Peterborough indie alt-rockers The Dead Crowd (Tina Romo, Peter Romo, Adam Murray, Tim van de Ven, and Lauren Hughes), who just released their debut five-song EP, are performing at Eldorado Music Bar & Social Pub in downtown Peterborough on Saturday night along with Toronto alt-rockers Whisper Gang. (Photo: The Dead Crowd)
Every Thursday, kawarthaNOW publishes live music events at pubs and restaurants in Peterborough and the greater Kawarthas region based on information that musicians provide directly or that venues post on their websites or social media channels. Here are the listings for the week of Thursday, October 22 to Wednesday, October 28.
If you’re a musician or venue owner and want to be included in our weekly listings, email our nightlifeNOW editor at nightlife@kawarthanow.com. For concerts and live music events at other venues, check out our Concerts & Live Music page.
With the exception of karaoke, we only list events with performing musicians. Venues may also host other events during the week (e.g., dancing, DJs, comedy shows).
The Kawartha Art Gallery is hosting a grand opening of its new home at 19 Cambridge Street South in downtown Lindsay on November 20, 2026. (Photo courtesy of Kawartha Art Gallery)
More than two years after Kawartha Art Gallery first announced plans for a new permanent home in downtown Lindsay, the long-awaited space is finally complete.
The not-for-profit public art gallery will celebrate the grand opening of its new home at 19 Cambridge Street South from 1 to 3 p.m. on Friday, November 20.
The opening completes a major transition for the gallery, which has operated for years from the second floor of the Lindsay branch of the Kawartha Lakes Public Library and has been working toward a dedicated space that will allow it to expand exhibitions, programming, and community engagement.
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A new home years in the making
Renovations underway in May 2026 at the Kawartha Art Gallery’s new home at 19 Cambridge Street South in downtown Lindsay. (Photos courtesy of Kawartha Art Gallery)
In spring 2024, Kawartha Art Gallery announced plans to lease the approximately 3,000-square-foot main floor of 19 Cambridge Street South from Linborough Property Corp.
At the time, executive director Susan Taylor told Kawartha Lakes city council the gallery’s existing space at the library was restricting the growth of both the gallery and the library.
Moving to a more visible downtown location with additional space and greater control over its operations, she said, would “fundamentally change” the gallery’s operations, allowing it to expand exhibitions, programming, staffing, and community outreach.
The gallery had originally anticipated moving into the building in September 2024, but the project took longer than expected. In September 2025, the gallery said it had overcome a significant obstacle and that plans for the Cambridge Street property were again moving forward.
By May of this year, renovations were well underway, with the gallery reporting that the floor had been poured and construction was progressing.
With the work now complete, the gallery says its new home will provide a permanent foundation for exhibitions, educational programming, its permanent collection, and opportunities for people throughout Kawartha Lakes to connect through art.
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City investment and support from the Found family helped make move possible
The late Ken Found, founder and former president of Linborough Property Corp., which purchased the Cambridge Street South building in 2023 after it sat vacant for five years and undertook extensive renovations intended to preserve references to the building’s history. (Photo courtesy of Found family)
The City of Kawartha Lakes has played a significant role in helping the gallery establish its own permanent space.
In April 2024, city council approved an additional $150,000 for the gallery from the municipality’s 2023 budget surplus. The money was intended in part to help cover the cost of moving into and leasing the Cambridge Street location.
That funding built on an earlier municipal commitment approved in 2023 to provide the gallery with $50,000 annually for three years in operating support.
“The Kawartha Art Gallery is an important cultural institution in Kawartha Lakes and the city has been a proud supporter of its commitment to strengthen the arts and culture sector in our area, which it has accomplished with great success,” mayor Doug Elmslie said in the grand opening announcement.
Elmslie noted the gallery has provided programming for seniors, youth, and other residents while promoting its mandate of recognizing “the art in everyone.”
“It is encouraging to see the gallery finally have a home of its own where it can continue to flourish and inspire all those who visit there,” he said.
The Kawartha Art Gallery has also credited the Found family and Linborough Property Corp. with helping bring the project to fruition.
Founder and former president of Linborough, the late Ken Found’s legacy continues through the Ken Found Art Fund at the Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes, which was established to support the arts. The Found family’s support, together with its partnership with Linborough, helped advance the dedicated gallery space.
“My father, Ken Found, was born in downtown Lindsay and gave much of his life back to this community,” Wesley Found said.
“I think he would have loved this day. Not for the building. For the people who will walk through its doors.”
Found said a welcoming physical space where people can connect has become particularly valuable in an increasingly digital world.
“A place that welcomes everyone, at little or no cost, is a gift to a community,” he said. “This home is for the community, not just the arts.”
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A building with roots in Lindsay’s earliest history
The building at 19 Cambridge Street South in downtown Lindsay, pictured circa 1860 to 1887 when it was Lindsay & Trotter Livery & Hacks, owned by Bob Lindsay, Charles Lindsay, and Hunter Trotter. (Photo courtesy of Kawartha Art Gallery)
The gallery’s new home brings new life to one of downtown Lindsay’s historic buildings.
Although its precise construction date is unknown, research conducted by Linborough Property Corp. indicates 19 Cambridge Street South was standing before the Great Fire of Lindsay in July 1861.
Originally built as a stable and livery, it was one of several liveries operating in Lindsay during the 19th century. The building was expanded from approximately 42 to 81 feet in length before 1887.
On September 29, 1887, future federal cabinet minister Sir Sam Hughes purchased the property for $700 to house the Victoria Warder newspaper. The building was subsequently expanded and modified to accommodate the newspaper’s printing operation.
Over its long history, the property also served as a bus terminal and housed restaurants including the Coach House and Joel’s Restaurant.
Around 2011, the Kawartha Lakes Centre of Hope moved into the building and operated there for about seven years before relocating. After the property sat vacant for around five years, Linborough Property Corp. purchased it in February 2023.
Linborough undertook extensive renovations intended to preserve references to the building’s history, including barn-door-style entrances and the reintroduction of features inspired by the windows from its days as a livery.
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A permanent foundation for arts and culture
An early conceptual rendering of the vision for the Kawartha Art Gallery’s new home at 19 Cambridge Street South in downtown Lindsay. (Photo courtesy of Kawartha Art Gallery)
Kawartha Art Gallery says its new home will allow it to strengthen partnerships and expand opportunities for artists, students, residents, and community organizations across Kawartha Lakes.
The gallery describes its mission as advancing a healthy rural creative economy through art and cultural programs and services, while advocating for accessible arts experiences across a geographically large municipality.
Ontario tourism, culture and gaming minister Zee Hamid, who will be unable to attend the grand opening in person, is expected to provide a video greeting.
Kawartha Art Gallery board chair Don Hughes said the completed building represents the contributions of numerous partners and supporters over several years.
“This new home is possible because of the commitment of many people who believe that arts and culture matter,” Hughes said. “The city’s investment, the Found family’s generosity and the support of community partners have helped create something that belongs to the entire region.”
Hughes said completing the building is an important milestone, but what happens inside it will ultimately determine its value.
“What matters most is what happens here: people connecting through art, artists being supported and communities discovering new opportunities together,” he said. “This is what community builds.”
The grand opening of Kawartha Art Gallery’s new home at 19 Cambridge Street South in Lindsay will run from 1 to 3 p.m. on Friday, November 20. Residents from across the City of Kawartha Lakes are invited to attend.
Rob Arkell, mission leader for the Wild Again initiative at Wild Rock Outfitters in downtown Peterborough, accepts a used item at the trade-in desk, where customers can keep high-quality products in circulation by trading in their used merchandise for store credit. This credit can be used to purchase new or used products, or the trade-in value can be donated to the organization's ComPassion Project. (Photo: Jeff Faulds / Wild Rock Outfitters)
Every October, businesses and individuals across the Peterborough region, along with many other cities and municipalities across the country, celebrate Circular Economy Month.
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Rebekkah Hyams, Green Economy Peterborough Program Coordinator, GreenUP.
The idea is simple: instead of the all too familiar cycle of extracting, refining, producing, consuming, and then discarding, a circular economy aims to keep materials in use as long as possible, reducing resource extraction and waste production.
While many individuals do this all year long — be it through thrifting, recycling, upcycling, and repurposing — some local businesses have also made circular economy practices a priority, such as the two Green Economy Peterborough members featured below.
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A second life for good gear
Wild Rock Outfitters’ Wild Again initiative aims to keep high-quality outdoor products in circulation, such as these jackets available in the basement of the downtown Peterborough outdoor retailer. By reselling products, businesses can not only keep textiles out of landfills but also profit from selling the same item multiple times, and consumers benefit by getting a high-quality product at a lower price. (Photo: Jeff Faulds / Wild Rock Outfitters)
Everyone has that pile: the tent used twice; the like-new rain jacket that no longer fits; the skis from that one winter of great ambition. Wild Rock Outfitters, the Peterborough-based, outdoors-focused retailer, has a solution for that pile.
Wild Again is the downtown retailer’s trade-in and resale program where customers bring in clean, lightly used outdoor gear, staff assess the condition and quality, and offer the customer a portion of its future sale value in immediate store credit. The gear is resold both online and in-store, and customers can opt to donate their credit to the ComPassion Project, Wild Rock Outfitters’ initiative supporting local social justice and environmental charities.
Re-commerce, the resale of pre-owned goods, is one of the fastest-growing circular models in retail, says Rob Arkell, local circular economy consultant and coordinator of Wild Again. In apparel, pre-owned sales have grown four to five times faster than new sales over the past couple of years, and he expects them to grow two to three times faster over the next five years which he says, “bodes well for circularity.”
“We’re excited to see that this is gathering momentum,” Arkell says. “To date, Wild Again has sent over 4,000 pre-owned items back out into the community.”
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Waste wood becomes a soil amendment
Norm Lamothe of Woodleigh Farms in Cavan stands in front of his new pyrolysis unit. This machinery is part of a system that will ultimately produce biochar, a carbon-sequestering beneficial soil amendment, from waste wood. (Photo courtesy of Lamothe family)
In Cavan, Woodleigh Farms applies circular thinking to a very different matter: soil. The family-owned farm, run by Norm and Emily Lamothe, is reducing waste by looking at innovative ways to extend the life cycle and use of waste materials.
The farm’s Catching Carbon pilot turns waste wood — material with little market value — into biochar. Heated in a low-oxygen environment, the wood becomes a nutritious soil amendment that can improve soil health, reduce the need for fertilizer, and sequester carbon.
Material that would otherwise burn or rot, end up feeding the next crop, thanks to the farm’s pyrolysis unit, which produces roughly 500 tonnes of biochar each year.
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Fix it, borrow it, and map it
A dehydrator, a power washer, a purse, an iPod — if it’s broken, the volunteers at Repair Café will try to fix it. Peterborough County and the Repair Café are joining forces November 28, 2026 to host the Repair Café & Clothing Swap at Lang Pioneer Village in Keene. The setting itself reflects a time when every possession, garment, and tool was a valued object to be kept in use as long as possible. (Photo provided by Repair Café Peterborough)
Circular initiatives may not always be obvious, or easy to find. To address this, Peterborough County — a GreenUP partner — launched the online Circular County Community Hub in 2025.
The hub features circular initiatives with an interactive ‘Share, Reuse, Repair, Recycle’ map which serves as a directory of businesses and organizations that support sustainable practices, from repair shops to donation centres.
Wild Rock Outfitters is on the map, along with shared resource spaces like the Peterborough Public Library. It covers many businesses and services that keep materials of all kinds out of landfills from a broken watch that can be fixed by a local family-owned repair shop, to bags of outgrown clothes that can be taken to a thrift store, shelter, or donation centre.
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Start small
Few businesses join the circular economy by first building a pyrolysis unit or hosting an in-store equipment exchange; most begin with smaller steps.
Wild Rock Outfitters and Woodleigh Farms worked towards their large circular economy initiatives over time. Early on, Woodleigh Farms was processing large-scale, farm-suitable compost as a precursor activity to biochar, while Wild Rock Outfitters started out by hosting seasonal gear swaps before implementing their Wild Again initiative.
Like the individual who thrifts, upcycles, or repurposes household items, business owners can start small by identifying one waste stream, or underused resource or product, and then brainstorming with staff, peers, and sector leaders, on how to further its value or pass it along to another business to utilize. Over time, businesses can expand circular economy activities that benefit both the community and the environment while making good business sense.
Green Economy Peterborough is a GreenUP program and business network that supports local organizations in reducing their environmental impact. To learn more and subscribe to the Green Economy Peterborough newsletter, visit greeneconomypeterborough.ca/.
Volunteers with Kawartha Food Share are delivering flyers to homes across the City of Peterborough in advance of this year's "Porch Pirates for Good" fall food drive on October 24, 2026. Residents are asked to leave a bag or box of non-perishable food items on their front porch by 9 a.m. on Saturday morning. Attach the flyer to the donation or otherwise mark it so volunteers collecting the donation can easily spot it from the street. (Photo: Kawartha Food Share / Facebook)
Peterborough’s “Porch Pirates for Good” will once again be visiting city porches this fall to help restock the ever-dwindling shelves at Kawartha Food Share.
Residents are asked to leave a bag or box of non-perishable food items on their front porch this Saturday morning (October 24). Beginning at 9 a.m., volunteers will drive around the city to different neighbourhoods, collect the donated items, and deliver them to the Kawartha Food Share warehouse.
Organizers are asking people to mark the donation as being for Porch Pirates for Good so volunteers can easily spot it from the street. Flyers that can be attached to the donation are being distributed his week, or else you can just attach your own sign or other marking.
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While any non-perishable food items are appreciated, items in the greatest demand include peanut butter, canned tuna, canned vegetables and canned fruit, pasta and pasta sauce, breakfast cereal, and canned soup and canned stew.
Other needed food items include individually packaged school snacks for children (such as apple sauce, fruit cups, and chewy bars) and gluten-free items like pasta, cookies, and oats. Non-food items that are needed include feminine hygiene products.
Instead of donating food, you can also help by making a monetary donation. Volunteers will be able to collect cheques on October 25, or you can donate online at kawarthafoodshare.com.
For the “Porch Pirates for Good” fall food drive on October 24, 2026, Peterborough residents are asked to leave a bag or box of non-perishable food items on their front porch by 9 a.m. on Saturday morning, marking it so volunteers collecting the donation can easily spot it from the street. (Photo: Kawartha Food Share / Facebook
Kawartha Food Share is also still looking for volunteers to help distribute flyers to mailboxes and collect donations on the day of the food drive. If you’re interested in helping out, email porchpirates@kawarthafoodshare.com.
In the last six years, the Porch Pirates for Good food drives have brought in over 190,000 pounds of food and over $20,000 in monetary donations.
“The number of clients using food banks across Canada has reached an all-time high,” reads a media release from Kawartha Food Share. “The rising cost of food and supply chain shortages have affected Kawartha Food Share clients, donors, and their own purchasing power. The most vulnerable in our community need our support.”
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According to Feed Ontario’s latest Hunger Report published last December, more than one million Ontarians used a food bank in 2024-25 — an increase of 87 per cent since 2019-2020 — and made a record-breaking 8.7 million visits, with 35 per cent of food bank users new or first-time visitors.
Kawartha Food Share is a central collection and distribution warehouse that partners with 37 member agency food banks, food cupboards, and other food action programs in the city and county of Peterborough.
More than 35 per cent of the 14,000 people Kawartha Food Share feeds every month are children, with the non-profit organization also providing nutritious snacks for 51 area school breakfast programs helping over 17,000 children get a healthy start to their school day.
The Peterborough City Hall sign. (Photo: Jordan Lyall / kawarthaNOW)
With Peterborough voters deciding who will represent them at city hall for the next four years, a free website created by a local software developer offers another tool for evaluating the records of incumbent candidates.
“Peterborough Vote Tracker” at peterborough-city-council.ca collects recorded votes from Peterborough city council and committee minutes, allowing users to search votes by issue, browse meetings, and review the voting history of individual councillors.
The website was created by Steve McMurtry who, in addition to being a software developer, is a data scientist and data visualization specialist. He grew up in Peterborough, graduated from Peterborough Collegiate and Vocational School in 2005 and Trent University in 2009, and returned to the city in 2021.
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Turning council minutes into an accessible public resource
After moving back to Peterborough, McMurtry wanted to better understand what was happening at city hall but found keeping up with council proceedings time-consuming.
“I wanted to better understand what was going on at city hall but I didn’t have time to watch all the video recordings of the meetings or to read through the minutes,” McMurtry told kawarthaNOW by email.
“But I’m a software developer, so I thought I might be able to build something to solve that problem.”
Software developer Steve McMurtry created the Peterborough Vote Tracker website to make it easy for residents to understand the voting record of councillors. The data on the website is captured from public council meeting minutes published on the City of Peterborough’s website. (kawarthaNOW screenshot)
McMurtry noticed council minutes recorded how individual councillors voted and began developing software to extract that information and place it into a database.
“I have written some software that downloads the new meeting minutes automatically when they get posted, and extracts the data and updates the website,” he said.
McMurtry began working on the project in November 2021. The site went live in 2024, although he continued developing it before deciding this fall he was ready to be share it more widely.
The site describes itself as unofficial and independent and says it is not affiliated with or endorsed by the City of Peterborough. Its data comes from city council meeting minutes published publicly on the city’s website, with the database updated after new minutes are posted.
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Website helps residents explore voting records of incumbent candidates before election day
The timing makes the resource particularly relevant for the October 26 municipal election.
Seven of Peterborough’s 10 incumbent councillors are seeking re-election in their wards: Gary Baldwin, Andrew Beamer, Alex Bierk, Matt Crowley, Kevin Duguay, Joy Lachica, and Lesley Parnell. In addition, incumbent Ashburnham Ward councillor Keith Riel is running for mayor.
For voters considering those candidates, the site provides a way to move beyond campaign platforms and examine how incumbents actually voted during the current council term.
Steve McMurtry’s Peterborough Vote Tracker website includes an individual page for each councillor where users can browse their voting record and filter votes according to whether the councillor voted for or against a motion. (kawarthaNOW screenshot)
Each councillor has an individual page where users can browse their voting record and filter votes according to whether the councillor voted for or against a motion. The website also highlights significant votes and close decisions.
Votes are also organized by subjects including budget and finance, housing and homelessness, roads and infrastructure, transit and active transportation, zoning and planning, parks and recreation, and other municipal issues, and users can also search by keyword.
McMurtry has also curated what he calls featured votes, on topics including council’s decision to commit approximately $57 million as the city’s one-third share of a proposed new events centre, its approval of a six-month winter shelter response plan, a pilot project for surveillance cameras in selected parks and public spaces, changes to development charges, and decisions involving cycling infrastructure, housing, and the police budget.
Users can drill down into an individual vote to see the motion, the result, and which councillors voted on each side.
For example, when council voted 8-3 in May to commit one-third of the approximately $171-million cost of the proposed events centre, the tracker shows Baldwin, Beamer, Crowley, Duguay, Dave Haacke, mayor Jeff Leal, Parnell, and Don Vassiliadis voting in favour, with Bierk, Lachica, and Riel opposed.
It also shows that Parnell had voted against the motion when it was considered earlier at general committee, before supporting it at council.
Meeting pages on the website collect all the recorded votes from a particular meeting together and provide access to the minutes behind the data.
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How councillors voted when council was divided
With most council decisions being unanimous, McMurtry also used his database to look specifically at occasions when councillors disagreed.
He analyzed 218 final votes at city council during the current term where at least one councillor voted on each side. He excluded procedural votes such as approving minutes and adjournments, as well as general committee votes that would result in the same issue being counted twice.
In his analysis, McMurtry only included votes when both councillors and the mayor participated. He found the mayor was on the winning side in all but 18 of the 218 divided votes.
Of those divided votes, Baldwin voted on the same side as Leal 88 per cent of the time, followed by Duguay at 87 per cent, Parnell at 82 per cent, Vassiliadis at 81 per cent, Beamer and Crowley at 76 per cent each, and Haacke at 71 per cent.
There was a substantial drop after that, with Riel voting on the same side as the mayor only 53 per cent of the time.
Town Ward councillors Bierk and Lachica were the only two councillors who, on divided final council votes, ended up on the opposite side from Leal more often than on the same side. Bierk voted with the mayor 48 per cent of the time and Lachica 42 per cent.
The numbers also show significant difference in the voting records of the two Ashburnham Ward councillors during the current term, with Baldwin siding with Leal on 88 per cent of divided votes compared with only 53 per cent for Riel.
The percentages are not measures of how frequently councillors agreed with the mayor across all council business, since McMurtry deliberately excluded unanimous votes.
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Understanding the limitations of recorded votes
The percentages also do not provide any information about why councillors voted the way they did. That is a limitation of the vote tracker website, but one that results from how the City of Peterborough documents council decisions.
While the minutes of meetings published by the City of Peterborough include a description of agenda items and indicate how councillors voted on each item, they do not include any of the discussion or debate that occurred during the meeting.
For that information, voters will either have to watch the recorded video of a meeting or read coverage of individual council meetings by media outlets like kawarthaNOW.
Although McMurtry is encouraging voters to use his website to help inform their vote in advance of this year’s municipal election, he says he intends to keep working on it “for the foreseeable future” — so residents will be able to monitor the voting records of members of the next council as well.
Online voting for Peterborough’s municipal and school board election is already underway and remains open until 8 p.m. on Monday, October 26.
Accessible in-person voting and an internet voting kiosk are available at Peterborough City Hall through Friday (October 23). On election day, in-person voting will take place from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at ward-specific locations, with accessible voting equipment also available at City Hall for voters from all wards.
For more information about voting in the City of Peterborough and to vote online, visit www.peterborough.ca/vote.
Melanie Buddle, board chair for the ReFrame Film Festival, speaks during a preview and donor appreciation event held at Ashburnham Ale House in Peterborough on October 18, 2026. During the event, donors, supports, and volunteers welcomed new creative director Ryan Barnett, saw a preview of films that will be featured during the 2027 festival, and learned more about the recently updated strategic plan, which is focused on ensuring the festival's sustainability. (Photo: Megan Gallant / kawarthaNOW)
Organizers of the ReFrame Film Festival built early excitement for the upcoming 22nd season by hosting the festival’s first-ever preview and donor appreciation event on Sunday (October 18).
Donors, supporters, and volunteers gathered at the Ashburnham Ale House in Peterborough’s East City, where they welcomed the festival’s new creative director, got a brief glimpse of some of the films that will be included in the 2027 lineup, and heard about the focus of the non-profit organization’s newly updated five-year strategic plan.
Originally founded in 2005 by Krista English and Carole Roy as a local instalment of the Travelling World International Film Festival, ReFrame is an annual social and environmental justice documentary film festival that takes place during the last weekend in January in person in downtown Nogojiwanong-Peterborough, followed by an online festival accessible across Canada during the first week of February.
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The festival itself features inspiring local and international documentaries, filmmaker conversations, and special events, while ReFrame also hosts community screenings and special events throughout the year.
As Sunday’s event, after guests gathered over food and drink, ReFrame executive director Kait Dueck introduced Ryan Barnett as the festival’s new creative director. Barnett was hired this past summer after a three-month national search following Eryn Lidster’s departure after three years in the fole.
Born and raised in Peterborough but based in Montreal, Barnett is an interdisciplinary curator, producer, writer, and the founder of Knockabout Media, which produces podcasts, books, and other nonfiction projects about Canadian culture and history.
Ryan Barnett is the new creative director of the ReFrame Film Festival. During a preview and donor appreciation event held at Ashburnham Ale House in Peterborough on October 18, 2026, Barnett said the 2027 festival will feature a curated lineup of international and local documentaries centred around helpers and stories on contemporary topics, including trans, refugees, Gaza, and artificial intelligence. (Photo: ReFrame Film Festival)
Barnett holds a master’s degree in film studies from Concordia University’s Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema and has worked across documentary production, public programming, and cultural engagement.
“With his roots in Peterborough and his awareness of the film industry and television and even grant writing, he stood out right away,” festival board chair Melanie Buddle told kawarthaNOW. “He’s committed to coming to Peterborough whenever we need him.”
Before Barnett showed a brief montage of clips from documentaries that will be screened during the 2027 festival, he told attendees it was a “weird time” to be programming a social and environmental justice film festival.
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As he and the programming advisory committee searched through films that were submitted this year, Barnett says they were very focused on stories that are important today, covering topics including trans, refugees, Gaza, artificial intelligence, and more.
“There’s a balance that we’re trying to strike here, which is speak to the moment,” he told kawarthaNOW.
“But the news cycle is just one depressing thing after another, so we are trying to find stories that focus on the helpers, so that our community doesn’t leave the theatre feeling hopeless. These are things that can be done. They see examples of people doing things — even small things — within their community, and hopefully that will galvanize people in our audience to do something about whatever issue is important to them.”
A screening at the 2025 ReFrame Film Festival at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough. The 2027 festival will include a dedicated opening night screening, family-friendly programming, and more time between individual screenings. (Photo: ReFrame Film Festival)
Barnett said the advisory committee is still working on the festival’s program and, as with past festivals, will be sorting each film into various themes to help audiences curate their experiences and browse films from the topics in which they are most interested.
He said the committee was also intentional about selecting films, both international and local, that are cinematic, entertaining, and make for a good theatre experience.
“It’s a festival that should be a conversation starter, a festival that should move people, but we also understand that it’s a film festival, so I want people to have a good film experience,” he said, noting that ReFrame is prioritizing having some family-friendly programming for young audiences as well.
“Parents with kids will have a couple of matinees that they can come to and bring their children, as a way of expanding our audience but offering a variety of things to meet different people’s needs.”
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Barnett said this is part of ReFrame’s commitment to accessibility, which he calls “foundational” to the festival. Accessible features built into the programming include relaxed screenings, captions and ASL interpretations on virtual screenings, sensory supports, emotional supports, pay-what-you-can ticket pricing, and more.
Buddle also spoke at the event, thanking sponsors and donors and noting the festival is “strong and thriving.”
She explained that the board continues to listen to audience feedback year after year. In response to this feedback, the 2027 festival will include more time between each screening so attendees have the chance to go out for a bite or a walk without missing anything.
Donors, supporters, and volunteers mingle during a preview and donor appreciation event hosted by the ReFrame Film Festival at Ashburnham Ale House in Peterborough on October 18, 2026. (Photo: Megan Gallant / kawarthaNOW)
Buddle also announced ReFrame will go back to kicking off the festival with an opening night screening, with tickets sold separately, as well as a closing night screening, so that attendees have an opportunity to connect, reflect, and have meaningful conversations around a shared film experience.
“A lot of people are excited about that to have a good start to the festival,” Buddle told kawarthaNOW.
During the event, Buddle directed attendees to a brief outlining some key priorities of the festival’s newly updated strategic plan for 2027 to 2032. She said a major theme throughout was focusing on sustainability, noting that “grant funding has become increasingly uncertain, while costs continue to rise.”
She pointed out how funding for many arts organizations has not increased commensurate with costs. For Reframe, those costs include the need for updated technology, the cost of film rights, the cost of paying artists, and the costs of paying staff a fair and livable wage.
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For that reason, Buddle added, she has increased her own monthly donation. She also encouraged attendees to keep arts organizations in mind during the municipal election this month.
ReFrame’s 2026 annual report reveals that 47 per cent of the festival’s revenue came from government and foundation grants, while 22 per cent of revenue last year came from individual charitable donations.
“Every donation is an act of solidarity,” Buddle told attendees.
Peterborough family physician Dr. Madura Sundareswaran is the founder and medical director of the Peterborough Newcomer Health Clinic and the founder of the Peterborough Family Physician Think Tank, now known as PTBO Fam Docs. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Newcomer Health Clinic)
A group of family physicians in Peterborough is urging action to reduce the administrative burden on medical professionals.
“The increasing burden of administrative work has been attributed to physician burnout, a diminishing family physician workforce and has compromised access to primary care for all Ontarians,” reads a new study by Peterborough family physician Dr. Madura Sundareswaran along with Queen’s University medical student Max Moloney.
Dr. Sundareswaran is the founder and medical director of the Peterborough Newcomer Health Clinic and the founder of the Peterborough Family Physician Think Tank, now known as PTBO Fam Docs, which is a consulting and brainstorming group of independent family physicians that focuses on local advocacy and the grassroots-level changes needed to support doctor recruitment and retention from the perspective of family physicians.
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Local physician group examines when administrative tasks become a burden
“We are trying to unify the voice of family doctors in the community and make sure that people continue to have good, consistent, and sustainable access to primary care,” Dr. Sundareswaran told kawarthaNOW.
Having practised as a family doctor in Peterborough since 2019, Dr. Sundareswaran noticed three years ago there was no formal structure for community-based family physicians to share and address challenges they face in practice, and formed PTBO Fam Docs.
“We focus on advocacy efforts and initiatives as well as supporting family doctors in their day-to-day practices,” she said.
In particular, Dr. Sundareswaran said that PTBO Fam Docs focuses on issues created and faced at a local level, rather than duplicating the work of provincial and federal organizations such as the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Ontario College of Family Physicians.
A current focus of PTBO Fam Docs is the impacts and causes of administrative burden in small and community-based family practices in Peterborough.
In conducting the study called Addressing administrative burden in family medicine: a local quality improvement initiative, Dr. Sundareswaran explained the first action was to establish a definition of administrative burden that recognized non-medical tasks that remain essential to a physician’s practice.
“There’s a difference between an administrative task and a task that is burdensome, where something doesn’t feel like it’s good value for what it is that needs to be done,” she said.
The organization began by referring to the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), which defines administrative burden as “tasks that demand a disproportionate amount of effort relative to the value they generate for patients and health systems.”
The CMA includes four key elements: excessive volume of administrative tasks, redundancies and inefficiencies in the healthcare system, assignment of low-value tasks to physicians, and tasks that are not appropriately compensated.
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Excess documentation emerges as the most common administrative burden
Dr. Sundaswaren said that, through stakeholder engagement sessions with local family doctors, they found further challenges and themes spanning across multiple practices.
“We were very explicit with the group that these are things that have to be locally driven,” she added.
The PTBO Fam Docs study identified a total of eight elements of administrative burden, which include the CMA elements and more: excess volume, inefficiencies of the healthcare system, misallocated tasks and responsibilities, impacts on therapeutic or professional relationships, increased cognitive and emotional load, ineffective communication, low-value tasks, and inadequate compensation.
The study received 146 physician submissions of administrative burden, of which 138 were analyzed. The most common category of administrative burden was excess volume, which includes physicians receiving numerous copies of the same documents, identical prescription renewal requests, and templates that include extensive historical patient information.
Dr. Sundareswaren said that, in practice, administrative burden can manifest as receiving stacks of patient medical information that must be comprehended, or being asked to complete disparate and overly long workplace medical forms.
“We want to have all this data available, but there is a risk and there is a danger to that — which is there is too much data,” she explained. “How do we make sure that patient care isn’t compromised in an attempt to provide so much information?”
The study further explains that excess volume can be caused by duplicate, blank, or other unnecessary pages being included without verification.
“The volume of excess documentation was significant, with individuals describing receiving 10s to 100s pages of irrelevant and unnecessary information,” reads the study.
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Administrative demands affect a patient’s access to and relationship with their family doctor
Dr. Sundareswaran also noted the study identified administrative burden from employers as a result of requirements for medical documentation to justify work absences and accommodations (for example, sick notes).
Another important consideration of administrative burden, she added, is the impact that it has on patient care and patient-provider relationships.
“If your family doctor is spending too much time filtering through hundreds of pages of stuff, instead of seeing you in their office, your wait times are going to be longer and there’s a higher chance that something important is going to be missed,” she explained.
Dr. Sundareswaran said that the impact of administrative burden on the ability of physicians to provide patient care was the most significant finding from their research so far.
In addition, the study notes that inefficient administrative processes also negatively impact the patient-physician relationship due to associated costs, duplicated tasks, delays, and confusion.
“Whether it’s repeated renewal requests from pharmacies or inappropriate delegation of work or referral rejections, these create tension between family physicians and specialists or community organisations.”
Dr. Sundareswaran told kawarthaNOW that, following the publication of the study, PTBO Fam Docs is entering the implementation stage of its work using this research as a baseline of shared expectation.
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Healthcare partners, employers, and patients all have a role in reducing administrative burden
Implementation will include working with partners and stakeholders such as the Peterborough Regional Health Centre and the Peterborough Ontario Health Team to begin auditing current processes and procedures to establish where administrative burden on family physicians can be reduced.
For example, the inconsistent use of electronic medical records management systems between primary and tertiary care teams can lead to the need to duplicate documentation of testing or changes to medications.
Dr. Sundareswaran also said the group will work with employers to provide professional consultation on medical forms to ensure they are efficient, relevant, and easy to use by family physicians.
While patients and the public were not involved in the study itself, they will be consulted when disseminating the study results through patient and family advisory councils of key stakeholder organizations.
The study has resulted in three key recommendations to reduce administrative burden on family physicians: send it once, send it right; reconnect with family physicians; and act now.
These recommendations and the findings of the study align with national advocacy initiatives such as calls from the CMA to restrict employer requirements for sick notes and to promote alternatives such as self-certification and flexible leave policies.
Dr. Sundareswaran said that, to achieve the goal of reducing administrative burden, it must be an effort taken on by all stakeholders — including patients.
Addressing administrative burden in family medicine: a local quality improvement initiative was published on October 12, 2026 in BMJ Open Quality, a peer-reviewed open-access journal covering all content in healthcare improvement work.
To mark Small Business Week from October 19 to 25, 2026, this week's edition of kawarthaNOW's "Kawartha Localist" editorial series highlights 10 small businesses across the greater Kawarthas region as selected by our readers, including Peterborough businesses Take Cover Books, Sweet Fern Floral Studio, The Doggery, Living Local Marketplace, and Watson & Lou, as well as Millbrook Mercantile in Millbrook, The Roost Farm & Market in Kawartha Lakes, The Old Tin Shed in Bancroft, Centre & Main Chocolate Co. in Warkworth, and Heart N Soul Gifts in Lindsay. (kawarthaNOW collage)
Kawartha Localist is an editorial series from kawarthaNOW sharing trusted local recommendations, hidden gems, and favourite discoveries from people who know and love this region. It’s what we love about where we live. Kawartha Localist is sponsored by Kawartha Financial Services.
It’s no surprise to anyone that small businesses drive the local economy — though it might be surprising to you just how major a role they play. As of 2024, businesses with fewer than 20 employees represented 91.2 per cent of all businesses in Canada, collectively employing 4.5 million people.
That’s why it’s so important to support the small businesses that are the beating heart of communities in the Kawarthas region. They hire our neighbours and family members, they show up for us, they collaborate and support one another, and they are always giving right back to the community in one way or another.
This week is Small Business Week, an annual celebration of the entrepreneurs and small business owners who show up day in and day out to serve the community. We are fortunate to have so many incredible small businesses across the region that are passionate about what they do, the communities they live in, and the people they serve.
We’ve rounded up 10 favourite small businesses, as voted on by our readers. These are businesses that are doing something a little different, or are finding ways to pay the love forward to other small businesses, makers, or farmers in the region.
With thousands of worthy independent small businesses across the greater Kawarthas region, it wasn’t easy to single out just a handful. Make sure you show some local love for your own favourite small businesses, and not just during Small Business Week.
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Enjoy a third place full of art and creativity at Take Cover Books, now in downtown Peterborough
An audience takes in a performance by Michael Cloud Duguay on September 12, 2026 at Take Cover Books at its new location in downtown Peterborough. Brothers Andrew and Sean Fitzpatrick have make their bookstore a place to celebrate local artists, including authors and musicians, and to build community. (Photo: Luke Best)
As we increasingly live our lives online, the need for more third places has become a hot topic of conversation. Third places are welcoming and accessible spaces for gathering and connecting outside of your home (your first place) and your workplace or school (your second place).
That’s exactly what Andrew and Sean Fitzpatrick have crafted at Take Cover Books in downtown Peterborough. The brothers founded Take Cover Books as an online bookstore in 2022 before opening as a brick-and-mortar storefront in Peterborough’s East City the following year. Now, the bookstore has evolved once again as they settle into their new home at 391 Water Street in the former home of The Neighbourhood Vintage.
The Fitzpatricks created Take Cover Books with the intention of using the space both to celebrate local artists and to build community. It doesn’t matter whether a musician or author can pack the store, or if they have yet to find their audience — Take Cover Books is a home to all creatives, and all the book launches, readings, music events, and other gatherings they want to host.
The brothers have also always been open to collaborating with other creatives to bring events to the store. The Highly Likely Festival of Music and Literature, done in collaboration with Miracle Territory, is an annual celebration featuring local talent, while the development of Give a Sheet Press — which publishes books on a single sheet of paper — makes authorship accessible to local writers.
If that’s not well above the expectation of a bookstore already, Take Cover Books also hosts a monthly film club with an in-store screening and a monthly online book club. I highly recommend subscribing to their newsletter — not only will you be reminded of upcoming events, but you’ll also get tips on literary and cultural happenings in the community, and Sean always starts the newsletter with a fun fact or story. Just like the store itself, it offers a much needed personal and human touch.
Take Cover Books is located at 391 Water Street. To learn more, keep up to date on upcoming events, and shop online, visit takecoverbooks.ca.
Find gourmet cheese, artisan products, and quality sandwiches at Millbrook Mercantile
Celebrating its seventh anniversary this week, Millbrook Mercantile is a one-stop shop for all things cheese, wine, preserves, and homemade goods, as well as a destination for fresh and decadent sandwiches and charcuterie. When you join the Cheese of the Month Club, you can get access to two unique cheeses, other accompaniments, and details on tasting notes, wine and cocktail pairing recommendations, and cooking recipe suggestions. (Photo courtesy of Millbrook Mercantile)
It’s no mystery why Millbrook Mercantile is one of the most beloved small businesses in the region, given that it offers a little bit of everything. From cheese and wine to home goods to freshly made meals to a friendly face in store, there’s always more reason to stick around.
This week, husband-and-wife owners Bernadette MacNeil and Lance Nachoff are celebrating seven years since opening the store in 2019. They created Millbrook Mercantile with the vision of offering locals the opportunity to find high-quality goods and gifts without having to leave town.
In store, you’ll find more than 100 gourmet cheeses, including several the owners collect directly from fromageries in Quebec to bring home. This year, they also spent six months aging a cheese they brought back from Portugal.
You can learn more about the cheese on the shelves by signing up for the Cheese of the Month Club. Every month with no obligation, you can get two unique cheeses as well a box of gourmet crackers or other accompaniments for $35. Each package includes tasting notes, wine and cocktail pairing recommendations, and cooking recipe suggestions.
Millbrook Mercantile also offers find cured meats, boutique wines, gift baskets, and homeware. Everything comes from Canada as much as possible and, if it doesn’t, it’s still made by a small business. Currently, MacNeil is most excited to have brought in ceramics hand produced by Warsaw artists Thomas Aitken and Kate Hyde.
You don’t want to leave Millbrook Mercantile without trying something off the menu. You can’t go wrong with ordering a charcuterie board specially curated with what’s in store, or trying one of the famed Millbrook Mercantile sandwiches. A Reuben was recently added to the menu, crafted with a half-pound of thinly sliced pastrami, housemade Russian dressing, sauerkraut, and melted cheese.
All of this — gourmet cheese, locally crafted goods, and high-quality meals — paired with small-town charm means there’s always a reason to return to Millbrook Mercantile time and time again.
Millbrook Mercantile is located at 28 King Street East in Millbrook. To learn more, visit www.millbrookmercantile.com.
Find florals inspiring connection at Sweet Fern Floral Studio in Peterborough
Owner Angela McDonald stands outside Sweet Fern Floral Studio at 387 Water Street in downtown Peterborough, which will be moving to 208 Charlotte Street on November 3, 2026. What began as a small business with McDonald curating floral arrangements in her basement has grown into a seven-employee shop, with the move to Charlotte Street providing Sweet Fern with three times as much space, allowing the flower shop to expand their selection of home décor and goods sold alongside pre-arranged and custom bouquets. (Photo courtesy of Sweet Fern Floral Studio)
Sweet Fern Floral Studio in downtown Peterborough is proof of what can happen when we support our local small businesses.
Because of the generosity of the community — and the personal customer service that keeps flower lovers and gift-givers coming back — owner Angela McDonald has, in a few short years, been able to grow from working by herself in her basement to a brick-and-mortar storefront operated with the help of seven staff members.
In fact, the shop has seen so much growth that next month, they are moving to 208 Charlotte Street, which has three times as much space as the current Water Street location.
The move is extra special and a full-circle moment for McDonald, whose parents owned a well-known floral shop in the same storefront. This store on Charlotte Street is where McDonald learned all her skills and developed a passion for fresh-cut florals.
With the larger space, Sweet Fern Floral Studio will be expanding their curated selection of home goods, décor, and sweet gift options. Of course, there will be able to continue maintaining their supply of pre-arranged bouquets and custom arrangements of fresh-cut flowers and plants, available for pick-up and delivery.
Despite the growth and move, McDonald promises the same quality, the same friendly environment, and the same fresh flowers that have earned her loyal customers.
Sweet Fern Floral Studio is located at 387 Water Street and, on November 3, will be moving to 208 Charlotte Street. To learn more, visit sweetfernfloralstudio.com.
Know what you’re feeding your furry friend when buying from The Doggery in Peterborough
Tiffany Lennox-Dixon founded The Doggery in 2024 when she began making her own small-batch, single ingredient treats. Today, she sells toppers and treats, including novelty items like freeze-dried mussels and shrimp. Found at local stores across the greater Kawarthas, The Doggery also sells mental enrichment supplies. (Photo courtesy of The Doggery)
You’d be hard-pressed to go to a local market and not find Tiffany Lennox-Dixon selling her small-batch, single-ingredient dog treats.
The young entrepreneur was taking nutrition classes online when her family dog was diagnosed with cancer and they had to make the difficult decision to say goodbye. That prompted her to combine her passion for nutrition, love of dogs, and desire to launch her own business. She began making a line of treats for her own dogs so she would know exactly what they were consuming, and quickly saw interest from other dog parents who wanted the same comfort and assurance.
Since launching in January 2024, The Doggery has grown from offering just three products to 20 products. The bestsellers are the freeze-dried chicken hearts as well as the toppers that were launched just a few months ago at the request of those with picky-eater canines. The Doggery is also well-known for creating novel products you can’t find elsewhere else, like freeze-dried marble cheese, shrimp, frog legs, and mussels.
Lennox-Dixon also stocks mental enrichment products like lick mats and grooming tools and, as she continues to learn more about canine nutrition, she hopes to soon add full meals to her product line.
Local retailers selling The Doggery products include Reclaimed Garden Co. in Burleigh Falls, Chandos Pet Supply in Apsley, Craftworks at the Barn in Selwyn, and Mercado La Hacienda, which is the local pickup location.
Shop local produce and meats from local farmers at The Roost Farm & Market in Kawartha Lakes
At The Roost Farm & Market in Kawartha Lakes, you can find a curated range of items from local producers. As well as producing their own maple syrup and poultry on their farm, owners Shannon O’Donnell and Matthew Stewart run a market to sell meats, products, preserves, and other products from local farmers. With maple syrup events held on-site and an AirBnb above the market, The Roost has become a local agricultural hub. (Photo courtesy of The Roost Farm & Market)
When celebrating small businesses, we can’t forget about the many small-scale farms in the greater Kawarthas region. The Roost Farm and Market is already several steps ahead — they’ve built a whole business around supporting local farmers.
Ten years ago, wife-and-husband Shannon O’Donnell and Matthew Stewart purchased a property northwest of Kirkfield that had been in their family for generations, with the intention of transforming it from a hobby farm into a commercial business and agricultural hub.
Today, the family raises their own poultry and makes their own maple syrup, while operating a market that supports other ethical local farmers. In store, you’ll find produce, meat, honey, preserves, and other goods, much of which comes from right down the road or around the corner.
At the market, there is also fresh home baking available every day, as well as soups, sandwiches, salads, and ready-made frozen meals. Across all departments of The Roost, there is virtually no waste. Any unsold groceries are taken to the kitchen and processed into soups and meals, and unused meals are then given directly to the chickens or dogs.
With educational events held during the maple season and “The Loft” Airbnb accommodation located above the market, there are so many ways to experience the land on which the agricultural hub is located.
The Roost Farm and Market is located at 3314 Kirkfield Road in Kawartha Lakes. To learn more, visit roostfarm.ca.
Find an intriguing mix of now and then at The Old Tin Shed in Bancroft
Located in Bancroft, The Old Tin Shed is a curated store full of products made by local and Canadian makers, including candles, preserves, homewares, and iron hardware. There’s also an antique barn out back open from May through Thanksgiving. (Photo courtesy of The Old Tin Shed)
Alright, in all honesty, this wasn’t voted on by our readers — it’s one of my personal favourite small businesses.
The Old Tin Shed in Bancroft is easy to support because I always find something no matter what I’ve gone in search of — garden gnomes, home décor, puzzles, hooks, clothing, cozy goods, and so much more. After all, the store’s slogan isn’t “an intriguing mix of now and then” for nothing.
Kathryn and Geoffrey Webber are the second owners of the store, having taken over in 2019. Located in the original Catholic Church in Bancroft, the Old Tin Shed gets customers from all over the world, and remains a beloved store, as well as Bancroft’s Christmas store every year.
From candles, lotions, preserves, dish towels, and so much more, The Old Tin Shop prioritizes stocking product made within 100 kilometres of town, and otherwise stocks Canadian products. In the back corner, you’ll find a large selection of iron hardware including unique hooks and doorknobs. From May through Thanksgiving, out back, you’ll find an antique barn that’s perfect for scavenging through hidden gems like old windows, beams, and other unique finds.
At the Old Tin Shed, things are always changing depending on the season, and new makers and suppliers are always being added to the lineup. Nothing is stocked by the hundreds, meaning it might not be there the next time you step inside. Every time is a new experience and, if you’re lucky, you might just catch a glimpse of the resident ghost!
The Old Tin Shed is located at 25 Sherbourne Street North in Bancroft. To learn more, visit www.theoldtinshed.com.
Get a taste of local flavours at Centre & Main Chocolate Co. in Warkworth
Located in Warkworth, Centre & Main Chocolate Co. is an artisanal chocolate shop founded by Angela Roest. The creative chocolatier crafts with innovative ingredients that are sourced locally, including kimchi, popcorn, toast, and pollen. (Photo courtesy of Centre & Main Chocolate Co.)
If you haven’t sunk your teeth into the chocolate from Centre & Main Chocolate Co. in Warkworth, what are you waiting for?
This is a must-try — in part because you’re supporting local while eating chocolate, of course, but also because this artisan chocolate shop sources hyperlocal ingredients to make some very original flavours you haven’t tried before.
Founded by chocolatier Angela Roest, Centre & Main has some of the most artfully designed bars and bonbons you’ve ever seen. You’ll be awestruck by their design, and even more awestruck when you get a taste. Have you ever tried chocolate made with popcorn? Or pollen? How about matcha, mustard, or kimchi? That’s what you’ll find at Centre & Main Chocolate Co.
My personal favourite bar is the award-winning Tea and Toast, made with bread from a Brighton baker and paired with Darjeeling tea. I’m drooling just thinking about it!
There are also a range of plant-based and dairy-free options, as well as seasonal and limited time specials. All of these creative flavours you can browse on the Great Wall of Chocolate in store.
Centre & Main Chocolate Co. is located at 50 Centre Avenue in Warkworth. To learn more and shop online, visit centreandmainchocolate.com.
Get excited for Living Local Marketplace’s second location in Peterborough’s East City
Living Local Marketplace owner Alicia Doris stands outside of her second location in Peterborough’s East City that will be opening on November 3, 2026. The new location will join the existing location at Horlings Garden Centre in supporting more than 100 Ontario makers. (Photo: Kayla Le Franc Photo)
When you shop local, there’s always a ripple effect. At Living Local Marketplace, that ripple flows through the 100 small businesses and artisans across Ontario that are featured in store — and that ripple continues to widen.
Owner Alicia Doris says she never envisioned the growth of her business when she first began Living Local from her home in the early days of the pandemic to support local makers by providing a seasonal subscription box service. Then, five years ago, she opened a brick-and-mortar storefront in Peterborough to allow customers to browse hundreds of unique products including gourmet foods, candles, homewares, artwork, and so much more.
Now, just months after moving her business into Horlings Garden Centre after a very successful holiday pop-up shop in 2025, Doris is preparing for Living Local’s largest expansion yet: the opening of a second location in Peterborough’s East City — at 59A Hunter Street East, in the former Take Cover Books location — on November 3.
When it opens, the East City location will join the Horlings location as a holiday destination for the “Season of Sparkle.” The 3,000-square-foot space at Horlings will allow Living Local to stock up on even more holiday décor as well as essential gift items like sustainably made clothing and sweet treats. Just like last year, there will be hot cider and shortbread on offer that you can enjoy while getting in the holiday spirit.
With so much growth, Living Local Marketplace is not only supporting the many local small businesses they work with all the time, but they have grown to a seasonal staff of 12 team members between the two locations. That’s a lot of living and loving local!
Living Local Marketplace at Horlings Garden Centre will be closed from October 25 until the Christmas market debuts on November 1, with the East City location opening on November 3. To learn more, visit livinglocalmarketplace.ca.
Find new maker and artisan items daily at Watson & Lou in downtown Peterborough
Founded in 2017 and now operated by Katie Küntz, Watson & Lou on Water Street in downtown Peterborough not only offers a wide range of local and Canadian-made products and artwork but also provides studio space. The store brings in new items on a daily basis, is always onboarding new artists, and recently welcomed The Neighbourhood Vintage into the back of the store. (Photo courtesy of Watson & Lou)
From ceramics to prints to jewellery and all kinds of gifts, Watson & Lou in downtown Peterborough is all about showing off the talents of makers and artisans across Canada.
Originally founded by Erin Watson and Anna Eidt in 2017, Katie Küntz has been the owner since 2024. She prioritizes curating a collection of goods with new products arriving daily and regularly onboarding new artists. The shop is also a strong supporter of the arts, offering studio spaces and participating in the monthly First Friday Peterborough art crawls.
Watson & Lou has recently reinstated Villager Puzzles, a B.C. maker of unique puzzles designed by female artists in Canada that were previous best sellers in store (if the brand sounds familiar to you, you might remember them securing a deal on Dragon’s Den in 2025).
Küntz says many local artists have been submitting artwork to Villager Puzzles, so be sure to keep checking in to Watson & Lou to see if the work of a local artist has been featured. Watson & Lou has also recently begun selling work from Valerie Davidson Jeweller, and will soon be rolling out the seasonal holiday collection.
Newest of all, Watson & Lou has collaborated with another small business, The Neighbourhood Vintage, which was previously located just down the street in the space now occupied by Take Cover Books. Now The Neighbourhood Vintage shares the back of the store at Watson & Lou, giving you even more reason to step inside in search of some one-of-a-kind finds.
Watson & Lou is located at 383 Water Street in Peterborough. To browse the store, visit www.watsonandlou.com.
Take a DIY home décor lesson at Heart N Soul Gifts in Lindsay
Porch geese (and their costumes) are some of the bestsellers at Heart N Soul Gifts, a home décor shop in Lindsay that’s been in operation for 16 years. The business also sells a range of home décor items including candles, rugs, clothing, baby supplies, and much more. The business hosts regular craft and DIY home décor workshops and will soon be opening a seasonal kiosk at the Lindsay Square Mall. (Photo courtesy of Heart N Soul Gifts)
For 16 years, Heart N Soul Gifts has been a hidden gem that’s off the beaten path in Lindsay.
Even before owner Kim Thornbury launched the business after retiring early from a career at General Motors, she harboured a passion for crafts and giftware. That’s why she’s curated Heart N Soul Gifts as a one-stop shop for home décor.
The store features Mineral Fusion Paint, a Toronto paint brand that’s designed for furniture, as well as Redesign with Prima, which provides décor transfers, moulds, and stamps. Otherwise, Thornbury aims to stock Canadian products across the jewellery, rugs, candles, baby products, and other cute and unique goods found in store. This included the recently bestselling and trendy porch geese and the handmade wooden ducks from DCUK that have been flying off the shelves!
Heart N Soul Gifts also makes some of their own supplies and invites others to learn about their own crafting by leading workshops on sign making, resin projects, and other DIY activities.
To see some of the new products that are available weekly at Heart N Soul, tune in to the live selling videos happening on the Heart N Soul Facebook page every Tuesday night at 7 p.m. For more opportunity to shop in person, Heart N Soul Gifts will soon be opening their annual Christmas kiosk at the Lindsay Square Mall. The kiosk will be open from November 20 to December 27.
Kawartha Localist is an editorial series from kawarthaNOW celebrating the places, experiences, businesses, and communities that make our region extraordinary. Written by people who live here, work here, and have spent nearly 30 years exploring the Kawarthas and surrounding region, each edition shares trusted local recommendations, hidden gems, and favourite discoveries from across Peterborough County, the City of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, Haliburton County, and Hastings Highlands.
Whether you’re looking for your next hiking trail, favourite patio, scenic drive, farmers’ market, or weekend adventure, Kawartha Localist is what we love about where we live.
encoreNOW for October 19, 2026 features (from left to right, top and bottom) Taylor Lovelace's "I'm Every Woman" Whitney Houston tribute at Port Hope's Capitol Theatre, the Northumberland Players' production of Kristen Da Silva's comedy "Hurry Hard" at the Best Western in Cobourg, the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra's season-opening "Strength + Sparkle" concert at Peterborough's Showplace Performance Centre, Public Energy's presentation of Sara Porter's "Bad Poetry" at Peterborough's The Theatre on King, the Peterborough Theatre Guild's production of the First World War drama "Bluebirds" at the Guild Hall in Peterborough's East City, and Roch Voisine's tribute to the legendary Gordon Lightfoot at Showplace. (kawarthaNOW collage)
encoreNOW is a bi-weekly column by Paul Rellinger where he features upcoming music, theatre, film, and performing arts events and news from across the Kawarthas.
This week, Paul highlights I’m Every Woman: The Whitney Houston Songbook at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre, the Northumberland Players production of Kristen Da Silva’s comedy Hurry Hard at the Best Western in Cobourg, the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra’s season-opening Strength + Sparkle concert at Peterborough’s Showplace Performance Centre, Public Energy’s presentation of Sara Porter’s Bad Poetry at Peterborough’s The Theatre on King, the Peterborough Theatre Guild production of the First World War drama Bluebirds at The Guild Hall in Peterborough’s East City, and Roch Voisine’s tribute to the legendary Gordon Lightfoot at Showplace.
Taylor Lovelace brings “The Voice” to Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre
When you’re paying musical tribute to an iconic singer who was, and still is, commonly referred to as “The Voice,” the pressure to get it right is immense.
From the moment Whitney Houston sang her first solo at Manhattan’s Town Hall in February 1978, it was clear she had that special something that would take her as far as she wanted to go.
Signed by Arista Records at age 19, the Newark, New Jersey native rewarded the label with two back-to-back Billboard 200-topping albums — the former, Whitney Houston, remaining the best-selling debut album by a solo artist.
From 1985 well into the next decade, it was impossible to escape Houston’s voice, be it recorded, captured on video, or live. Not even movie audiences were immune to Whitney-mania, as her starring role in The Bodyguard not only brought her critical acclaim as an actress but also a Grammy Award for Album of the Year. When she died at age 48 in February 2012, Houston’s musical career was well in decline but her legacy was secure.
VIDEO: Taylor Lovelace talks about “I’m Every Woman: The Whitney Houston Songbook”
From October 22 to 25 at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre, Canadian singer and actor Taylor Lovelace will pay tribute to that legacy in I’m Every Woman: The Whitney Houston Songbook. Told through personal anecdotes, family stories, and her own voice, Lovelace will share what it means to find strength in the dark times and celebrate one of the most defining artists of the 20th century.
Lovelace — who has appeared in past Capitol productions of Waitress, Little Shop of Horrors, A Year with Frog & Toad, and Billboard in Concert — will deliver Houston’s hit songs including “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” “I’m Every Woman,” “I Will Always Love You,” and many more.
Created in the Capitol Theatre’s 2025 Creators’ Unit and written by Lovelace, I’m Every Woman: The Whitney Houston Songbook is directed by the Capitol’s artistic director Rob Kempson with musical supervision by Jeff Newberry.
Curtain is 7:30 p.m. from October 22 to 24, with 2 p.m. matinee performances on October 24 and 25. Tickets cost $55 plus fees ($45 for those under 30 years old) and are available at capitoltheatre.com.
Curling rink is the setting for Kristen Da Silva’s comedic play ‘Hurry Hard’ in Cobourg
Hank Murray as Bill and Jeremy Brans as Johnny during a rehearsal for the Northumberland Players production of Kristen Da Silva’s curling comedy “Hurry Hard” at the Best Western in Cobourg from October 23 to November 8, 2026. (Photo: Northumberland Players / Facebook)
During a time when it seems we’re all looking for something uniquely Canadian to grasp onto, the Northumberland Players have stepped up to the plate with a hilarious comedy centred around one of our favourite recreational pursuits.
Written by award-winning Canadian playwright, director, and actor Kristen Da Silva, Hurry Hard relates what happens seven years after Bill and Sandy’s divorce forced the fracture of their tight-knit curling team into separate men’s and women’s teams.
When the men’s team loses a player just before the major regional bonspiel, the reunion of the single coed team is forced, resulting in the estranged exes and their teammates having to navigate years of lingering personal baggage and deep-seated rivalries.
Directed by Jeremy Henson and produced by Terri Bicknell-Potts, the play stars Hank Murray as Bill, Jeremy Brans as Johnny, Nikki Parks as Darlene, Susie Macdonald as Sandy, and — new to the Northumberland Players stage — Michael Henderson as Terry.
The dinner theatre production runs for nine performances from October 23 to November 8 at the Best Western Plus Cobourg Inn and Convention Centre. Dinner is at 5:30 p.m., followed by the show at 7:30 p.m. on October 23 and 24, 30 and 31, and November 6 and 7, with dinner at 5 p.m. and the show at 7 p.m. for Sunday performances on October 25, November 1, and November 8.
Tickets cost $85 (including a three-course dinner, the show, and gratuity). To purchase tickets, call the Best Western at 905-372-2105.
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Peterborough Symphony Orchestra marking two milestones with its 2026-27 season
If one milestone wasn’t enough, the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra will celebrate two at its season-opening concert on Saturday (October 24).
Not only will the 7:30 p.m. concert at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough kick-off the orchestra’s 60th season, it will also mark Michael Newnham’s 25th year as the orchestra’s conductor and music director. For a community the size of Peterborough to have a world-class orchestra, led by someone of Newnham’s stature, is well worth celebrating.
Titled “Strength + Sparkle,” the concert will feature Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream Overture, Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 1 (featuring violinist Erika Raum), and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 (“Eroica”).
As always, Newnham will give a pre-concert talk at 6:45 p.m. which will no doubt include some reflections on 25 years at the orchestra’s helm.
Tickets are $42, $56, or $63 depending on seating, with all student tickets priced at $20, and are available at www.showplace.org.
Public Energy welcomes a unique take on the creative process
Sara Porter performs in “Bad Poetry: Live in Nogojiwanong/Peterborough” at The Theatre on King in downtown Peterborough on October 30 and 31, 2026. (Photo: Omer Yukseker)
Continuing to push the envelope when it comes to presenting cutting-edge, and very different, theatre art productions is Peterborough’s Public Energy Performing Arts, with Bad Poetry: Live in Nogojiwanong/Peterborough set for two performances at The Theatre on King.
Toronto-based writer, educator, and performer Sara Porter’s work was inspired by Tristane Connolly’s article “Falling in Love with Bad Poetry,” which is an ode to the absurdity of creative process.
During the pandemic, Porter invited her friends and colleagues to join The Bad Poetry Drinking Group online, inviting them to share their bad poetry as a means of self-expression, release, relief (often comic), and connection during trying times.
That led to a live show that has been performed in Toronto, Montreal, Kitchener, Stratford, Halifax and, now, Peterborough.
Part lecture, part dance performance, and part queer clown turn, the show highlights Porter’s daring imagination and sense of humour, both of which have brought her work at theatres and festivals across Canada, the United States, Scotland, and the UK.
Of note, Porter’s performance will be musically accompanied by Peterborough’s own Benj Rowland, with both performances including an audience-interactive poetry creation workshop.
Curtain is 7:30 p.m. on October 30 and 4 p.m. on October 31. Tickets cost $20 to $50 on a sliding scale at publicenergy.ca.
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“Bluebirds” at the Peterborough Theatre Guild shows us war through the eyes of Canadian nurses
As the thoughts of many (but not nearly enough) turn to the annual remembrance of those Canadians who fought and died for our freedom, we’ll no doubt hear of a few music concerts and theatre productions that have a wartime-theme at their centre.
One that we know of now is Bluebirds, the Peterborough Theatre Guild’s second of six productions being staged during its 2026-27 season.
Written by acclaimed and much-awarded Canadian playwright Vern Thiessen and directed by longtime Guild member and supporter Bea Quarrie, Bluebirds is set in Étaples, France where the final year of World War One, 1918, finds three Canadian nurses serving on the front lines, tending to wounded soldiers while navigating the horrors of war.
VIDEO: “Bluebirds” promo
Amid the urgency and strain of their work, the women form deep connections, finding moments of humour and relief in one another. Through conversations, letters home and quiet reflection, their inner lives begin to surface as Bluebirds explores the toll of war and the emotional lives of the women who endured it.
As November 11 approaches, Bluebirds is a reminder that many who gave so much were armed with compassion as opposed to guns.
Bluebirds runs for 10 performances with evening shows at 7:30 p.m. on October 30, November 5 to 7, and November 12 to 14, and 1:30 p.m. matinee shows on October 31 and November 1 and 8. Tickets are $30 ($27 for seniors and $20 for students) and are available at www.peterboroughtheatreguild.com/upcoming-plays/bluebirds.
Roch Voisine pays tribute to a Canadian musical icon
VIDEO: “The Lightfoot Sessions” – Roch Voisine
With a career spanning more than three decades, Canadian singer-songwriter Roch Voisine has sold millions of albums worldwide and remains one of Canada’s most beloved artists, known for his distinctive voice and ability to connect across generations and languages.
Now the New Brunswick native, who was just inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in September, is paying tribute to a famous fellow inductee — the late Gordon Lightfoot.
When Voisine brings “The Lightfoot Sessions” to Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough on Wednesday, November 4, he will reimagine Lightfoot’s classic songs, including “If You Could Read My Mind,” “Sundown,” and “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”
Voisine will also perform favourite songs from his own catalogue, such as “With These Eyes,” “Kissing Rain,” and “I’ll Always Be There.”.
To keep the focus on the songwriting, the show will be presented in an intimate acoustic format, with Voisine bringing the songs to life through personal anecdotes and reflections from the stage.
Whether you’re a Lightfoot fan, a Voisine fan, or both — or just appreciate the depth and subtlety of a well-crafted song delivered without all the fuss — this is a show you won’t want to miss.
Tickets are $79.50 plus fee and are available at showplace.org.
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Encore
Like many who followed her career and loved her music, I was terribly saddened to hear of Sass Jordan’s passing on October 2 at the way-too-young age of 63, and just a few months after she headlined at Peterborough Musicfest.
Back in the fall of 2017, kawarthaNOW asked me to get in touch with Jordan and write an article previewing her Market Hall show that was billed as a 25th anniversary celebration of the release of her 1992 groundbreaking album, Racine.
Jordan and I had never chatted before but I came away feeling I had known her for years. When I read, following her passing, of how sincere, down-to-earth and funny she was, I immediately understood as I harkened back to my memory of that chat close to 10 years ago but still fresh in my mind.
I’ve been privileged to interview thousands of people over 46 years, from all walks of life, but few can lay claim to the simple enjoyment I experienced chatting with Jordan. She was the real deal, with a wicked sense of humour and a penchant for not taking herself all that seriously. That’s missed in a world where cynicism gets way more attention than it deserves.
Lakelands Public Health medical officer of health Dr. Thomas Piggott says good health for schoolchildren is more than just avoiding physical illness. Mental health, social connection, physical activity, good nutrition, and healthy habits all matter. He suggests families establish regular sleep routines, reduce screen time, make healthy eating a priority, and encourage time outdoors and physical activity such as walking to school when possible. (Photo: GreenUP)
September has come and gone, and we are now well into October. Schools have restarted across the region and understandably some parents welcome the return of routines and schedules. Others may feel worried about the challenges that come with a new school year.
As the Medical Officer of Health for Lakelands Public Health, and as a dad to two young girls, I understand both sides.
School is about much more than pencils, backpacks, and lunch boxes. It is also a time to think about the health and well-being of our children and families.
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We know that many parents are carrying a heavy load. A recent parenting survey conducted across the Lakelands region in partnership with Trent University found that 51 per cent of parents reported feeling stressed always or often during the last six months. At the same time, 42 per cent said they were struggling financially to make ends meet.
These pressures affect many parts of family life, including the ability to buy healthy food, register children for activities, or simply find time to recharge and care for their health.
We are seeing similar concerns among young people across the province. Results from the 2025 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey paint a mixed picture.
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There is encouraging news: alcohol and cannabis use among students has dropped significantly over the years improving health. However, reports of high stress, psychological distress, and thoughts of self-harm have increased. Excessive social media and online gambling use have also grown dramatically and with them health harms.
These trends remind us that health is about more than avoiding illness. Mental health, social connection, physical activity, good nutrition, and healthy habits all matter.
As families settle into the school year, there are a few simple things that can make a big difference.
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First, focus on sleep. Summer schedules often mean later bedtimes and slower mornings. There are not specific targets, and each kid is different, but children and teens do best when they have a regular sleep routine with no nighttime screentime. Good sleep helps with learning, concentration, mood, and overall health.
Second, think about screen time during the daytime too. Phones, tablets, gaming systems, and social media are part of everyday life, but minimizing their use improves health. Setting clear limits and creating screen-free times, especially before bed and avoiding their presence in rooms, can help children sleep better, decrease stress and spend more time connecting with family and friends.
Third, make healthy eating a priority. Nutritious meals and snacks give children the energy they need to learn and grow. Healthy choices do not have to be complicated. Simple foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy products, and protein-rich foods can help children stay focused throughout the school day. Try to encourage kids to participate in cooking and family meal preparation to help contribute and learn valuable skills.
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Finally, encourage time outdoors and physical activity. Whether it is walking to school, playing at the park, riding a bike, or exploring local trails, time in nature benefits both physical and mental health. It can reduce stress, improve mood, and help families spend quality time together.
Let’s remember that small daily habits can have a lasting impact. By supporting healthy routines at home and school, we can help our children learn, grow, and thrive.
On behalf of Lakelands Public Health, I wish all students, parents, caregivers, and school staff a healthy and successful year ahead.
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