As part of the Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival's family day on June 24, 2023, "Tiger" Will Mason will be performing songs and sharing stories for the whole family. Mason has performed on stages for over half of his life, including as an actor and a professional musician. In 1986, an Anishinabe elder gave him the spirit name "Kahntahwi-wim'tchi'get", which means "Maker of Beautiful Music". He combines native contemporary sounds, with bluegrass, Americana, Canadiana, country rock, blues rock, folk, and more. (Photo: Tiger Will Mason / Facebook)
Organizers of the Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival (NIFF) have announced they will be hosting a family day during the festival, which returns to Trent University with five days of theatre, dance, and music performed by independent Indigenous artists from June 21 to 25.
From 12:30 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 24th, the festival will host a number of free family activities outdoors by the Enwayaang building (Gzowski College) on the East Bank of the Trent University campus. There will be music and stories, games and craft vendors, information booths, food, and fun.
“Family day activities at NIFF provide an opportunity for the younger ones to experience Indigenous storytelling and music,” says NIFF artistic director Joeann Argue in a media release. “These are the folks in your neighbourhood, sharing the stories, songs and games that Indigenous kids are growing up with today. We invite you to step out of history and discover Indigenous culture as you might not have experienced it before.”
Advertisement - content continues below
Share on Bluesky
NIFF’s family day begins at 12:30 p.m. with NIFF favourite “Tiger” Will Mason performing songs and sharing stories for the whole family.
At 1 p.m., 3 p.m., and 4 p.m., Tota Tayohseron:tye — a Kanyen’keha:ka (Mohawk) grandmother — will engage with children through interactive stories and songs that encourage the learning of Kanyen’keha (Mohawk language). While her show is geared towards young children and their parents, everyone who is interested in learning Kanyen’keha can attend.
Throughout the afternoon, games and craft activities will be offered by groups such as Sage and Sunshine School.
VIDEO: Tayohseron:tye Nikki Auten – Kanatsiohareke Mohawk Community (2016)
Children 12 years of age and older and their adults are encouraged to stay on for performances of “The Cave that Hummed a Song” at 3:30 p.m. and “Reclaiming in Motion” at 5 p.m. Although the rest of the family day activities are free, these indoor performances at Nozhem First Peoples’ Performance Space are ticketed events.
A powerful and intense one-woman play written and performed by Trina Moyan and directed by Jill Carter, “The Cave That Hummed A Song” was inspired by the philosophical musings of Moyan’s mentor Lee Maracle on life, on being a woman, on blood memory, and on women taking their rightful place in society.
Local artist Kelli Marshall’s new written word and dance performance “Reclaiming in Motion” brings together her love of movement and passion for cultural reclamation.
Advertisement - content continues below
Tickets for “The Cave that Hummed a Song” and “Reclaiming in Motion” are $12 plus fees in advance or $12 cash only at the door depending on availability. To purchase tickets, visit www.indigenousfringefest.ca.
The first and only Indigenous fringe festival in the world, NIFF was founded by a collective including Joeann Argue, Lee Bolton, Drew Hayden Taylor, and Muriel Miguel. A member of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals, NIFF is an unjuried and uncensored festival where participants send in applications and are chosen by lottery. Performers receive 100 per cent of the box office proceeds.
Canadian children's music duo Splash'N Boots (Taes "Boots" Leavitt and Nick "Splash" Adams) will be performing at the 34th annual Peterborough Folk Festival in Nicholls Oval Park on August 20, 2023. (Photo: Jen Squires)
The Peterborough Folk Festival has announced beloved Canadian children’s music duo Splash’N Boots will perform at the 34th annual music festival taking place on August 19 and 20 at Nicholls Oval Park beside the Otonabee River.
Over the past 20 years, Nick “Splash” Adams and Taes “Boots” Leavitt have become a household name as Splash’N Boots, with their live concerts, original music, and television content moving and inspiring children and families to connect through music, be fully present with one another, and experience laughter and joy together.
“The much-loved Children’s Village is one of the most popular aspects of Peterborough Folk Festival, with family-friendly activities like crafts, face-painting and children’s performers all weekend long on the dedicated Children’s Stage,” says Peterborough Folk Festival chair Rob Davis in a media release. “We can’t wait to see the Yellow and Blue Crew kids parade from the Children’s Village to enjoy Splash’N Boots on the Main Stage.”
Advertisement - content continues below
In 2014, Splash’N Boots was nominated for their first Juno award for Children’s Album of the Year for their album Coconuts Don’t Fall Far from the Tree. They were nominated again in 2015 for Happy Times, in 2016 for Songs from the Boot, in 2017 for Big Yellow Tunes, and in 2018 for Love, Kisses and Hugs, winning the award in 2019 for You, Me and the Sea and in 2021 for Heart Parade, which also earned them a 2022 Canadian Folk Music Award.
The duo released their latest album I Am Love last October, featuring 10 songs provide a safe space for children while encouraging them to express their emotions and grow together.
“Every album we write is inspired by the children we meet,” Adams said about I Am Love, which was nominated for a 2023 Juno. “This one, perhaps more than ever, was written after seeing what children faced over the past few years — the changes they went through, their bravery, their strength.”
VIDEO: “Collecting Hugs” – Splash’N Boots
“They have faced so much uncertainty and unique challenges that we cannot possibly fully understand from their point of view, but we can provide them with support and listening ears and music that might lift them up and help them remember that they are never alone,” Leavitt added.
Across their 14-album career, Splash’N Boots have over 7.5 million streams to date, over 12 million views on YouTube, and hvae performed over 5,000 shows across North America. On television, they have appeared daily in more than 8.5 million homes across Canada with their number one TV show The Big Yellow Boot on Treehouse TV and Disney Jr. Canada, and recently wrote and produced an episode for Sesame Street.
In addition to their own original music, Splash’N Boots have collaborated with a wide range of artists including Alice Cooper, Brett Kissel, Johnny Reid, Alan Doyle, Simon Ward of The Strumbellas, The Wiggles, and Sharon and Bram. Along with their music, the duo is committed to raising awareness for important causes for children. They are the creators and stewards of “Lucas’ Letters”, a worldwide pen pal program for children with autism, and their philanthropic efforts include supporting organizations such as SickKids Hospital and MusiCounts.
The 2023 Peterborough Folk Festival kicks off with ticketed concerts on Thursday, August 17th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre and Friday, August 18th at the Gordon Best Theatre, followed by an admission-by-donation weekend of music and more on Saturday, August 19th and Sunday, August 20th at Nicholls Oval Park. Splash’N Boots will be performing at the festival on Sunday.
The festival has already announced renowned Canadian singer-songwriter Loreena McKennitt will be the Sunday headliner, and organizers will be making additional announcements during June, including the Saturday headliner, the complete line-up of performers, and the festival’s emerging artist.
For more information about the festival, including how to get involved as an artist, volunteer, or vendor, visit www.peterboroughfolkfest.com.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a media sponsor of the 2023 Peterborough Folk Festival.
The City of Peterborough's bulk wood annual sale includes 250 to 300 trees of various sizes, averaging 18 inches in diameter, removed from municipal property by the city's forestry staff. The submission deadline for quotes is July 7, 2023. (Photo courtesy of City of Peterborough)
The City of Peterborough is inviting informal quotes for the annual sale of bulk wood from trees removed from municipal property by the city’s forestry staff.
This sale includes around 250 to 300 trees of various sizes, averaging 18 inches in diameter. The successful bidder will purchase all the wood for the year, and is required to take all the wood and not just selected parts. The bulk wood sale excludes the ash trees in accordance with the city’s Emerald Ash Borer program.
The award of the bulk wood sale will be based both upon the distance from the city’s Public Works Yard at 791 Webber Avenue to the bidder’s drop-off location (the drop site will be cleared of wood once a week) and ease of access to the bidder’s drop-off location (including summer and winter road conditions, with any laneways to be maintained by the successful bidder).
Advertisement - content continues below
The city reserves the right to renew the contract for up to an additional two years.
For further details or to submit a quote, email Sean Adey, Manager of Parks, Forestry & Sanitation in the city’s Public Works Division, at sadey@peterborough.ca.
The submission deadline is 4 p.m. on Friday, July 7th.
'Queen of the Fringe' Alex Dallas will perform her award-winning and critically acclaimed one-woman show "Horseface" for one night only at Globus Theatre in Bobcaygeon on June 15, 2023. (Photo: Alex Dallas)
Globus Theatre is bringing something a little more edgy than its usual fare to the Lakefield Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon on Thursday (June 15) with a one-night-only performance of fringe veteran Alex Dallas’s award-winning autobiographical one-woman show Horseface.
Horseface begins with Dallas’s awkward encounter on a train with a ‘manspreader’ — a man sitting with his legs so wide apart they cover more than one seat. That unwelcome intrusion into her personal space and its consequences segues into an at times uncomfortable and at times hilarious monologue where Dallas relates her life experiences with other men who have behaved badly, from the inappropriate to the criminal.
“The minute Donald Trump tweeted calling Stormy Daniels horseface, I had the name for my show,” Dallas told Debbie Fein-Goldbach of NOW Magazine in 2019. “It is the response to the last three years of not only him and his blatant misogyny, but the #MeToo movement.”
Advertisement - content continues below
Share on Bluesky
Born and raised in the U.K., Dallas began playing the fringe festival circuit in 1982 with Alison Field and Wendy Vousden in their all-female comedy trio Sensible Footwear. After debuting at the Edinburgh Fringe, the troupe came to the Vancouver Fringe and began touring other North American festivals. After performing at the Toronto Fringe, a critic described their show as “man-hating feminist diatribe.”
“We sold out every single show after that,” Dallas told Fein-Goldbach.
Sensible Footwear were regulars on CBC Radio and CBC TV’s Comics, making their debut on BBC2 in the U.K. with Gloria Steinham. In 2000, Dallas wrote and toured her first one-woman show Goddess across the Canadian Fringes and to the Adelaide Fringe in Australia (it also aired on CBC Radio’s Definitely Not the Opera). An autobiographical work about her discovery of her birth father’s identity, Goddess set the stage for Dallas’s subsequent shows, Nymphomania and Drama Queen, the latter being broadcast on Bravo TV.
Following Alex Dallas’s performance of “Horseface” at the Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon on June 15, 2023, Globus Theatre artistic director Sarah Quick will lead a question-and-answer session with the audience. (Graphic: Globus Theatre)
Having performed at more than 150 Fringe festivals worldwide since her debut with Sensible Footwear, Dallas has earned the moniker “Queen of the Fringe.”
“I toured the fringe festival circuit with Alex for many years and she was always hugely popular with audiences and a real treat to watch,” says Globus Theatre’s artistic director Sarah Quick in a media release.
“Alex performed in Globus’ first season 20 years ago and it is a great privilege to welcome her back again to entertain the audience we have today. This is provocative, compelling, entertaining storytelling at its finest.”
Advertisement - content continues below
Share on Bluesky
Since the premiere of Horseface in May 2019 at the Orlando Fringe, where it won the best in show in venue award, Dallas has toured the show across North America to critical acclaim.
“The show doesn’t feel heavy as she infuses her take with humour and insightful commentary,” wrote MK Piatkowski after Dallas performed Horseface at Toronto Fringe in July 2019. “She’s such a strong storyteller and presence that you’re just taken along with her as she invites you into her world.”
“Dallas is furiously funny in her observations and insights — delivered with that signature dry British wit — but she’s also a master of the one-two punch, swinging from hilarious to harrowing,” wrote Jen Zoratti of the Winnipeg Free Press in July 2022. “The most powerful moments of the show are at its sharp edges, where Dallas really gets to the heart of what it means to be treated like prey in a world full of wolves.”
Alex Dallas named her one-woman show “Horseface” after Donald Trump’s misogynistic name-calling of Stormy Daniels after he was accused of arranging a payment to the pornographic film actress to stop her disclosing an affair she and Trump allegedly had in 2006. (Photo: Alex Dallas)
Advertisement - content continues below
Share on Bluesky
“Part of what makes the show hilarious is the juxtaposition of Dallas’s elevated and refined British accent tackling such low and raunchy subjects,” wrote Jim Beard in the Calgary Guardian in August 2022. “But there’s another layer that makes this show a wonder. As the performer and the writer, Alex Dallas deftly manages to ride humour seamlessly into the darker moments. The balance of self-deprecating comedy with moments of felt danger is particularly impressive.”
Dallas will perform Horseface at 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 15th at the Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon. An optional dinner is available at 6 p.m. Tickets are $35 for the show only, or $80 for dinner and the show, and are available by calling the Globus Theatre box office at 705-738-2037 or online at globustheatre.com.
The show will be followed by a question-and-answer session led by Quick where audience members will have the opportunity to ask Dallas about her career, her creation of Horseface, and the topics discussed within it.
Lang Pioneer Village Museum's Sawyer-Massey traction steam engine was manufactured in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1921. This 17-horsepower engine is equipped with a single ground drive and is just strong enough to move its own weight at very low speed. (Photo courtesy of Lang Pioneer Village Museum)
This Father’s Day, dads of all ages — and their families too — will enjoy a nostalgic look at tractors, vintage farm trucks, antique engines, and more at Lang Pioneer Village Museum in Keene.
The living history museum is kicking off its 2023 event season with the 26th annual Father’s Day Smoke & Steam Show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 18th.
As always, the family-friendly event will see local collectors bring to life antique tractors and steam engines as they compete for more than 20 awards, including Best Unique Exhibit, Best Display, and Lang Pioneer Village’s Choice.
Advertisement - content continues below
At noon, tractor games (including lawn tractor races) will feature tractors trying to balance on a tilted platform as fast as possible or manoeuvre through an obstacle course while balancing a tin can on a stick.
Visitors can see displays including smoke and steam collectibles, hit-and-miss engines, and antique tool collections, and learn about the many ways power was generated in the 1800s, including at the Shingle Mill, where machines replaced laborious hand production to generate hundreds of cedar shingles in an hour.
There will also be a variety of historic presentations including grinding demonstrations at the Grist Mill, spring-pole lathe demonstrations, broad axe hand hewing demonstrations, natural dyeing demonstrations, spinning demonstrations, and more.
Lang Pioneer Village Museum’s Sawyer-Massey traction steam engine leads the tractor parade during the annual Father’s Day Smoke & Steam Show. Early steam engines were hauled by draft animals from job to job during the harvest to provide power to large machines such as shingle mills and threshing machines through a belt-and-pulley system. (Photo: Larry Keely)
The day also includes tractor and wagon tours of the village, a model train display brought by the Ganaraska Railway Modellers and Jim Burchell, live traditional music by Glen Caradus and Fiddling Jay, school lessons on horse and steam power, and old-fashioned games for the kids in the schoolyard, where they can make a paper whistle to take home. Families can also visit the farm animals on loan from Harley Farms in Keene all summer.
Food options (for an additional fee) include a pancake breakfast in the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building while supplies last, freshly popped kettle corn from Ben’s Kettle Corn, BBQ from Keene Lions Club food truck, fresh Empire Cheese curds available for purchase in the Cheese Factory, and refreshments and sweet treats at the Keene Hotel. For those up for a delicious gastronomic challenge, there will also be a pie-eating contest on the Village Green.
The day will finish with a tractor parade through the village beginning at 3 p.m.
Advertisement - content continues below
Admission to the Father’s Day Smoke & Steam Show is $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors 60 and older, and $7 for children and youth ages five to 14, with free admission for children under five. Family admission is also available for $40 and includes two adults and up to four children and youth. Tickets can be purchased in advance or when arriving at Lang Pioneer Village Museum. For more information or to purchase advance tickets, visit langpioneervillage.ca/plan-your-visit/events/smoke-steam-show/.
Other special events at Lang Pioneer Village Museum this summer include the 26th Annual Transportation Day Car & Motorcycle Show on Sunday, July 9th, Village by Lantern Light on Saturday, August 12th, and a Corn Roast on Sunday, August 27th.
Outside of special events, the museum’s summer hours of operation are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays to Sundays from June 18 to September 3 (the museum is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays to Fridays until June 18).
Along with antique tractors and steam engines, smoke and steam collectibles, historic demonstrations, tractor and wagon tours, visitors to Lang Pioneer Village Museum’s 26th annual Father’s Day Smoke & Steam Show on June 18, 2023 can also visit the farm animals on loan from Harley Farms in Keene all summer. (Photo courtesy of Lang Pioneer Village Museum)
Amanda Devlin, Stephanie Dancey, Renee Oake, Lisa Oelke were four of the six Peterborough swimmers who competed at the 2023 Speedo Canadian Masters Swimming Championships in Calgary, Alberta from May 26 to 28, 2023. Along with Chris Heffernan and Joel Simmonds, the swimmers collectively took home six medals and 17 ribbons, including four gold medals for Renee Oake and two bronze medals for Joel Simmonds. (Photo: Peterborough Swim Club / Facebook)
Six Peterborough swimmers competed at the 2023 Speedo Canadian Masters Swimming Championships in Alberta from May 26 to 28, collectively taking home six medals and 17 ribbons.
Chris Heffernan, Joel Simmonds, Stephanie Dancey, Renee Oake, Amanda Devlin, and Lisa Oelke — representing the Trent Torpedoes Masters of the Peterborough Swim Club — competed in a total of 16 races at the MNP Community and Sports Centre in Calgary.
They were among 622 competitors, ranging in age from 18 to 99, who participated in the national-level event. The Trent Torpedoes Masters swimmers range in age from 43 to 60, with Heffernan and Simmonds participating in the men’s events and Dancey, Oake, Devlin, and Oelke participating in the women’s events.
Advertisement - content continues below
Swimming in eight races, Renee Oake took home four gold medals, in the 50-metre, 100-metre, and 200-metre backstroke and in the 100-metre medley, as well as three ribbons.
In nine races, Joel Simmonds captured bronze medals in the 50-metre butterfly and 100-metre breaststroke, along with four ribbons.
Devlin captured five ribbons in eight races, Heffernan three ribbons in six races, Dancey two ribbons in five races, and Oelke two ribbons in four races.
Heffernan, Simmonds, Oake, and Devlin also received a ribbon in the 50-metre medley relay for their sixth-place finish.
Peterborough police chief Stuart Betts demonstrates the in-car camera system that has been installed in 25 police vehicles, including all marked cruisers and some unmarked crusiers. The system will record audio and video for front-facing activity outside the vehicle and within the prisoner-control area of the rear seat, with the forward-facing cameras connected to a microphone an officer wears that captures all audio communication when the in-car camera system is active. (kawarthaNOW screenshot)
On the same day Peterborough city council would later endorse a request to allow Peterborough police to install cameras in downtown Peterborough, the police service reported its in-car camera system is now operational.
On Monday (June 12), Peterborough police announced cameras have been installed and are operational in 25 police vehicles, including all marked cruisers and some unmarked cruisers. Officers have been trained on the system, which includes two recording devices attached to the police vehicle.
The devices are set to record audio and video for front-facing activity outside the vehicle and within the prisoner-control area of the rear seat. The forward-facing cameras are connected to a microphone an officer wears and captures all audio communication when the in-car camera system is active.
Advertisement - content continues below
“This is important technology for your police service as it will help with transparency, accountability, efficiency, and effectiveness, but most importantly it’s about safety for the community and safety for officers,” ” says police chief Stuart Betts in a media release.
The system also includes a continuously scanning automated license plate reader so officers can be notified of drivers and vehicles that should not be on the road.
Unlike body-worn cameras, the in-car cameras will only record what is in view of the vehicle or activity in the back seat. Officers are required to notify people they are being recorded when the cameras are active. Any bystanders captured by the cameras who are not involved in a police investigation will have their faces blurred if the video is released for court or other purposes.
VIDEO: Peterborough Police Service in-car camera system
On Monday evening, Peterborough city council meeting as general committee endorsed a request to allow Peterborough police to install 12 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in downtown Peterborough.
“This is a situational crime prevention and opportunity reduction initiative, reducing the opportunity to commit crime in a particular time and place through visible and conspicuous passive video surveillance cameras,” states an April 24th report to the police services board.
Advertisement - content continues below
The proposed locations of 12 closed-circuit television cameras under the Peterborough police’s Community Safety CCTV Program, which Peterborough city council will consider for approval at its general committee meeting on June 12, 2023. (Map: Peterborough Police Service)
The CCTV cameras would be installed at the intersections of Aylmer and Brock, George and Brock, Aylmer and Hunter St. West, George and Hunter St. West, George and Simcoe, Aylmer and Charlotte, George and Charlotte, Aylmer and King, George and King, Aylmer and Sherbrooke, and George and Sherbrooke, as well as at the Simcoe Street bus terminal.
“The Community Safety CCTV Program will initially be implemented in an area of the downtown core of Peterborough where crime and anti-social behaviour have been identified as being higher than other areas of the city,” the report states. “The initial area of installation would involve intersections along George Street and Aylmer Street that have been identified by our crime analysts as high priority locations.”
The cameras are being funded in part by a $185,505 grant from the Ontario government’s CCTV grant program, a three-year $6-million program announced in 2020 for police services across the province, with the annual cost of operating the 12 cameras estimated at a maximum of $8,640.
Items endorsed by general committee will go to the regular council meeting on Monday (June 26) to be considered for approval.
This story has been updated with city council’s decision to endorse the installation of CCTV cameras in downtown Peterborough.
Haliburton Highlands Health Services president and CEO Carolyn Plummer and board chair David O'Brien appear before a special meeting of Haliburton County council on May 26, 2023 after releasing a plan to consolidate the Minden and Haliburton emergency departments. After that presentation, Minden Hills Township mayor Bob Carter called on the board to resign. (kawarthaNOW screenshot)
Less than two weeks after the Minden emergency department permanently closed, Haliburton Highlands Health Services president and CEO Carolyn Plummer has gone on a medical leave of absence.
Haliburton Highlands Health Services (HHHS) announced on Monday (June 12) that, effective immediately, Veronica Nelson will be acting president and CEO during Plummer’s medical leave.
Nelson is being seconded from her position as vice president and CEO at Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay.
Advertisement - content continues below
“The HHHS board of directors would like to thank CEO Plummer for her hard work and dedication, particularly during the past few months, and we recognize the importance of looking after her health,” says HHHS chair David O’Brien in a media release. “We wish her all the best as she addresses her medical issues.”
While no details have been released about Plummer’s personal health issues, the announcement of her medical leave comes less than two weeks after the Minden emergency department was permanently closed on June 1.
Plummer and O’Brien had announced the closure on April 20, which was followed by six weeks of intense opposition from local residents and politicians, with Plummer and O’Brien attending several municipal and county council meetings to explain the rationale for the closure, which they said was made because of ongoing staffing shortages. After Plummer and O’Brien presented a plan to consolidate the Minden and Haliburton emergency departments to Haliburton County council on May 26, Minden Hills Township mayor Bob Carter called on the board to resign.
Advertisement - content continues below
HHHS acting president and CEO Veronica Nelson will be responsible for all aspects of the role during Plummer’s absence, according to a media release, and will work closely with
the HHS board and leadership team on the continued delivery of all services at HHHS.
Nelson, who worked at HHHS as a medical radiation technologist earlier in her career, has more than 30 years of health care and has been on Ross Memorial Hospital’s executive leadership team since 2015, including serving as interim president and CEO from March 2019 to April 2020.
Currently co-leading the Kawartha Lakes Haliburton Ontario Health Team, Nelson has been overseeing the diagnostic imaging and laboratory departments at both HHHS and Ross Memorial Hospital and will continue to do so during her role as HHHS acting president and CEO.
“Ross Memorial Hospital and Haliburton Highlands Health Services are both organizations that mean a great deal to me,” Nelson says. “I am excited to bring my skill set and experience to working with the HHHS board of directors and team members throughout the organization. I know how incredibly important HHHS and its services are to patients, residents, and the community.”
This photo of a yellow trillium at sunset at Millbrook Valley Trails by Kirk Hillsley was our top Instagram post for May 2023. (Photo: Kirk Hillsley @kirkhillsley / Instagram)
It would not be May in the Kawarthas without an abundance of photos of trilliums, loons, and herons — along with a few sunsets, sunrises, and coffee on the dock!
If you can survive the black flies of May (we did), then you are golden to get a good shot. Thanks again to all of our local photographers who bear all the little beasties to share these beautiful captures with us.
Do you want to get on our top photographers list? All you need is an Insta account and to tag us using our hashtag #kawarthanow when posting your photo.
We share photos from across our readership area, which is the five-county area surrounding Peterborough which includes Peterborough, Northumberland, City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton, and Hastings (we sneak in the occasional Algonquin Park picture as well, particularly if it’s by a Kawarthas photographer).
To see our daily shares of photos, follow us on Instagram @kawarthanow and check out our feed’s highlight reels for recaps of every month in 2023.
Advertisement - content continues below
#1. Yellow trillium at sunset at Millbrook Valley Trails by Kirk Hillsley @kirkhillsley
Abundant with lakes and nestled along rugged northern Ontario landscapes, the Haliburton Highlands is a popular destination for cyclists of all ages and abilities. It's easy to get started cycling in the Haliburton Highlands as nearly 40 curated cycling routes are available via Ride with GPS, a website and mobile app that helps people discover and plan cycling routes. (Photo courtesy of Haliburton Highlands Economic Development & Tourism)
Whether you’re planning an active summer with the family, want to explore new areas, or just looking for fitness or fun, the Haliburton Highlands has a cycling route for everyone.
Abundant with lakes and nestled along rugged northern Ontario landscapes, the Haliburton Highlands is a popular destination for cyclists of all ages and abilities. It’s not surprising given how much the region has to offer, including scenic vistas with stops along the way where riders can enjoy some refreshments or just take a breather and soak in the natural beauty.
“You will find yourself riding right along the edge of a really stunning Canadian Shield lake,” says Thom Lambert, content creator for the Haliburton Highlands Economic Development and Tourism Department. “You can stop along a river or at one of several villages that offer really cool local opportunities where you can refuel and explore — whether it’s a food truck out in Irondale or a riverside brewpub in Minden. It’s just very different than riding in other places.”
As the flattest place in the Haliburton Highlands to ride, the 32-kilometre Haliburton County Rail Trail is a perfect choice for first-time or casual cyclists. It offers many different destinations for cyclists, and you can depart from various parking areas and destinations to create your own out-and-back trip. (Photo courtesy of Haliburton Highlands Economic Development & Tourism)
Share on Bluesky
It’s easy to get started cycling in the Haliburton Highlands as nearly 40 curated cycling routes are available via Ride with GPS, a website and mobile app that helps people discover and plan cycling routes.
“This app is a complete game changer for cycling destinations,” says Lambert, noting it’s currently one of the most-used apps for cyclists. “It helps us let people know the really wide variety of cycling that’s available here.”
On the app, users can explore all their route options, and then download a free trail map directly to their smartphones or to an alternative GPS device. Typically, cyclists will mount a mobile device to their handlebars and can follow along with the map as it tracks their ride.
Haliburton Highlands has nearly 40 curated cycling routes available on Ride with GPS, a website and mobile app that helps people discover and plan cycling routes. The 16.5-kilometre Bakery-to-Bakery route is one of the most accessible and popular routes. (kawarthaNOW screenshot)
Share on Bluesky
Describing Ride with GPS as similar to a social media platform, Lambert explains that users can save (or “pin”) their favourite routes, comment on them, upload photos, and send them to friends.
“You can record your ride and then share it, so you have bragging rights with all your cycling buddies,” he says.
Unlike other similar platforms, Ride with GPS works specifically with the route developers, ensuring that each map is depicted accurately.
“The Ride with GPS app does a phenomenal job supporting organizations like ours that want to promote cycling in the area,” says Lambert. He explains that the app developers are all experienced and passionate cyclists themselves.
The family-friendly Bakery-to-Bakery route in the Haliburton Highlands is great for young riders or first-time gravel riders. It’s mostly flat and, with a bakery as the destination, it’s a great way to motivate young riders to keep going. (Photo courtesy of Haliburton Highlands Economic Development & Tourism)
Share on Bluesky
As another benefit to cycling in the Haliburton Highlands, users are able to download the routes completely free of cost since the Haliburton Highlands Economic Development and Tourism Department has a tourism account with the app.
When scrolling through the app, users will find a wide range of options for cycling in the Haliburton Highlands including gravel and on-road routes, as well as routes through the Haliburton Forest.
According to Lambert, gravel riding is the “fastest growing aspect of cycling right now.” There are over 20 gravel routes in the region, all of which are scenic, remote, and adventurous, catering to differing skill levels.
The Bakery-to-Bakery route is one of the most accessible and popular routes. At 16.5 kilometres in length, this family-friendly route is mostly flat, taking cyclists from Haliburton to the hamlet of Donald where a seasonal bakery, The Little Tart, makes a perfect pit stop for snacks to keep riders energized for the rest of the journey.
“The Bakery-to-Bakery route is great if you’ve got young riders or first-time gravel riders,” Lambert explains. “It’s not hilly and it has a great destination when you’re trying to convince your child to keep going.”
The epic Haliburton Highlands Big Loop could be a one-day survival fest or a multi-day bikepacking or village-hopping trip. Mainly gravel with some pavement, the route offers rugged and remote adventure riding and multiple places to stop and refuel. (Photo courtesy of Haliburton Highlands Economic Development & Tourism)
On the other end of the spectrum, there’s the 285-kilometre route aptly named The Big Loop. With 3,500 metres of elevation gain among rugged and remote adventure riding, this route is not for the faint-hearted.
Although it’s meant for advanced riders, Lambert explains that beginners and moderately skilled bikers will often challenge themselves by only completing some sections of the route in a day, or by completing the entire route as part of a multi-day adventure.
Most of the gravel routes in the Haliburton Highlands lie somewhere on the spectrum between the Bakery-to-Bakery route and the Big Loop, with each around 60 to 70 kilometres long.
As for on-road routes, the maps used on Ride with GPS were converted from paper maps created by a group called Cycle Haliburton. These maps, which include almost every road in the region, can be downloaded in PDF version at cyclehaliburton.ca/cycling-map with paper copies available at tourist information centres, public libraries, and various other locations across Haliburton County.
Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve in the Haliburton Highlands offers more than 300 kilometres of forest access roads and multi-use trails. Trail passes are required and available at Kennisis Lake Base Camp. (Photo courtesy of Haliburton Highlands Economic Development & Tourism)
Share on Bluesky
For the beginning or casual road cyclist, Lambert recommends the 33-kilometre North Shore Road route. An out-and-back route along quiet cottage roads with restaurants to mark the half-way point, it’s enjoyable for riders of any skill level.
For some challenging on-road cycling, there’s a 120-kilometre route that takes cyclists through Minden, Haliburton, and Carnarvon — three of the largest communities in the Haliburton Highlands.
According to Lambert, exploring the Haliburton Highlands by bicycle is not only good for your health, but good for the environment too.
“We’re very conscious about the sustainability of tourist activities,” Lambert says. “Cycling is one of the most sustainable ways to see a large portion of any destination.”
For mountain bikers of all skill levels, Sir Sam’s Ski & Bike offers nine kilometres of downhill trails and 13 kilometres of cross-country trails overlooking Eagle Lake north of the town of Haliburton. (Photo courtesy of Haliburton Highlands Economic Development & Tourism)
Share on Bluesky
As well as helping cyclists follow the routes, the Ride with GPS app will also alert them to significant locations along the way including restaurants, lookouts, historical sites, and even emergency services.
“You can literally show up never having been to the Haliburton Highlands, download one of the cycling routes, and go for a ride knowing those routes have all been completely scouted on the ground,” Lambert explains. “You can follow the route without being familiar with any of the trails or roads and you won’t miss a thing.”
For those looking for the most flexibility when cycling in the Haliburton Highlands, Lambert recommends choosing the right type of bicycle.
“Rent or buy a bicycle that allows you to ride on as many surfaces as possible,” he says, adding that wide tires and bikes that let riders “sit upright” will go a long way toward comfort.
For casual or older riders exploring the Haliburton Highlands, e-bikes can be a good option as they make it easier to keep up with other riders and deal with hilly terrain. (Photo courtesy of Haliburton Highlands Economic Development & Tourism)
Lambert says e-bikes are also a good option, especially for casual or older riders, as they make it easier to keep up with other riders and deal with hilly terrain.
“E-bikes have changed the cycling world in a way that probably no cycling technology has changed the world in the last 100 years,” he points out.
The most important thing for a comfortable ride, Lambert adds, is to make sure your bike is set up properly before you head out.
“Get your bike from a local bike shop that will set it up, because pretty much all the comfort has to do with how that bicycle is adjusted and a good local shop will do that for you.”
Cycling routes in the Haliburton Highlands feature scenic vistas with stops along the way where riders can enjoy some refreshments or just take a breather and soak in the natural beauty. (Photo courtesy of Haliburton Highlands Economic Development & Tourism)
As for Lambert, you might see him this summer cycling his favourite route, the South Haliburton Ramble. The 85-kilometre mostly gravel trail goes through three villages and along cottage roads, and includes an optional “adventurous” ATV trail section.
“It has everything the Haliburton Highlands has to offer,” he says — including a pit stop for French fries if you need to load up on carbs.
For a full list of gravel biking and on-road cycling routes and mountain biking trails in the Haliburton Highlands, and to learn more about bicycle rentals and repairs and guided tours, visit the My Haliburton Highlands website at myhaliburtonhighlands.com/biking-cycling/, where you can also find information about local accommodations, restaurants, events, and more.
This branded editorial was created in partnership with Haliburton Highlands Economic Development & Tourism. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
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.
