncertainty

“How does taking CPP or OAS fit into your bigger financial plan?” Adam asks. “CPP and OAS and when to take them need to be looked at through a bigger holistic lens. What are your other income sources? What are your other taxable sources? If you continue to pay into CPP, how much more money will that get you down the road?”

Before making any decisions about when to collect CPP or OAS, Adam says you first need to understand what each benefit provides and, more importantly, the impacts of taking each when you first qualify to do so versus holding off.

For many Canadians, CPP is an important piece of their retirement income. To qualify, you must have made contributions into CPP while working. You can take the taxable benefit early at age 60 — or any point leading up to 65 when eligible for the full benefit — but the benefit is reduced by 0.6 per cent for each month before age 65.

You can also choose to defer CPP and take it between ages 65 and 70, resulting in an increase of 0.7 per cent for each month after 65 you start taking it. A factor that is often overlooked when deciding when to take CPP is that the benefit is adjusted for inflation.

CPP and OAS can be a foundational income stream for people through their retirement, as they are guaranteed monthly benefits indexed with inflaction and with no market exposure. When you should begin collecting the benefits depends on a lot of factors, including whether you are continuing to work or have other retirement income, whether you are receiving other income-tested benefits, whether you have a shortened life expectancy, and more. (Stock photo)
CPP and OAS can be a foundational income stream for people through their retirement, as they are guaranteed monthly benefits indexed with inflaction and with no market exposure. When you should begin collecting the benefits depends on a lot of factors, including whether you are continuing to work or have other retirement income, whether you are receiving other income-tested benefits, whether you have a shortened life expectancy, and more. (Stock photo)

Adam refers to a December 2020 research report by the National Institute on Ageing, a think tank at Toronto Metropolitan University, that concludes Canadians should consider delaying the start of their CPP benefits for as long as possible, if they are in reasonable health and can afford to wait.

“The report presents an interesting theory that Canadians should start to assume that age 70 is normal retirement age for starting CPP, and that the 0.7 per cent per month enhancement for deferring CPP past age 65 should rather be considered as a 0.7 per cent per month reduction for starting prior to age 70. If viewed in this manner, a person has their CPP retirement pension reduced by 55 per cent by starting to collect CPP at age 60 versus age 70.”

For example, a $100 monthly benefit at age 60 will increase to $222 per month if the person waits until age 70.

“To implement this strategy, a person needs to be willing to assume the risk they will have the average life expectancy of a Canadian,” Adam points out.

According to the National Institute on Ageing report, the life expectancy for a man and woman at age 60 is approximately 25.9 years and 28.5 years — meaning that, on average, a man aged 60 is expected to live until age 85.9 and a woman until age 88.5.

If people don’t consider life expectancy, Adam says, it’s understandable why they may be anxious to start collecting CPP at age 60

“Our natural mindset is ‘I’ve paid into this thing forever. I don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring. I want to get something out of it. Who knows? I could be dead tomorrow. If I don’t start collecting something now, it’s all for naught.'”

Having said that, Adam adds there are cases where it makes good sense to not defer collecting CPP. The National Institute on Ageing report lists eight of them:

  • Those who already have sufficient lifetime secure retirement income
  • Those who cannot afford to delay
  • Those with shortened life expectancy
  • Those eligible for GIS and other income-tested benefits
  • Those who are on the threshold of the GIS phase-out, the start and end of OAS clawbacks, or other tax-reducing strategies
  • Those who continue working
  • Those receiving a CPP survivor’s benefit
  • Those who would face a reduction in average pensionable earnings by delaying CPP

“More often than not, that’s the conversation we walk through with clients,” Adam says. “While they can certainly take your CPP at 60 if they want, they need to understand what it means for them.”

Another variable people sometimes forget to include in their calculations is the tax impact of taking the benefits earlier.

“CPP is 100 per cent taxable just as OAS is,” he points out. “How does that factor into your retirement income stream plan? It may not make sense to take CPP at age 60 instead of 65 if, from a tax efficiency standpoint, you can bridge that five-year gap by withdrawing from your investments instead. It all goes back to building your financial plan — that puzzle picture of what your retirement looks like and what makes the most sense for you.”

For clients approaching retirement age, Adam McInroy and his team at McInroy and Associates Private Wealth Management in Bobcaygeon will walk them through various scenarios to make them aware of their pending qualification for CPP and the options available based on their unique financial situation. (Photo: McInroy & Associates Private Wealth Management)
For clients approaching retirement age, Adam McInroy and his team at McInroy and Associates Private Wealth Management in Bobcaygeon will walk them through various scenarios to make them aware of their pending qualification for CPP and the options available based on their unique financial situation. (Photo: McInroy & Associates Private Wealth Management)

With OAS, Adam says it’s important to remember the benefit is subject to being clawed back depending on the amount of income received from all sources.

“You can start collecting OAS at 65 or defer it until age 70, or anywhere in between, but again it goes back to ‘When do I need it? When does it make the most sense?'” he explains.

“For some people, what makes the most sense is using some pension income or registered assets between the ages 60 and 70. You don’t have to worry about income testing and claw backs, and you can collect the maximum OAS and CPP benefit at age 70 and beyond because you’re in a lower tax bracket.”

While there are a lot of opinions on the internet about when you should or shouldn’t take CPP and OAS, Adam says you should speak with your financial adviser before making any decision. He provides an example of how impactful such a conversation can be.

“We were working with someone who was beyond the age of 65 and he asked ‘Should I continue to pay into CPP even though I don’t have to?’ We looked at various factors including unused RRSP space, pensionable income sources, and his contributions history into CPP and, for this individual, determined it continued to make sense for him to do so. The end result for him will be an additional $48,000 of cumulative income over his lifetime because of this one simple yet complex decision.”

Adam stresses how important these conversations can be, given the potential impact of CPP and OAS benefits for any retirement plan.

“With defined benefit pension plans going by the wayside for many, CPP and OAS can be one of the foundational income streams we have through retirement that has no market exposure and that’s guaranteed to provide as long as we live. And it gets indexed with inflation.”

McInroy & Associates Private Wealth Management is located at 21 King Street West in Bobcaygeon. For more information, visit www.mcinroypwm.com. (Photo: McInroy & Associates Private Wealth Management)
McInroy & Associates Private Wealth Management is located at 21 King Street West in Bobcaygeon. For more information, visit www.mcinroypwm.com. (Photo: McInroy & Associates Private Wealth Management)

For clients approaching retirement age, Adam and his team will walk them through various scenarios to make them aware of their pending qualification for CPP and the options available based on their unique financial situation.

“If you’re working with a CFP professional, you need to have these conversations as part of the bigger financial puzzle you’re putting together,” he points out. “When we work with clients, there’s the emotional component and there’s the dollars and the cents component. All money decisions come down to what makes sense for you.”

McInroy & Associates Private Wealth Management is located at 21 King Street West in Bobcaygeon. You can email Adam at adam.mcinroy@igpwm.ca or call 705-748-1950. For more information about McInroy & Associates Private Wealth Management, visit www.mcinroypwm.com.

 

Investors Group Financial Services Inc.

This is a general source of information only. It is not intended to provide personalized tax, legal or investment advice, and is not intended as a solicitation to purchase securities. Adam McInroy is solely responsible for its content. For more information on this topic or any other financial matter, please contact McInroy & Associates Private Wealth Management.

 

This is one of a series of branded editorials created in partnership with McInroy & Associates Private Wealth Management. If your business or organization is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.

100 Women Who Care Kawartha Lakes donates $14,550 to Fenelon Falls Senior Citizens’ Club

By kawarthaNOW -
100 Women Who Care Kawartha Lakes presented a $14,550 donation to the Fenelon Falls Senior Citizens' Club on March 1, 2023 in Lindsay. (Photo courtesy of 100 Women Who Care Kawartha Lakes)

100 Women Who Care Kawartha Lakes has donated $14,550 to the Fenelon Falls Senior Citizens’ Club. The collective philanthropy group’s executive presented the funds to the club’s executive last Wednesday (March 1) in Lindsay.

The Fenelon Falls Senior Citizens’ Club is a not-for-profit charitable organization run completely by volunteers, all of whom are seniors. The club operates the Fenelon Falls Senior Citizens Centre at 58 Murray Street, where it provides a wide range of social and physical activities for seniors.

The club also makes the centre available to rent for community workshops, shows, markets, conferences, celebrations, and other special events. The club will use the 100 Women Who Care Kawartha Lakes donation to enhance and improve the centre’s facilities to better meet the demands and expectations for hall rentals, including by replacing and upgrading audio/video equipment, Wi-Fi capabilities, and replacing and adding some furniture and equipment.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

As with other 100 Women Who Care groups across Canada and the U.S., members of 100 Women Who Care Kawartha Lakes gather to hear presentations about three nominated charities or not-for-profit organizations, and then vote on which of the three will receive a $100 cheque from each of the members. A 100 Women Who Care group can have more than 100 members; the more members participating in a group, the larger the total donation.

100 Women Who Care Kawartha Lakes meets three times a year. The group raised the donation for the Fenelon Falls Senior Citizens’ Club — the group’s largest donation since the beginning of the pandemic — at the group’s February meeting. The group’s next meeting is in June. Since 2016, 100 Women Who Care Kawartha Lakes has raised over $300,000 for local charities.

For more information about 100 Women Who Care Kawartha Lakes and to join visit 100womenkawarthalakes.ca. For more information about the Fenelon Falls Senior Citizens Centre and to inquire about rentals, visit fenelonseniors.com.

All-star cast performs staged reading of ‘New Magic Valley Fun Town’ in Peterborough on March 26

By kawarthaNOW -
New Stages Theatre brings (left to right, top and bottom) Shawn Wright, Beau Dixon, Linda Kash, and Peyton LeBarr to Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough on March 26, 2023, for a one-night-only staged reading of acclaimed Canadian playwright Daniel MacIvor's bittersweet comedy "New Magic Valley Fun Town". (kawarthaNOW collage of supplied photos)

New Stages Theatre’s 25th anniversary season continues with an all-star cast taking to the stage at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough on Sunday, March 26th for a one-night-only performance of acclaimed Canadian playwright Daniel MacIvor’s latest play New Magic Valley Fun Town.

Dora award-winning actors Shawn Wright and Beau Dixon will join Linda Kash and Peyton LeBarr for the staged reading, where the actors perform the script without sets or costumes.

In New Magic Valley Fun Town, Cape Bretoner Dougie has found his best childhood friend Allen on Facebook. Although he hasn’t seen Allen, now a University of Toronto professor, in 25 years, Dougie has no doubt they’ll easily reconnect when Allen comes to visit.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

With Dougie’s estranged church-going wife Cheryl and their depressed adult daughter Sandy joining the reunion in Dougie’s trailer, the night begins with drinking, dancing, laughing, and reminiscing. But as the party winds down, uncomfortable memories from Dougie and Allen’s past begin to emerge that force the two friends to confront the realities of who and what they really are.

MacIvor’s bittersweet comedy tackles sensitive topics that many Canadians will be familiar with, yet he handles them with such compassion and humour that you are left feeling shaken but somehow lighter and more hopeful by the end. While the play is full of comedic moments, it also touches on sensitive issues such as the aftermath of past trauma.

The critically acclaimed play premiered in 2019 at Prairie Theatre Exchange in Winnipeg before a run at Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre, with MacIvor performing in the role of Dougie.

Daniel MacIvor (left) as Dougie in the 2019 Tarragon Theatre production of MacIvor's play "New Magic Valley Fun Town", with Stephanie MacDonald as Sandy, Caroline Gillis as Cheryl, and Andrew Moodie as Allen. (Photo: Cylla vonTiedemann)
Daniel MacIvor (left) as Dougie in the 2019 Tarragon Theatre production of MacIvor’s play “New Magic Valley Fun Town”, with Stephanie MacDonald as Sandy, Caroline Gillis as Cheryl, and Andrew Moodie as Allen. (Photo: Cylla vonTiedemann)

Born and raised in Nova Scotia, the 60-year-old MacIvor is a playwright (A Beautiful View, The Best Brothers, This is What Happens Next), theatre and film director, and actor best known for his roles in independent films and television including the CBC series Twitch City and Republic of Doyle.

In addition to winning the Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama in 2006, he has received two Chalmers New Play Awards, and was awarded the Siminovitch Prize in Theatre in 2008.

The New Stages’ staged reading of New Magic Valley Fun Town will feature Dora-award winning actor Shawn Wright — a New Brunswick native who is currently playing Voldemort in the Mirvish production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Ed Mirvish Theatre in Toronto — in the role of Dougie.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

Peterborough icon Beau Dixon, who has been busy performing on stages in Toronto and Stratford as well as in hit TV productions including Station Eleven and The Expanse, will read the role of Allen.

Well-known Peterborough actor Linda Kash (former Philadelphia Cream Cheese Angel, Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, Waiting for Guffman, Fargo) will perform as Cheryl, with Grassboots Theatre co-founder Peyton LeBarr — who has been performing for over 20 years across Canada and the UK — reading the role of Sandy.

New Magic Valley Fun Town takes place at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 26th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough. General admission tickets are $22 ($11 for arts workers, students, or the underwaged), available in person at the Market Hall box office at 140 Charlotte Street from 12 to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday or online anytime at tickets.markethall.org.

VIDEO: Talking New Magic Valley Fun Town with Daniel MacIvor

The staged reading of "New Magic Valley Fun Town" takes place at 7:30 p.m. on March 26, 2023 at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough. (Poster: New Stages Theatre)
The staged reading of “New Magic Valley Fun Town” takes place at 7:30 p.m. on March 26, 2023 at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough. (Poster: New Stages Theatre)

 

kawarthaNOW is proud to be media sponsor of New Stages Theatre Company’s 25th anniversary season.

nightlifeNOW – March 9 to 15

By kawarthaNOW -
Toronto-based Americana singer-songwriter and guitarist Jerry Leger, who recently released his new four-song EP "Live From Paradise", is performing an early Friday evening show at Jethro's Bar + Stage in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Laura Proctor)

Every Thursday, we publish live music events at pubs and restaurants in Peterborough and the greater Kawarthas region based on information that venues provide to us directly or post on their website or social media channels. Here are the listings for the week of Thursday, March 9 to Wednesday, March 15.

If you’re a pub or restaurant owner and want to be included in our weekly listings, please 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).

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

Amandala's
Arthur's Pub
Be My Guest Family Restaurant
Black Horse Pub
Burleigh Falls Inn
Canoe & Paddle
Chemong Lodge
Coach & Horses Pub
The Cow & Sow Eatery
Crook & Coffer
Dr. J's BBQ & Brews
Erben Eatery & Bar
Ganaraska Hotel
Gordon Best Theatre
Jethro's Bar + Stage
Kelly's Homelike Inn
The Locker at The Falls
The Lokal Hub and Eatery
The Lounge in the Hollow Valley Lodge
Mainstreet Bar & Grill
McGillicafey's Pub & Eatery
McThirsty's Pint
Murphy's Lockside Pub & Patio
The Muse Gallery & Cafe
Oasis Bar & Grill
Pie Eyed Monk Brewery
Porch & Pint
The Publican House
Puck' N Pint Sports Pub
Red Dog Tavern
The Rockcliffe - Moore Falls
Scenery Drive Restaurant
Southside Pizzeria
Sticks Sports Pub
That Little Pub
The Thirsty Goose
The Venue

Amandala's

375 Water St., Peterborough
(705) 749-9090

Sunday, March 12

5:30-8pm - Mike Graham and Victoria Yeh

Arthur's Pub

930 Burnham St., Cobourg
(905) 372-2105

Thursday, March 9

8-10pm - Open mic w/ Bruce Longman

Friday, March 10

8-10:30pm - Chris Devlin

Saturday, March 11

8-11pm - Matt Marcuz

Be My Guest Family Restaurant

16 Doxsee Ave. N., Campbellford
705-653-4555

Wednesday, March 15

9pm - Chris Devlin

Black Horse Pub

452 George St. N., Peterborough
(705) 742-0633

Thursday, March 9

7-10pm - 500 Nights of Jazz & Blues ft. Rob Phillips Trio and Carling Stephen w/ special guests Beau Dixon, Marsala Lukianchuk, Keith Guy, and more

Friday, March 10

5-8pm - Tyler Cochrane; 9pm - The Keith Guy Band ($10)

Saturday, March 11

5-8:30pm - Nathan Miller; 9pm - 3/4 House Brand

Sunday, March 12

4-7pm - Saint Patrick's Day Warm Up w/ Michael Darcy

Monday, March 13

6-9pm - Rick & Gailie's Crash & Burn

Tuesday, March 14

7-10pm - Open stage

Wednesday, March 15

6-8pm - Kristen Martell

Coming Soon

Friday, March 17
Saint Patrick's Day: 12pm - Terry Finn & Danny Bronson; 4pm - Irish Millie; 8pm - High Waters Band

Saturday, March 18
5-8pm - Marsala Lukianchuk; 9pm - Christine Atrill Band ($10)

Sunday, March 19
4-7pm - Bluegrass Menagerie

Wednesday, March 22
6-8pm - Victoria Yeh & Mike Graham

Burleigh Falls Inn

4791 Highway 28, Burleigh Falls
(705) 654-3441

Friday, March 10

6-9pm - James Higgins

Canoe & Paddle

18 Bridge St., Lakefield
(705) 651-1111

Saturday, March 11

7pm - Groovehorse

Chemong Lodge

764 Hunter St., Bridgenorth
(705) 292-8435

Coming Soon

Friday, March 17
1-9pm - Michael Costantini & Dunner Band!

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

Coach & Horses Pub

16 York St. S., Lindsay
(705) 328-0006

Thursday, March 9

10pm - Open jam w/ Gerald VanHaltren

Friday, March 10

10pm - Karaoke

Saturday, March 11

10pm - Karaoke

The Cow & Sow Eatery

38 Colborne St., Fenelon Falls
(705) 887-5111

Wednesday, March 15

7-9pm - Open Jam (upstairs In The Loft)

Coming Soon

Saturday, March 26
5-7pm - Open mic night

Crook & Coffer

231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
705-876-0505

Thursday, March 9

8-10pm - The Wild Cards

Friday, March 10

8-10pm - Karaoke w/ Stoeten

Saturday, March 11

7:30-10:30pm - Diamond Dave Russell

Sunday, March 12

3-5:30pm - Brennon Wasson

Dr. J's BBQ & Brews

282 Aylmer St., Peterborough
(705) 874-5717

Sunday, March 12

4pm - Dunner Band

Coming Soon

Saturday, March 18
1-4pm - Peterborough Musicians Benevolent Association (PMBA) presents Jane Archer & Friends w/ re Liam Archer on drums, Sean Daniels keys, Nicholas Campbell guitar, Andy Pride bass and Jim Usher on sax (PWYC, with proceeds to PMBA)

Erben Eatery & Bar

189 Hunter St W,, Peterborough
705-304-1995

Thursday, March 9

8pm - Ariel Reilly (no cover)

Friday, March 10

9pm - Tripsonix, Tapes in Motion, Highteens ($10)

Saturday, March 11

4-8pm - The Pangea Project ; 9pm - Stone Temple 90s ($10)

Wednesday, March 15

8-11pm - Open mic hosted by Joslynn Burford

Ganaraska Hotel

30 Ontario St., Port Hope
(905) 885-9254

Saturday, March 11

2-6pm - Live music TBA

Coming Soon

Thursday, March 16
8pm - Big Dave McLean and His All Star Band ft members of Monkeyjunk and Jimmy Bowskill ($25 in advance at The Ganny and Zap Records in Cobourg)

Saturday, March 18
8pm - Nickola Magnolia w/ Matthew Holtby and Deanne Earle ($20 in advance at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/516155183047, $25 at door)

Gordon Best Theatre

216 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
(705) 876-8884

Coming Soon

Wednesday, March 22
7:30pm - Jennifer Castle ($25 in advance at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/569539667477)

Saturday, April 1
8pm - Benj Rowland & Meredith Moon ($20 in advance at https://square.link/u/2yyoACOw)

Saturday, April 15
8pm - Melissa Payne & R.C. Stanley ($30 in advance at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/569829032977)

Jethro's Bar + Stage

137 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
705-931-0617

Thursday, March 9

6-8pm - SJ Riley; 9pm - The Union

Friday, March 10

6-8pm - Jerry Leger; 9-10pm - Peter Graham Band; 10pm - Brandon Humphrey Band

VIDEO: "Corner Light" by Jerry Leger

VIDEO: "Big Smoke Blues" by Jerry Leger

Saturday, March 11

6-8pm - Lauren Carson; 8-10pm - Sad Boi Variety Hour ft Time Ross and Matt Lamers; 10pm - Jackets

Sunday, March 12

3-6pm - Open Blues Jam

Monday, March 13

8pm - Karaoke w/ host Anne Shebib

Wednesday, March 15

9pm - Tribute to Women in Country w/ host Kayla Howran ft. Michelle Moran (proceeds donated to YWCA Crossroads Shelter)

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

Kelly's Homelike Inn

205 3rd Street, Cobourg
905-372-3234

Saturday, March 11

4-8pm - Urban Rednecks

The Locker at The Falls

9 Lindsay St., Fenelon Falls
705-887-6211

Saturday, March 11

7pm - North Country Express

The Lokal Hub and Eatery

97 King St., Woodville
705-344-9145

Coming Soon

Saturday, April 1
7-10pm - Mark Thackway

The Lounge in the Hollow Valley Lodge

1326 Kawagama Lake Rd., Dorset
705-766-1980

Friday, March 10

7pm - Sean Cotton

Saturday, March 11

7pm - Liam Kearney

Sunday, March 12

7pm - Open Jam hosted by Sean Cotton

Mainstreet Bar & Grill

1939 Lakehurst Road, Buckhorn
(705) 657-9094

Saturday, March 11

7-10pm - SJ Riley

McGillicafey's Pub & Eatery

13 Bridge St.. N., Hastings
(705) 696-3600

Coming Soon

Friday, March 17
8pm - CIndy & Scott

McThirsty's Pint

166 Charlotte St., Peterborough
(705) 743-2220

Friday, March 10

9pm - Live music TBA

Saturday, March 11

9pm - Live music TBA

Sunday, March 12

7pm - Open mic

Tuesday, March 14

8pm - Emily Burgess

Wednesday, March 15

9pm - Greg Dowey

Murphy's Lockside Pub & Patio

3 May St., Fenelon Falls
(705) 887-1100

Coming Soon

Friday, March 17
3-5pm - Ric Christie & Friends; 7:30-10pm - North Country Express w/ Jason Lynn

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

Oasis Bar & Grill

31 King St. E., Cobourg
(905) 372-6634

Sunday, March 12

6-9pm - PHLO

Pie Eyed Monk Brewery

8 Cambridge St. N., Lindsay
(705) 212-2200

Coming Soon

Friday, March 17
8pm - St. Patrick's Day ft John Turner ($15 in advance at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/526915888607)

Porch & Pint

172 Lansdowne St. E., Peterborough
(705) 750-0598

Coming Soon

Sunday, March 19
2-5pm - Joslynn Burford

The Publican House

300 Charlotte St., Peterborough
(705) 874-5743

Thursday, March 9

7-9pm - JJ Thompson

Friday, March 10

7-9pm - House Brand Trio

Puck' N Pint Sports Pub

871 Chemong Rd., Peterborough
(705) 741-1078

Friday, March 10

7pm - 1/2 Horsepower Groovehorse

Saturday, March 11

7-11pm - Open stage w/ Joslynn Burford

Red Dog Tavern

189 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
(705) 741-6400

Coming Soon

Thursday, March 16
8pm - Field Guide w/ special guests ($15 in advance at https://www.ticketweb.ca/event/field-guide-with-special-guests-the-red-dog-tickets/12773895)

Friday, March 17
7pm - Offload; 10pm - Colt Harley

Saturday, March 18
8pm - Dead Silence, King Moonracer, Free Under Fire, Hobo Corner ($10 at door)

Thursday, March 23
8pm - Monowhales ($10 in advance at www.ticketscene.ca/events/43636/)

Friday, March 31
9pm - BA Johnston, the Mickies, Beef Boys ($10 at door)

Saturday, April 1
10pm - The Human Rights w/ Dub Trinity, MUVA Soundsysterm, DJ Chocolate ($16.50 in advance at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/475884131247, $20 at door)

The Rockcliffe - Moore Falls

1014 Lois Lane, Minden
705-454-9555

Saturday, March 11

8pm - Bill Black

Scenery Drive Restaurant

6193 County Road 45, Baltimore
905-349-2217

Coming Soon

Saturday, March 18
4-7pm - Greg Hannah

Southside Pizzeria

25 Lansdowne St. W., Peterborough
(705) 748-6120

Friday, March 10

9am-12pm - Open mic

Sticks Sports Pub

500 George St. S., Peterborough
(705) 775-7845

Friday, March 10

5-9pm - High Waters Acoustic;

That Little Pub

26 Bridge St. W., Campbellford
(705) 653-0001

Thursday, March 9

8pm - Live music TBA

Monday, March 13

8pm - Karaoke

The Thirsty Goose

63 Walton St., Port Hope

Friday, March 10

8pm-12am - Live music TBA

Saturday, March 11

8pm-12am - Live music TBA

The Venue

286 George Street North, Peterborough
(705) 876-0008

Coming Soon

Friday, April 14
9pm - Madchild Live with Robbie G ($25 general admission, $50 VIP plus fees in advance at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/516035545207)

Globus Theatre is celebrating its 20th anniversary with an extended season of plays, music, and comedy

By kawarthaNOW -
In 2023, Globus Theatre is celebrating its 20th anniversary season, including 17 years as company-in-residence at the Lakeview Arts Barn at 2300 Pigeon Lake Road in Bobcaygeon, by presenting an extended season of plays, music, and comedy as it continues its capital campaign to purchase the Lakeview Arts Barn. (Photo: Dahlia Katz)

Globus Theatre in Bobcaygeon is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2023 with an extended season of plays, music, and comedy. Kicking off with a gala celebration in April, the 2023 season features nine mainstage shows and four one-night-only performances from May through December at the Lakeview Arts Barn at 2300 Pigeon Lake Road in Bobcaygeon.

Related story

Globus Theatre in Bobcaygeon launches $2-million capital campaign to buy Lakeview Arts Barn

Globus Theatre has been producing professional theatre in the Kawartha Lakes since it was established in 2003 by wife-and-husband team Sarah Quick and James Barrett. In 2006, Globus became the company-in-residence at the Lakeview Arts Barn, a former cattle barn transformed into a comfortable and contemporary 150-seat theatre with an attached restaurant.

In May 2022, the registered charitable organization announced it was launching a $2-million capital campaign to buy the Lakeview Arts Barn and had already raised $1.1 million towards that goal. The total raised is now at $1.33 million.

“We are very excited to be embarking on our 20th season here at Globus,” says Barrett, Globus’s artistic producer, in a media release. “When Sarah and I founded the company in 2003 we could not have predicted the path that Globus would forge over the next two decades, especially given the tumultuous past few years.”

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

“Globus is thriving,” Barrett notes. “Over the course of the last three years, we have seen an increase in new audience and a renewed vigour in the interest and support from our long-time patrons. With an extended celebratory season and the continuation of an exciting capital campaign to purchase our venue, 2023 marks a milestone year for Globus and we look forward to sharing it.”

Globus is marking the launch of its 20th anniversary season on Saturday, April 22nd with Starlight Ball, a gala black-tie fundraiser at the Lakeview Arts Barn featuring canapes and a three-course meal, live music and dancing, as well as appearances by favourite Globus performers. The season kicks off from May 10 to 20 with Mending Fences, a poignant comedy by Canadian playwright Norm Foster, a favourite of Globus audiences.

“Norm cut the ribbon for us when Globus moved into the Lakeview Arts Barn 18 years ago,” recalls Quick, Globus’s artistic director. “Since then, one of his plays has featured almost every season. It is only fitting that it is one of his, Mending Fences, that kicks off our 20th season.”

Sarah Quick and James Barrett performing in Globus Theatre's 2013 production of Michele Rimi's hit comedy "Sexy Laundry", which returns to the Lakeview Arts Barn in summer 2023 as part of the theatre company's 20th anniversary season. (Photo: Globus Theatre)
Sarah Quick and James Barrett performing in Globus Theatre’s 2013 production of Michele Rimi’s hit comedy “Sexy Laundry”, which returns to the Lakeview Arts Barn in summer 2023 as part of the theatre company’s 20th anniversary season. (Photo: Globus Theatre)

The first musical mainstage show of the season sees Rick Kish’s The Crooner Show, featuring the music of iconic singers like Frank Sinatra and Michael Bublé, run from June 6 to 10. This will be followed by the return of Michele Rimi’s hit comedy Sexy Laundry, a decade after it first wowed Globus audiences, from June 21 to July 8.

Globus Theatre has become known for its original murder mysteries, and Quick’s The Great Palm Tree Beach Tiki Bar Tragedy premieres from July 19 to 29.

“We have produced over a dozen original murder mysteries to date,” Quick says. “We used to do them solely in the off-season but, two years ago as we were pivoting all over the place, we produced one in the summertime, and it was a smash hit. We like the variety it brings in terms of staging and theatricality. We have people who come out for dinner theatre, some that come for plays, others only for concerts, but we have a growing legion of patrons who come to everything we do and to that end we like to offer something different each time they come.”

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

From August 2 to 12, Globus will present the new play Tip of the Iceberg, a comedy set in Newfoundland and the first play written by Norolk County trio Chris Rait, Jeannine Bouw, and Mark Williams.

The summer season will end with Globus Theatre’s production of Hurry Hard, a curling comedy by Kristen Da Silva, whose play Gibson & Sons is wrapping up this weekend at the Peterborough Theatre Guild. Hurry Hard will run from August 16 to 26.

For the fall season, beloved performer Leisa Way and The Wayward Wind Band will return to the Globus stage from October 17 to 21 with Rhinestone Cowgirl! A Tribute to Dolly Parton, followed by another murder mystery dinner theatre experience, A Christmas Story…of Murder! A Festive Murder Mystery, a comedic murder mystery based on the classic Christmas movie that runs from November 15 to 25.

Wife-and-husband team Sarah Quick and James Barrett founded Globus Theatre in Bobcaygeon in 2003. (Photos: Dahlia Katz)
Wife-and-husband team Sarah Quick and James Barrett founded Globus Theatre in Bobcaygeon in 2003. (Photos: Dahlia Katz)

The 20th anniversary season wraps up in December when Globus Theatre presents its annual family British panto tradition, with Quick’s Puss in Boots running from December 5 to 17.

In addition to the mainstage series, Globus Theatre has chosen four one-nighter shows to celebrate its 20th anniversary season, with all led by performers featured in Globus’ inaugural seasons — some of whom have become regulars on the Globus stage and others who are returning for the first time in two decades.

Comedy shows include Canadian Comedy Award winning improv troupe SlapHappy (May 27), as well as veteran comedienne Alex Dallas who brings to the stage her critically acclaimed show Horseface, a passionate response to the #MeToo movement (June 15). Chris Gibbs will return with his show Not Quite Sherlock, about a bumbling but incredibly affable detective (September 23), and Girls Nite Out is also back for its 18th year (November 4).

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

The brainchild of Quick and Second City alumna and Bobcaygeon resident Jennine Profeta, Girls Nite Out was first performed as part of Globus Theatre’s second season. Since then, the show had toured across Canada with a revolving cast of Canadian Comedy Award Winners and CBC comedy regulars, including Profeta and most recently Elvira Kurt, Diana Frances, and Karen Parker.

“There’s no doubt that this extended season is a big undertaking for the whole team here at Globus, especially with a major capital campaign in progress, but it felt like the right step for us on this milestone year,” Quick notes.

“For the past three years we’ve been making decisions on the fly, operating month by month. I wanted 2023 to be the opposite of that. A 13-show season announced all at once so that people can get back to planning ahead and looking forward to things. By increasing our theatre offerings, I wanted to give the community a taste of what it could be like if Globus secures a permanent home here — hopefully celebrating our 30th, 40th, 50th seasons and beyond.”

Globus Theatre is celebrating its 20th anniversary season in 2023. (Graphic: Globus Theatre)
Globus Theatre is celebrating its 20th anniversary season in 2023. (Graphic: Globus Theatre)

Subscriptions for Globus Theatre’s 20th anniversary season will go on sale beginning Monday, March 13th for Star Supporters and Thursday, March 16th for the general public, with single tickets going on sale the following Monday for Star Supporters and the following Thursday for the general public.

Seven different subscription packages are available, and most single-ticket prices $45 for theatre only or $90 for dinner and theatre.

For more information, to purchase subscriptions and single tickets, and to donate to Globus Theatre’s capital campaign, visit globustheatre.com.

More than 100 people contributed $30,000 to support Peterborough’s overnight drop-in centre

By Bruce Head -
Since opening in mid-January, between 30 and 40 people have used the StopGap Drop-in Centre operated by One City Peterborough in the former Trinity United Church every night. (kawarthaNOW screenshot from One City Peterborough video)

On Tuesday (March 7), the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough provided an update on the Emergency Winter Response Fund for the StopGap Drop-in Centre operated by One City Peterborough for unhoused people in the community this winter.

More than 100 people have donated over $30,000 to the fund to purchase winter clothing, blankets, and food for the centre, and to help pay for outreach supports for those using the space.

Related story

Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough seeking donations for new emergency overnight drop-in centre

The Community Foundation joined with seven other Peterborough-based non-profit organizations in December to support of a new emergency overnight drop-in centre that would offer those experiencing homelessness respite from the cold — despite a decision by Peterborough city council not to provide $100,000 in funding to support it.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

The other participating organizations include Fourcast, Canadian Mental Health Association of Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge, United Way Peterborough and District, John Howard Society of Peterborough, Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough, Research for Social Change Lab (Trent University), and One City Peterborough.

Operated by One City Peterborough in the former Trinity United Church, the StopGap Drop-in Centre has been filled to capacity from the first night it opened. According to the Community Foundation, between 30 and 40 people use the space every night, and 93 unique individuals have used it since it began. The space will remain open until the end of April.

“This is our second year in a row operating an emergency response like this,” said One City Peterborough co-director Christian Harvey. “It is essential that our city officials acknowledge the need in our community and begin to plan for an emergency response for next winter immediately, because we cannot keep pulling this together last minute, year after year. Our unhoused neighbours deserve better.”

Nature spots in Peterborough that can benefit your physical and mental health

By GreenUP -
Many studies have shown that spending time in nature can improve both our mental and physical health. There is a lot to see when you spend time outside, like this beautiful cedar waxwing that was spotted in Jackson Park munching away on the berries. (Photo: Jessica Todd / GreenUP)
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s column is by Jessica Todd, GreenUP Communications Assistant & Resource Centre Associate.

Research tells us that there are so many ways that nature can benefit us. A 2017 study from the University of Essex has shown that spending time in nature can help improve our mental health. In 2013, a study from the University of Canterbury and the University of Otago in New Zealand suggested that being exposed to green space in urban environments can improve our mood, focus, and productivity.

Exposure to nature can not only contribute to our mental well-being, but our physical well-being. Being outside reduces our blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and production of stress hormones, according to Marianne Kingsley from EcoHealth Ontario in a 2019 commentary from the Public Health Agency of Canada.

It’s evident: surrounding ourselves with natural green spaces can help our overall well-being, in all seasons. During the winter season, we invite you to explore what it means to let nature nurture you by venturing outside. Here are four nearby nature spots to check out while you wait for the spring thaw.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

1. Jackson Park

Feed the birds throughout the winter by making a homemade bird feeder out of an orange, some twine, and wooden toothpicks like those spotted hanging at Jackson Park. We tend to feel calmer when exposed to nature. Being outside reduces our blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and production of stress hormones. (Photo: Jessica Todd / GreenUP)
Feed the birds throughout the winter by making a homemade bird feeder out of an orange, some twine, and wooden toothpicks like those spotted hanging at Jackson Park. We tend to feel calmer when exposed to nature. Being outside reduces our blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and production of stress hormones. (Photo: Jessica Todd / GreenUP)

Visit Jackson Park and explore all that it has to offer. The park has a 4.5-kilometre multi-use trail that offers a variety of recreational activities including walking, rolling, cycling, and cross-country skiing in the winter.

Peterborough is one of only eight identified urban areas in Ontario with an old-growth forest. The Jackson Creek Old-Growth Forest is home to a variety of mature white cedar, white pine, and eastern hemlock trees. Some are as old as 250 years old. The old-growth forest extends from the Monaghan Road parking lot into the shores of Jackson Creek.

Feed the birds throughout the winter by making a homemade bird feeder out of an orange, some twine, and wooden toothpicks like those spotted hanging at Jackson Park. The chickadees will quickly discover these feeders and munch away in joy!

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

2. Mark S. Burnham Provincial Park

In the spring, there are plenty of trilliums blooming throughout Mark S. Burnham Park. Make sure to leave no trace as you walk the trails in provincial parks. (Photo: Jessica Todd / GreenUP)
In the spring, there are plenty of trilliums blooming throughout Mark S. Burnham Park. Make sure to leave no trace as you walk the trails in provincial parks. (Photo: Jessica Todd / GreenUP)

Mark S. Burnham Provincial Park is a small day-use park located off Highway 7. The park protects a Peterborough drumlin field that contains glacial remnants.

At Mark S. Burnham, there is a trail that can be followed through the forest. The trail has two loops, one shorter (about one kilometre) relatively flat loop and a larger loop (1.4 kilometres) that involves some incline. You will be pleased to find there are many informative signs along the trail about the surrounding landscape and vegetation.

This park also has an old-growth forest that is home to some of the oldest maple, beech, elm, and hemlock trees in Ontario (over 200 years old). Take your time to look up into the branches.

At Mark S. Burnham, you can look forward to the spring melt. As you walk the trails in the early spring, you are bound to see some trilliums blooming.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

3. Ecology Park

Open all year round, GreenUP Ecology Park connects to the 24,000-kilometre Trans-Canada Trail system. You can get to Ecology Park on foot, by bicycle, or by taking public transit. If you choose to drive, parking is available in the Beavermead parking lot. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW)
Open all year round, GreenUP Ecology Park connects to the 24,000-kilometre Trans-Canada Trail system. You can get to Ecology Park on foot, by bicycle, or by taking public transit. If you choose to drive, parking is available in the Beavermead parking lot. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW)

GreenUP Ecology Park is a hidden gem located at 1899 Ashburnham Drive beside Beavermead Park. No matter the season, this five-acre naturalized park boasts rare tree species, a walk by the water, and wildlife encounters.

If you are driving to Ecology Park, park in the Beavermead Park lot and follow the path and signage into Ecology Park. The park is a gateway to many other trails, such as the Trans Canada Trail.

Going to this park offers something for everyone. Sit by the creek and listen to the sound of the water pass by. Listening to the sound of water can help calm our nerves and relieve feelings of stress.

Ecology Park is a particularly fun park for families to visit, as there are many opportunities for outdoor natural play.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

4. Your own neighbourhood

Matching colour swatches to colours found in nature is not only a great way to get ourselves and youth outside, it also reminds us to look closely at all the beauty that nature has to offer us. (Photo: Jessica Todd / GreenUP)
Matching colour swatches to colours found in nature is not only a great way to get ourselves and youth outside, it also reminds us to look closely at all the beauty that nature has to offer us. (Photo: Jessica Todd / GreenUP)

All in all, you don’t need to go far to enjoy the winter outdoors. Camp Kawartha suggests that, by engaging in outdoor activity with our family — for example, on a walk outside our home — we help kids forge a real and lasting connection with the outdoors.

Play a colour match game on your next walk. All you need are some colour sample sheets or coloured objects around the house. While walking outdoors, match the colour samples to the colours you see in nature. You won’t have to go far to discover lots of colour matches and amidst the beauty that nature offers us.

Remember, be sure not to litter when exploring your neighbourhood green spaces. You could even plan to pick litter up along your walk and pack it out. We are lucky to have beautiful nature spots to visit, and this is one small way we can respect and care for them.

As you walk this winter, take a few extra moments to become aware of your surroundings when you are exploring. Be mindful of the smells, the noises, and the colours. Listen to the birds chirp while you find animal tracks in the snow. Breathe in that fresh air. Let nature nurture you.

‘Funniest musical comedy in at least 400 years’ opens at the Peterborough Theatre Guild in April

By kawarthaNOW -
The musical comedy "Something Rotten!" opened on Broadway in 2015 where it played for 708 performances. A love letter to musical theatre and a satirical spectacle that pokes fun at everything audiences adore about Broadway, The Peterborough Theatre Guild's production runs for 10 performances in April and May.

For its spring production, the Peterborough Theatre Guild is bringing the hit musical farce Something Rotten! to the Guild Hall stage for 10 performances in April and May.

A love letter to musical theatre and a satirical spectacle that pokes fun both at Shakespeare and everything audiences adore about Broadway, Something Rotten! features show-stopping song and dance, a wacky cast of over-the-top characters, and gut-busting comedy. Time Out New York called it “The funniest musical comedy in at least 400 years!”

Set in 1595 during the English Renaissance, the story follows brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom, who are struggling to find success in the theatrical world as they compete with the wild popularity of their contemporary William Shakespeare. A soothsayer named Thomas Nostradamus (the nephew of the famous soothsayer Nostradamus) tells the brothers the next big thing in theatre will be “a musical” — where “an actor is saying his lines, and out of nowhere he just starts singing.”

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

Determined to outdo Shakespeare by writing the world’s first musical, Nigel asks Nostradamus what Shakespeare’s next hit is going to be called. After the soothsayer misinterprets “Hamlet” as “Omelette”, the brothers name their new play Omelette: The Musical.

The play’s musical numbers include “Welcome to the Renaissance”, “God, I Hate Shakespeare”, “The Black Death”, “Hard to Be the Bard”, “It’s Eggs!”, “Something Rotten!”, and more.

With music and lyrics by brothers Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick and a book by John O’Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick, Smething Rotten! opened on Broadway in 2015 where it played for 708 performances. It was nominated for 10 Tony Awards, including best musical, and won for best featured actor in a musical.

The Peterborough Theatre Guild's production of the musical comedy "Something Rotten!" runs from April 28 to May 13. (Graphic: Peterborough Theatre Guild)
The Peterborough Theatre Guild’s production of the musical comedy “Something Rotten!” runs from April 28 to May 13. (Graphic: Peterborough Theatre Guild)

Directed and choreographed by Elizabeth Moody, the Peterborough Theatre Guild production features Robert Ainsworth, Nate Axcell, Kate Brioux, Paul Crough, Rachel Dalliday, Mark Hiscox, Matt Kraft, Marsala Lukianchuk, Brian MacDonald, and Brandon Remmelgas.

The crew includes production manager Margaret Pieper, musical director Justin Hiscox, assistant musical director and vocal director Dustin Bowers, music and vocal consultant Kate Suhr, and choreography consultant Julie Fallis.

Performances at the Guild Hall at 364 Rogers Street in Peterborough’s East City take place at 7:30 p.m. on April 28 and 29, May 4 to 6, and May 11 to 13, with 2 p.m. matinee performances on April 30 and May 7. Tickets are $32 for adults, $28 for seniors, and $20 for students and are available online at peterboroughtheatreguild.com or by calling 705-745-4211.

 

kawarthaNOW is proud to be a media sponsor of the Peterborough Theatre Guild’s 2022-23 season.

1...291292293...1,092Page 292 of 1,092

Become a #kawarthaNOW fan

30,216FollowersLike
25,074FollowersFollow
17,715FollowersFollow
4,355FollowersFollow
3,512FollowersFollow
2,944FollowersFollow

Sign up for kawarthNOW's Enews

Sign up for our VIP Enews

kawarthaNOW.com offers two enews options to help readers stay in the know. Our VIP enews is delivered weekly every Wednesday morning and includes exclusive giveaways, and our news digest is delivered daily every morning. You can subscribe to one or both.




Submit your event for FREE!

Use our event submission form to post your event on our website — for free. To submit editorial content or ideas, please contact us.

EDITOR'S PICKS

SIGN UP FOR OUR ENEWS




© Copyright kawarthaNOW® 1996 - 2025. All rights reserved. Unauthorized distribution, transmission, or republication strictly prohibited. Trademarks owned by kawarthaNOW include kawarthaNOW®, Keep It In The Kawarthas®, Web Sites That Work®, Kawartha Localist™, Know Your Locals™, businessNOW™, musicNOW™, artNOW™, nightlifeNOW™, encoreNOW™, and KNosh™.