Environment Canada has issued a winter storm warning for the southern Kawarthas region for Friday night (March 2).
The winter storm warning is currently in effect for southern Peterborough County, southern Kawartha Lakes, and Northumberland County.
A Texas low is expected to bring heavy snow and strong winds to a large swath of southern Ontario. Snow will begin Friday evening and quickly become heavy at times, with snowfall rates up to 4 cm per hour possible and total snowfall accumulations of 15 to 25 cm by Saturday morning.
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The heavy snow in combination with strong easterly winds will create significantly reduced visibility and hazardous travel conditions.
Rapidly accumulating snow could make travel difficult over some locations. Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become icy and slippery.
Prepare for quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions. Visibility will be suddenly reduced to near zero at times in heavy snow and blowing snow. If visibility is reduced while driving, turn on your lights and maintain a safe following distance.
This story has been updated with the latest forecast from Environment Canada.
Peterborough DBIA executive director Terry Guiel displays both sides of the paddle he created for the third annual painted paddle outdoor art exhibit running in downtown Peterborough from March 3 to 24, 2023. Local artists and organizations have donated 31 painted paddles installed in storefront windows across downtown Peterborough that will be auctioned off to raise funds for a DBIA partnership with the One City Employment Program to establish a seasonal gardening team to employ people experiencing barriers to traditional employment. (Photos: Terry Guiel / Facebook)
The painted paddle outdoor art exhibit is returning to downtown Peterborough for its third year beginning Friday (March 3).
The Downtown Vibrancy Project of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) is hosting the exhibit to celebrate the community’s connection to the water. This year’s self-guided exhibit will be on display until Friday, March 24th and features 31 painted paddles donated by individual artists and organizations and installed in 21 storefront windows across downtown Peterborough.
Proceeds from the auction will support the Downtown Green Team, a DBIA partnership with the One City Employment Program to establish a seasonal gardening team that cares for the patio planters, flower pots, and other green spaces throughout the downtown. The initiative will create two seasonal positions for people who are experiencing barriers to traditional employment, whether due to homelessness, criminalization, or social exclusion.
The paddles have been painted and donated by Samantha Chuisolo, residents from Empress & Princess Retirement Residence, Salvador Haines, Bri Gosselin, Brooklin Stormie, Susie Armstrong, Tim Wales, Nuin-Tara Wilson, Sarah St. Pierre, Jason Wilkins, Jenni Johnston, Terry Guiel, Raine Knudsen, Nichelle Leeson, Kate Powell, Val Yeo, Justine-Marie, Trent University, Ash Hughes, Hearts 4 Joy, Jeff Macklin, Tayler Morencie, students of Lakefield College School and Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School, Karin McLean, J. McKay, Jennifer Baici, Ginny Stammers, and Maggie O’Rourke.
“I was inspired to paint a pollination scene for my paddle,” says Peterborough artist and graphic designer Susie Armstrong in a media release. “Peterborough is a hub for urban pollination gardens, and I see them everywhere on my spring and summer walks. I hope to evoke a bit of warm weather with my painting which depicts swamp milkweed, a pollination plant specifically enjoyed by monarch butterflies.”
Map of Painted Paddle Tour 2023
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The painted paddles will be installed in storefront windows at Bluestreak, Tragically Dipped Donut, Watson & Lou, The Art School of Peterborough, Cork and Bean, The Food Shop, The Night Kitchen, Avant-Garden Shop, The Boardwalk Lounge, Mark Jokinen Books, Kit Coffee, Chesler’s Shoes, Peterborough GreenUP, Cheek, Gerti’s, The Toy Shop, Plant Goals, Cahill’s Outerwear, Wild Rock Outfitters, Tiny Greens, and B!KE: the Peterborough Community Bike Shop.
“This is the third year we have run this project and it continues to be a success, bringing beautiful art to our downtown, raising funds to support a meaningful project, and inspiring hopefully thoughts of spring paddling,” says DBIA executive director Terry Guiel. “The painted paddles project was inspired by connecting with the historic roots of canoes and portage routes in Nogojiwanong and of course wanting to connect downtown with the new Canoe Museum.”
“This year I am one of the artists,” Guiel adds. “My painted paddle reflects on two themes on each side of the paddle, one being Every Child Matters and the other Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.”
Two residents of The Gardens of Peterborough holding their painted paddles: “Spring in the Air” (left) and “Call of the Loon”. These and the other 29 paddles in the exhibit will be auctioned off during March 2023 with proceeds supporting the Downtown Green Team, a DBIA partnership with the One City Employment Program a seasonal gardening team to employ people experiencing barriers to traditional employment. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
During "Kids' Bike Build", B!KE: the Peterborough Community Bike Shop refurbishes donated bikes and provides them free of charge to local organizations working with children and youth. (Photo: B!KE)
If you have an unused kid’s bike in your garage or shed, B!KE: the Peterborough Community Bike Shop could use it for a worthwhile cause.
The not-for-profit organization is once again holding a “Kids’ Bike Build” event on Sunday, March 26th and Sunday, April 2nd, when they will refurbish donated bikes and provide them free of charge to local organizations working with children and youth.
Bike donations will be accepted any time before April 2, and can be dropped off at 293 George Street North between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Tuesdays to Thursdays, 12 and 4 p.m. on Fridays, and 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Donated bikes should have all major parts, such as wheels and handlebars.
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“Part of our vision and mission is to empower people to travel by bike and create an inclusive environment for all members of the community,” says event organizer organizer Jean Greig in a media release. “Refurbishing used bikes and getting them into the hands of kids who need them is one way of accomplishing just that.”
B!KE has held other Kids’ Bike Build events in the past, with B!KE volunteers and mechanics from other local bike shops donating their time to repair and check the bikes.
Previous events have seen between 40 and 50 bikes refurbished and donated to organizations including the New Canadians Centre, the Nogojiwanong Friendship Centre, the Salvation Army, Youth Unlimited, and the YES Shelter for Youth and Families.
Grade 8 Transit Quest passes and trip planning resources have been delivered to the Grade 8 classroom of each Peterborough school. Participating students can ride Peterborough Transit for free from during March Break from March 10 to 19, 2023. (Photo: GreenUP)
March Break is just around the corner! If you are not packing your bags, you might be shuttling kids off to day camp or looking for other ways to keep them busy (and yourself sane).
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s column is by Ashley Burnie, Program Coordinator, GreenUP.
While there are usually many options available locally for younger kids to participate in during March Break, something changes when your little ones reach the ‘tween-age’ years. Once 12 to 14 hits, your tween might be inclined to make their own plans and ask you to play the part of taxi driver.
Driving older kids around town has significant drawbacks for busy families. Where did all the time and (gas) money go for you? The drive itself even results in a missed opportunity for tweens to build the independence that we know this age group craves.
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Thankfully, if you are a resident of the City of Peterborough, you have access to a public transit system that can help with these drawbacks. Why not encourage your almost-young-adult to use public transit, and invite a few friends along for an adventure?
Since 2009, Active School Travel Peterborough, Peterborough Transit, and the City of Peterborough have teamed up to provide free transit passes to every Grade 8 student in Peterborough. Free transit passes are offered through the Grade 8 Transit Quest. This year’s passes and trip planning resources are delivered to the Grade 8 classroom of each Peterborough school. Participating students can ride the bus for free from Friday, March 10th through Sunday, March 19th.
Peterborough Transit provides a safe and accessible alternative to driving. The city is full of great places for kids to visit on their own using the transit system. On the cusp of their high school years, kids are often curious and looking to expand their horizons beyond their immediate neighbourhoods. Taking transit is a win-win, providing an authentic experience that helps build confidence and eliminate mental or physical barriers to independent travel.
Learning to read a transit map, using trip planning resources, and planning a route are all important life skills that will help youth experience all that their city offers. Peterborough Transit bus drivers are enthusiastically eager to answer any of trip-planning questions from Grade 8 students riding the bus during this year’s Grade 8 Transit Quest during March Break. (Photo: GreenUP)
Learning to read a transit map, using trip planning resources, and planning a route are all important life skills that will help teens to experience all that their city offers. Learning to do these things alongside friends and peers allows them to make their own plans, learn from one another and build social time into the journey.
Ten local destinations are featured in the Transit Quest passport that Grade 8 students receive this year. These attractions provide incentives which encourage students to visit and to collect experiences as they use the passport.
Several Transit Quest destinations are featured for the first time this year, including local businesses Grey Guardian Games, Liftlock Escape Rooms, and Boardwalk Cafe. They join many favourite and long-standing destinations for this program — Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre, Peterborough Public Library, the YMCA, Zap Attack, Peterborough Museum and Archives, and the Art Gallery of Peterborough.
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There is a Transit Quest trip for every interest! Whether it is a half day program at the library to learn cake decorating, a visit to the winter sports exhibit at the Peterborough Museum and Archives, or a free swim at the Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre, participants will have plenty of activities to keep them engaged this March Break.
“In our local community and around the world, youth are passionate about taking climate action,” says GreenUP director of programs Natalie Stephenson. “Using public transit is an example of an accessible climate action that youth can actively choose to participate in now, and may continue to use wherever their lives will take them. Our youth will help to build the ridership that our public transit systems need to grow and thrive. An experience on our local transit system in Grade 8 and the life skills they gain in this program will transfer to other communities.”
The existing federal electoral districts in the greater Kawarthas region with the final boundary changes in the 2023 report of the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario. The final boundary changes reflect the public consultation process. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW from Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario)
Ontario is about to have a new federal electoral map, with significant changes to the electoral districts in the greater Kawarthas region.
On February 10, the Federal Electoral Boundary Commission for the Province of Ontario submitted its final 226-page report to the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada for consideration by the House of Commons. The new boundaries can only be put in place at a general election called at least seven months after the new electoral districts have been proclaimed, which will happen after Parliament has considered the report and the commission has addressed any objections.
Canada’s constitution requires that federal electoral districts be reviewed after each 10-year census to accommodate changes and movements in Canada’s population. The commission was tasked with redrawing 122 electoral districts in Ontario to reflect population changes in the 2021 census. The population within each electoral district was to match, as closely as possible, a “provincial electoral quota” of 116,590 (the total population in 2021 divided by the number of districts).
Last August, the commission released a proposed electoral map for public consultation. The final report incorporates the results of that consultation, with the final electoral map differing from the changes proposed last year — including for the four electoral districts in Central East Ontario: Peterborough-Kawartha, Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock, Northumberland-Peterborough South, and Hastings-Lennox and Addington.
In the commission’s final report, the four electoral districts will be renamed Peterborough, Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland-Clarke, and Hastings-Lennox and Addington-Tyendinaga. Below is a summary of the boundaries of each district and the changes from last year’s proposed electoral map as described in the final report.
The new Peterborough district consists of the City of Peterborough, Curve Lake First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation, the part of the Municipality of Trent Lakes comprising the islands of the Curve Lake Indian Reserve No. 35A, and the townships of Asphodel-Norwood, Douro-Dummer, Havelock-Belmont-Methuen, Otonabee-South Monaghan, and Selwyn.
The new Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes district consists of the City of Kawartha Lakes, the municipalities of Dysart et al and Highlands East, the Municipality of Trent Lakes (except the islands of the Curve Lake Indian Reserve No. 35A), and the townships of Algonquin Highlands, Cavan Monaghan, North Kawartha, and Minden Hills.
The new Northumberland-Clarke district consists of the Town of Cobourg, the municipalities of Brighton, Port Hope, and Trent Hills, the townships of Alnwick/Haldimand, Cramahe, and Hamilton,
Alderville First Nation, and a portion of the Municipality of Clarington.
The new Hastings-Lennox and Addington-Tyendinaga district consists of that part of the City of Belleville north of Highway 401, a portion of the City of Quinte West, the towns of Bancroft, Deseronto, and Greater Napanee, the municipalities of Centre Hastings, Hastings Highlands, Marmora and Lake, and Tweed, the townships of Addington Highlands, Carlow/Mayo, Faraday, Limerick, Loyalist, Madoc, Stirling-Rawdon, Stone Mills, Tudor and Cashel, Tyendinaga, and Wollaston, and the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory Indian Reserve.
The existing federal electoral districts in the greater Kawarthas region with the boundary changes originally proposed by the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario in 2022 prior to a public consultation process. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW from Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario)
Last year, the commission had proposed shifting the boundaries of the existing district of Peterborough-Kawartha southward based on submissions received during the initial consultation phases that stressed the established connection of the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan with Peterborough. Since Alderville First Nation has territory on both sides of Rice Lake, the boundary was shifted further south to ensure all of Alderville First Nation’s territory would be in the same district. The name Peterborough was proposed during initial consultations and will be maintained as the final district name, but its boundaries have been altered from the initial proposal.
The commission heard over the course of public hearings that the southward shift was inappropriate, because the small portion of the proposed Peterborough district south of Rice Lake (comprising the hamlet of Roseneath and the main reserve of Alderville First Nation) were more appropriately aligned with the district of Northumberland. This suggestion, which was initiated by the Township of Alnwick/Haldimand and Alderville First Nation and supported by several other municipalities within Northumberland County, has been implemented by the commission.
There was support for dividing Clarington as proposed, by maintaining Clarke as part of the Northumberland district, although others suggested that Clarington, which resulted from the merger of Clarke and Darlington, should not be divided. With Clarke remaining in the Northumberland district, the commission accepted a suggestion that the name of the district should include a reference to “Clarke”; hence, the name for the district will be Northumberland-Clarke.
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For the other proposed changes impacting the Peterborough area, the commission received some support for creating a more compact urban riding, while others expressed the desire for the existing boundaries to remain the same. Residents from five municipalities within Peterborough County, with support from municipal officials, indicated a desire to be aligned with the City of Peterborough and ultimately be part of the Peterborough district. These are the Municipality of Trent Lakes, the Township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen, the Township of Asphodel-Norwood, the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan, and the Township of North Kawartha.
The commission was able to implement the request of two townships and the alternative request of a third township. Ultimately, the commission concluded that the Township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen, the Township of Asphodel-Norwood, and the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan be included within the Peterborough district. However, the commission was unable to keep Trent Lakes and North Kawartha in Peterborough as the population of the district was already more than 10 per cent higher than the desired provincial electoral quota of 116,590.
Instead, the Township of North Kawartha and the Municipality of Trent Lakes are being moved into Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes. The commission decided North Kawartha and Trent Lakes should go into Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes together, as this would create three Peterborough County municipalities within this district.
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The commission had originally proposed the Township of Cavan Monaghan be divided between Peterborough, Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock, and Northumberland. Instead, Cavan Monaghan will remain entirely within the district of Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes as requested by the township and residents. The commission acknowledged the earlier proposed boundaries would have been problematic given that the township was split into three districts.
The commission also heard concerns that proposed redistribution arbitrarily divided the Municipality of Highlands East between districts. This municipality noted the value of maintaining political cohesion with Haliburton County with respect to federal policies affecting its region. The commission implemented the suggestion, supported by other municipalities, to maintain the whole of the Municipality of Highlands East in the district of Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes.
The Township of Brock has been moved from Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes to York-Durham, aligning it with several other municipalities within the Regional Municipality of Durham. As a result, the new district name will be Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes.
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These changes also resulted in a cascading effect on the Hastings-Lennox and Addington-Tyendinaga and Bay of Quinte districts.
The boundary between these districts was redrawn to divide the City of Quinte West on Highway 401 and the Trent River, in a similar manner to how Belleville has been historically divided, and to place rural portions of Quinte West in the riding of Hastings-Lennox and Addington-Tyendinaga. Care has been taken to not divide the community of Frankford.
The names, 2021 populations, and deviations from the 2022 provincial electoral quota of 116,590 for Central East Ontario’s final districts are Peterborough (128,349, +10.09%), Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes (119,150, +2.20%), Northumberland-Clarke (106,574, -8.59%), Hastings-Lennox and Addington-Tyendinaga (106,468, -8.68%), and Bay of Quinte (110,164, -5.51%).
The Rolling Stones Tribute Band will perform note-for-note recreations of the hit songs of of one of the most popular and enduring bands in rock history. The band will perform with opener The U.K. Invasion Tribute Band at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough on March 3, 2023. (Photo: The Tribute Specialists)
You can get a double dose of classic British rock when The Rolling Stones Tribute Band and The U.K. Invasion Tribute Band team up for a one-night-only performance at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough at 7:30 p.m. on Friday (March 3).
The evening begins with The U.K. Invasion Tribute Band performing hit songs from iconic British musical acts spanning five decades, including Fleetwood Mac, Phil Collins, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, Phil Collins, E.L.O. and, of course, The Beatles.
That will warm you up for the main event of the night, when The Rolling Stones Tribute Band will perform the hits of one of the most popular and enduring bands in rock history, including “Satisfaction”, “Paint It Black”, “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”, “Brown Sugar”, “Sympathy for the Devil”, “Start Me Up”, “Gimme Shelter”, “Honky Tonk Woman”, “Beast of Burden”, and more.
VIDEO: The Rolling Stones Tribute Band Promo
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Each song is a meticulous note-for-note recreation based on the most iconic live performances of The Stones, with the 12-member band delivering each hit as if they were The Stones themselves. The group has a commercial-grade recording facility to track, compare, and analyze the material until it’s as if The Stones were playing right in front of you.
Presented by The Tribute Specialists, both The U.K. Invasion Tribute Band and The Rolling Stones Tribute Band feature professional musicians with over a century of combined experience. The groups have a professional musical director and feature a full complement of guitars, horns, vocal harmonies percussion, piano, organ, and wardrobe.
Tickets are $49.99 for all assigned seats and are available in person at the Showplace Box Office from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday or online anytime at showplace.org.
VIDEO: “Hey Jude” by THe Beatles performed by The U.K. Invasion Tribute Band
Chef Jennifer Guiterrez of Agave by Imperial holds the Top Hot Chocolatier trophy the Mexican restaurant in downtown Peterborough received as the champions of the inaugural Ptbo Hot Chocolate Fest. Also pictured from left to right are restaurant server Cynthia Routledge, restaurant owner and operator Nitin Grover, and sever Madison Imrie. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
Agave by Imperial, one of Peterborough’s newest downtown restaurants, has been crowned the champion of Peterborough’s inaugural Hot Chocolate Fest.
The family-run Mexican restaurant located at 376 George Street North was awarded the title of Top Hot Chocolatier for their ‘Hot Churro-late’, a thick and creamy authentic Mexican hot chocolate made with cocoa and dark chocolate and served with two cinnamon and sugar-topped churros for dipping.
Running for 10 days from February 17 to 26, the Ptbo Hot Chocolate Fest featured 15 over-the-top hot chocolate creations available for dine-in or takeout at participating cafés and restaurants, with festival-goers voting online for their favourites. With more than 1,000 votes cast, Agave by Imperial’s Hot Churro-late claimed first place.
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“We are so grateful to have won Top Hot Chocolatier with our authentic Mexican entry,” says Agave chef Jennifer Gutierrez in a media release. “Chef Pablo Olvera and I worked on the recipe together, and we are really proud of the recipe. In Mexico, hot chocolate is part of our culture — it’s part of our everyday life. We love that this festival allowed us to bring a bit of Mexico to Peterborough.”
As the winner of this year’s festival, Agave by Imperial will receive a hot chocolate themed trophy and bragging rights for the year.
Second and third place were claimed by Milk + Tea for their ‘Bubble Pudding Chocolate’ and The Speak Easy Cafe for their ‘Breakfast of Chocolate’.
Agave by Imperial’s ‘Hot Churro-late’ is a thick and creamy authentic Mexican hot chocolate made with cocoa and dark chocolate and served with two cinnamon and sugar-topped churros for dipping. (Photo courtesy of Ptbo Hot Chocolate Fest)
Organized by the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), the Ptbo Hot Chocolate Fest was sponsored by Shorelines Casino.
“Folks came out in force to support our hot chocolatiers and sip the many creations on offer,” says DBIA communications and marketing manager Hillary Flood. “Over the span of just 10 days our Hot Chocolate Trail map surpassed 11,000 views. The success of our very first Ptbo Hot Chocolate Fest lies heavily on the imagination and passion of our hot chocolatiers. Together, we were able to add a bit of affordable indulgence to the season for our local community.”
For more information about the Ptbo Hot Chocolate Fest, visit the festival website at ptbohotchocolatefest.com.
Dwayne Gretzky returns to Peterborough Musicfest on July 5, 2023 to perform a free-admission concert. The popular Toronto-based ensemble performed at Musicfest last year on July 16. (Photo: YoSteve Productions / Peterborough Musicfest)
Peterborough Musicfest has announced another free-admission concert for its 36th summer season, welcoming the popular Toronto-based music collective Dwayne Gretzky back to Del Crary Park for the fourth time on Wednesday, July 5th.
Described as “a curated nostalgia trip,” Dwayne Gretzky breathes new life into classic pop and rock hits, drawing from a repertoire of more than 700 songs by pretty much every musical act you can name over the last seven decades — and performing them with infectious enthusiasm and theatrical flair that makes the band as fun to watch as it is to hear.
Since the band’s inception in 2011, the nine-member ensemble has attracted thousands of fans based solely on the strength of their live performances. Dwayne Gretzky first headlined Peterborough Musicfest in 2018, and performed last year on July 16. You can expect a lot of singing and dancing in the crowd this year on July 5 when the band takes to the Fred Anderson Stage at Del Crary Park.
VIDEO: “Once In A Lifetime” by Talking Heads performed by Dwayne Gretzy
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VIDEO: “Under Pressure” by Queen & David Bowie performed by Dwayne Gretzy
This is the second concert Peterborough Musicfest has announced for its 2023 season, with Little River Band performing on Wednesday, July 26th.
To help raise funds for the 36th summer season, Peterborough Musicfest is hosting Juno award-winning musician Joel Plaskett at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre on Wednesday, March 22nd (the concert was rescheduled from February 23 due to inclement weather). General admission tickets are $45, with all proceeds supporting Musicfest.
Tickets are 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 markethall.org.
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Launched on July 1, 1987 under the name Peterborough Festival of Lights with concert series founder Fred Anderson at the helm, Peterborough Musicfest is Canada’s longest-running free-admission outdoor summer concert series. Dallas Green, Our Lady Peace, Serena Ryder, Gordon Lightfoot, 54-40, and Blue Rodeo are just a few of the many musical acts that have performed over the years.
Overseen by general manager Tracey Randall and a board of directors, Peterborough Musicfest is able to offer free-admission concerts thanks to corporate sponsorships (most of whom, including kawarthaNOW, are locally owned businesses) along with multiple levels of government funding, fundraising initiatives, and private donations.
Individuals and businesses interested in sponsoring the festival can email sales@ptbomusicfest.ca or call 705-755-1111.
A few of the events and exhibits during the First Friday Peterborough art crawl on March 3, 2023. Clockwise from left: "Babcia" by Marta Chudolinska, one of many artists at the Book + Zine Fest at Artspace Peterborough; portraits and recent works by Kathryn Durst at ACME Art and Sailboat Company; "The Cherished Pine" by Beverly MacRae at Cork and Bean; and Nicole Bauberger, one of the six artists participating in "These Are The Artists In Your Neighbourhood" at Watson & Lou's Gallery of Sorts, an audio-visual presentation of conversations between the artists and students in a Grade 10 art class. (kawarthaNOW collage)
The First Friday Peterborough art crawl returns on March 3, with highlights this month including the 7th Annual Book + Zine Fest at Artspace Peterborough, These Are The Artists In Your Neighbourhood at Watson & Lou’s Gallery of Sorts, and a 94-year-old Peterborough man’s first-ever art show at the Art School of Peterborough’s Launch Gallery.
The free, self-guided, family-friendly art crawl takes place every month at various galleries, businesses, venues, and artist studios, with most exhibits located in the downtown core — including several at the Commerce Building at 129 1/2 Hunter Street West — and with most open from 6 to 9 p.m. or later.
Artspace Peterborough’s Book + Zine Fest is a popular annual celebration of regional press, zine, comic, and paper arts featuring talented comics artists, graphic novelists, letterpress printers, zine makers, and more. You can drop by 378 Aylmer Street from 6 to 9 p.m. during First Friday, or visit from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.
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Vendors at this year’s Book + Zine Fest include Elisha Rubacha, Angela Hennessey, Ben Hatcher, Kathryn Bahun, Bennett Bedoukian, Susie Armstrong, Erica Richmond, Bethany Davis, Marta Chudolinska, Christopher Green, Debbie Waker, Sonia Nickles, Ashley Hall, Josh Rosen, Adam Aylard, Anne Pasek, Joanne Hoang, Aditi Sharma, Sofia Benchafi, Tara Azzopardi, Rhea Shahe, Jeffrey Macklin, and Rob Niezen.
Public Energy and Mammalian Diving Reflex are hosting a launch and listening party from 6 to 10 p.m at Watson & Lou’s Gallery of Sorts (383 Water St.) for These Are The Artists In Your Neighbourhood, an audio-visual presentation of six heartfelt and silly conversations between students of a Grade 10 art class at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School and local artists Nicole Bauberger, Anita Murphy, Kathryn Durst, Alice Olsen Williams, Gillian Turnham, and Melanie Marion McCall.
“Together, We Paint” is an exhibit by Jose Miguel Hernandez Autorino and Bill McMillan from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Launch Gallery at The Art School of Peterborough (174A Charlotte St.). Bill is a 94-year-old Peterborough resident who just recently started oil painting again under Jose’s mentorship, and the two have become friends. This is Bill’s first show — on his 94th birthday.
94-year-old Bill McMillan will be having his first art show with “Together, We Paint”, an exhibit with his mentor and friend Jose Miguel Hernandez Autorino at The Launch Gallery at The Art School of Peterborough. (Photos: Jose Miguel Hernandez Autorino / Art School of Peterborough)
“Portals of Curiosity” is Raine Knudsen’s first solo art show from 6 to 10 p.m. at Jason Wilkins Factory/Peterborough Arts Collective (188 Hunter St. W., #7). The self-proclaimed “Alchemist of Visual Vibrationz” will be sharing a full collection of her works, featuring paintings (including UV-reactive art), jewellery, amulets, and more.
Illustrator Kathryn Durst will be showing portraits and some of her other recent works from 6 to 10 p.m. at ACME Art and Sailboat Company (129 1/2 Hunter St. W. 2nd Floor).
Here are some of the other shows and exhibits taking place during First Friday Peterborough:
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“Past, Present and Future – A Trip through Augmented Reality” by Kim Beavis Sanderson at Francey Studio (129 1/2 Hunter St. W., Studio 3)
New copper artwork by Joe Stable in the Copper Closet at ACME Art and Sailboat Company (129 1/2 Hunter St. W. 2nd Floor)
“Clay: Body & Stone” by John Marris at Ludmila Gallery Studio #1 (129 1/2 Hunter St. W. 2nd Floor), with the exhibit running until March 26
Works by 8th Troupe at The Neighbourhood Vintage (391 Water St.)
Artworks by Hearts 4 Joy Creative Leaders Em Farquhar-Barrie and Kerri Kennedy at Hearts 4 Joy (203 Simcoe St., Unit 3)
Live demonstrations and opportunities for people to try their hand at a few techniques at Artisans Centre Peterborough (360 George St. N., Peterborough Square Mall, lower level)
“The Cherished Pine” by Beverly MacRae at Cork and Bean (382 George St. N.)
“Paint Stories” by David Knighton at Dreams Cafe (138 Hunter St. W.), with the exhibit running until March 13
Original works by Chris Vyn at Black Honey Cafe (217 Hunter St. W.), with the exhibit running until April 9
Brutalist objects by Stan Olthuis (Verdunk) at Sustain Ecostore (418 George St. N.)
Photographic portraits by Wayne Eardley at Sustain Ecostore (418 George St. N.)
Environmental Portraits In collaboration with Black Lives Matter Peterborough Nogojiwanong by Jonathan Semugaza at Watson & Lou (383 Water St,)
Works including hand-pulled relief prints by Rosanne Duke at The Food Shop (374 Water St.)
Digital and analog film, painting, drawings, prints, and mixed media by Trent University Cultural Studies students at Traill College (315 Dublin St.), with a free workshop on risograph printmaking from 5 to 6 p.m. in Wallace Hall 127 followed by a catered reception and film screenings in Bagnani Hall from 7 to 9 p.m.
For more information about First Friday Peterborough, visit firstfridayptbo.com.
Colourful and UV-reactive art by Raine Knudsen will be featured in “Portals of Curiosity”, her first solo art show, at Jason Wilkins Factory/Peterborough Arts Collective. (Photos: Raine Knudsen)
Each of these five leprechauns will be hiding on a rotating schedule in 13 pubs in downtown Peterborough during the "Catch the Leprechauns" scavenger hunt in March. The first 100 people to ind all five leprechauns will win a "pint of gold" including a piece of glassware from a local brewery, swag, and more. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
Begorrah, leprechauns are on the loose in downtown Peterborough! And if you can catch them, you can win a ‘pint of gold’.
The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) has launched “Catch the Leprechauns”, a new promotion beginning Wednesday (March 1) that celebrates Peterborough’s Irish heritage while encouraging people to enjoy the vibrant downtown pub scene.
The month-long scavenger hunt will see five pint-sized leprechauns hiding on a rotating schedule in 13 local pubs: The Black Horse Pub, One Eighty Sports Pub, The Dirty Burger Company, Crook & Coffer, The Only Cafe, Jethro’s Bar + Stage, Champs Bar And Grill, McThirsty’s Pint, Maple Moose Pub, The Social Pub, Bijoux Bar, Dr. J’s BBQ & Brews, and Riley’s Pub.
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The first 100 people to find all five of the mischievous mythical creatures will win a prize — a so-called ‘pint of gold’ that includes a piece of glassware from a local brewery, fantastical swag, and even a few tricks. Leprechaun hunters must be 19 or older to redeem the scavenger hunt prizes.
To participate, download the free mobile scavenger hunt app Goosechase (available on the Apple App Store and Google Play). Once in the app, search “Catch the Leprechauns” or use the game code 5W9B4Z to join in on the hunt. Players earn points by submitting live-capture photos of each leprechaun they find.
The five leprechauns are named after the five local breweries they escaped from — Petey O’Haven from Haven Brewing Co., Persian Murphy from Persian Empire, Bobby McCaygeon from Bobcaygeon Brewing Company, Feilhem Falls from Fenelon Falls Brewing Co., and Publican O’Leerie from Publican House Brewery.
Persian Murphy, Bobby McCaygeon, Petey O’Haven, Publican O’Leerie, and Feilhem Falls were created by local artist and maker Brooklin Stormie, hand-felted and made to have their own look and personality. You can find out the backstory of each of the mischievous mythical creatures by visiting the “Catch the Leprechauns” website. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
All five poseable leprechauns were created by local artist and maker Brooklin Stormie, hand-felted and made to have their own look and personality.
“Working on this project was so much fun,” Stormie says in a media release. “It was a nice re-entry into the world of textiles, I let each leprechaun reveal themselves to me organically throughout the process.”
“I can’t help but feel a motherly connection to these five little Faye creatures. I’m excited to see what adventure await these little chaps — my wayward sons.”
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“Words cannot describe the amount of joy I’ve experienced working on our mythical leprechaun hunt,” says DBIA communications and marketing manager Hillary Flood.
“Catch the Leprechauns is another example of how we at the DBIA are creating unique and experiential ways to bring people back into the heart of our city in a manner that builds connection and community pride. This project was designed to celebrate our vibrant pub scene that is renowned for its historic charm, world-class hospitality, and now leprechauns.”
For more information on how to participate in the “Catch the Leprechauns” scavenger hunt, and for the legend and lore behind each of the five leprechauns, visit catchtheleprechauns.com, where you’ll also find an interactive leprechaun pub map. You can also follow their shenanigans on Instagram and Facebook at @CatchTheLeprechauns.
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