Nils Edenloff, Amy Cole, and Paul Banwatt are The Rural Alberta Advantage. The Juno-nominated indie rock band headlines the final concert of Peterborough Musicfest's 33rd season on August 17, 2019 at Del Crary Park in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Vanessa Heins)
There are several ways Peterborough Musicfest could have put the cap on its 33rd season. Classic rock is always a very good draw. Country never fails to bring out a good-sized crowd. And as evidenced this summer and those past, the familiarity offered by any one of a number of tribute acts is always a safe bet.
Peterborough Musicfest presents The Rural Alberta Advantage with The Elwins
When: Saturday, August 17, 2019 at 8 p.m. Where: Del Crary Park (100 George St. N., Peterborough) How much: Free admission
Bring your own lawn chairs or blankets (lawn chairs are available to rent for $4/chair). VIP seating available for sponsors. No smoking, alcohol, or pets permitted. There’s no public parking at Del Crary Park, but there’s neighbourhood street parking nearby and ample parking in downtown Peterborough.
Then there’s the vast Canadian indie rock genre. In opting to present a season-ending Saturday, August 17th double bill of headliner The Rural Alberta Advantage with The Elwins opening, Musicfest will bring to the Fred Anderson Stage two of the more successful, and hence popular, bands that genre has to offer.
Admission to the 8 p.m. concert is free, thanks to the support of sponsors.
Formed in 2005 in Toronto, The Rural Alberta Advantage has explored themes ranging from hometowns lost and found to tragic Alberta disasters, presenting a frank and forthright style of songwriting that continues to leave its mark and grab the attention of music fans.
The band is comprised of Nils Edenloff on lead guitar and vocals, Amy Cole on keyboards and bass, and Paul Banwatt on drums.
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“It (the band) started at an open mic night that we hosted, which is where Paul and I started to play together,” recalls Edenloff in a November 2014 interview with Sep Gohardani of Soundsphere magazine.
“Amy didn’t want to degrade herself by playing but we were like ‘We do’ and we just did that for a while. Because no one would come to the open mic night and play, in order to get the beer and food that we would be given that night, we would come up with our own songs and play a bunch of covers.”
“As much as we’ve toured and recorded and stuff, I don’t think we’ve deviated that much from those very early days. We’ve added things and refined it but that general feel of acoustic folky guitar songs with crazy drums was born at an open mic night in Toronto in front of nobody but a barkeep.”
VIDEO: “Stamp” – The Rural Alberta Advantage
VIDEO: “White Lights” – The Rural Alberta Advantage
From that inauspicious beginning which eventually saw Cole come into the fold, The Rural Alberta Advantage released its debut album Hometowns in 2008, followed by Departing (2011), Mended With Gold (2014) and The Wild (2017) featuring the singles “White Lights” and “Brother”.
Departing was a particular turning point, being a long-listed nominee for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize. The album also brought two 2012 Juno Award nominations for Best New Group and Video of the Year for the single “Stamp”.
In September 2016, the band’s momentum struck a bump in the road when Cole announced she was leaving the fold. That cleared the way for Robin Hatch to move in as keyboardist and bassist, her talents featured on The Wild. That album’s lead track, “Beacon Hill”, was inspired by the devastating 2016 wildfires in Fort McMurray, Alberta.
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“Inspiration tends to come at the oddest of times and sometimes it’s hard to pin down exactly what impact certain events have on the songs that ultimately come together,” says Edenloff in a January 2017 interview with Scott Lewis of Indie88.
“It’s not like I was watching the news of the Fort McMurray fire and thought ‘There needs to be a song about this.’ However, as we were working on what would ultimately become Beacon Hill, a lot of thoughts I had about the fire kept coming up and it became more apparent what the song was about for me.”
VIDEO: “Beacon Hill” – The Rural Alberta Advantage
VIDEO: “Brother” – The Rural Alberta Advantage
Come early 2018, Cole was back with The Rural Alberta Advantage and Hatch moved on. But anyone looking for any ill feelings that resulted from the prodigal musician’s return will be disappointed. From all outward appearances, everyone was and remains on very good terms, the band’s social media announcement of the change confirming that.
“We extend our love and thanks to Robin Hatch for her time with us. Everyone who saw her live or heard her on The Wild knows Robin’s talent. We’re proud to have her as part of our story.”
Better yet for fans of the trio and those yet to discover its music, that story shows no indication of ending any time soon.
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Opener: The Elwins
Keswick indie pop-rockers The Elwins opens for The Rural Alberta Advantage at the final concert of Peterborough Musicfest’s 33rd season on August 17, 2019 at Del Crary Park in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Jesse Korgemaa)
Just a year after The Rural Alberta Advantage first found its voice during those Toronto open mic gigs, The Elwins — Matt Sweeney, Travis Stokl, Francesco Figliomeni (he replaced Christopher Shannon in 2012), and Feurd Ian Robertson Moore — formed in Newmarket, Ontario (they are now located in Keswick).
Ten years and two studio albums later, the quartet was nominated for a 2016 Juno Award as Breakthrough Group of the Year, the single “So Down Low” fuelling that nod by peaking at #12 on the Canadian alt-rock chart, on its way to being used by Fido for a nation-wide advertising campaign.
The band’s latest album, 2017’s Beauty Community, produced the single “Hey! Ya You” that cracked the top 10 of the same listing.
“We were learning how to interact with each other musically. Had we come at it from a more strategic manner, I’m not sure what would have happened, although our gut says that it was important to have that innocent, carefree spirit from the get-go. When we started playing shows, it became more real to us.”
“More responsibility came with it all. Instead of just writing songs we thought were good, there were other things that came up, such as finding a way to get to a show and back.”
VIDEO: “Hey! Ya, You” – The Elwins
Recognizing there are countless bands just starting the same journey it embarked on 13 years ago, The Elwins say it’s a question of staying at it and finding the joy.
“Something such as determination is, and will forever be, valuable. Hard work if done in some sort of Plan/Do/Check/Adjust manner will yield good results. Maintaining the fun of it all is important too. If you keep a healthy attitude exploring more sides to an initial idea, that’s great. Two minds are often better than one.”
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Peterborough Musicfest presented 16 free-admission, sponsor-supported concerts featuring a total of 21 acts during its 33rd season — each concert staged on Wednesday and Saturday nights at Del Crary Park.
Overseen by general manager Tracey Randall and staff, a board of directors, and numerous volunteers, Peterborough Musicfest’s stated mission is to “provide diverse, affordable live music to enrich cultural and economic prosperity in our community.”
For more information on this concert or the entire 2019 season, visit www.ptbomusicfest.ca or phone the Peterborough Musicfest office at 705-755-1111.
For zero-waste lunches, resuable stainless steel containers are a great option. Unlike plastic containers, they are hard wearing, long lasting, and free of BPA and other harmful toxins. (Photo: GreenUP)
While Vancouver has postponed its ban on plastic straws until April 2020, the entire province of Prince Edward Island has moved swiftly to ban single-use plastic bags outright. With global temperatures rising and landfills filling up, we are running out of time and space for our garbage.
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Kristen LaRocque, GreenUP Store Coordinator.
However, even in the absence of provincial or municipal legislation, individuals and families can take decisive action to reduce waste at the household level.
With September around the corner, children will be headed back to school and regular lunch packing will resume.
Reducing household waste requires that we change our buying habits while outside the home. When we are grocery shopping and meal planning, instead of reaching for a package of cheese strings, consider buying a brick of cheese and cutting it creatively. Rather than buying a plastic bag of apples, opt for the unpackaged bulk option and bring along your own produce bags to contain them.
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Consistently choosing lunch snacks that have limited or no packaging is a great way to reduce waste.
Whether you are packing lunches for yourself, your kiddos or both, it can be tempting to prioritize convenience and opt for the prepackaged granola bar or cheese-and-cracker combo. But it is important to remember that these packaged foods are often high in saturated fats, preservatives, and other ingredients that are not ideal for human consumption.
Making lunches from fresh ingredients instead is good for the planet and the health of you and your family.
As a parent to a boisterous and busy six-year-old, I can attest to the challenge of making food desirable for children. While children remain firmly in control of if and how much they eat, parents can choose what is in their lunch box, no matter what age your child is.
Getting kids involved in packing their own litterless lunches will help to reduce food waste. Incorporate fun, functional, and waste-free packaging alternatives like stainless steel containers, fabric sandwich bags, beeswax wrap, and mason jars. (Photo: GreenUP)
Consider involving your child in the lunch-packing process which, depending on their age, can split the workload and encourage independence. When children have a voice and can choose their own sandwich type or veggie option, they are more likely to eat it.
If your child is headed to school for the first time, consider practising your lunch routine before the year begins by packing a demo lunch and going on a picnic. This gives you the opportunity to see your child’s lunch gear in action and they can demonstrate their ability to open and close the containers so that you can be sure that the food you pack is accessible.
If you are purchasing lunch gear, consider choosing reusable stainless steel containers, thermoses, and water bottles. Stainless steel is hard wearing, long lasting, light, and free of BPA and other harmful toxins. Sugar-filled disposable juice can be replaced with a single refillable juice box. By preparing a batch of home-brewed fruit tea, your child will feel like they have a special drink for school without the unnecessary packaging and sugar.
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Local teachers and education assistants have told me that one of the main sources of food waste in schools are half-full juice boxes that get inevitably tossed in the garbage after lunch is over.
Another opportunity is to replace plastic zip bags with reusable fabric or silicone snack bags. They offer the element of surprise and the novelty of opening a package. They are reusable, easy to wipe out at the end of the day, and the fabric ones can even be tossed in the washing machine once they need a deeper clean. Plastic wrap can also be replaced with beeswax food wraps, which are reusable, washable, and compostable after one year of use.
Prepacked granola bars may seem convenient, but a wrapper each day starts to add up in the landfill. Consider baking your own nutrient-rich alternative. If you bake large batches, you can freeze the extra and thaw as needed. This is a great way to save time and money, while offering another opportunity for your child to be involved in food preparation and customization.
Stainless steel containers keep fresh food tasting its best, so there’s no need to purchase unhealthy prepackaged snacks. And you can replace the disposable juice box with a reusable drink container filled with home-brewed fruit tea. (Photo: GreenUP)
Consulting with teachers, fellow parents, and online articles can also provide more lunch-packing inspiration. A quick Google search will bring up hundreds of blog posts and articles with parents documenting their school lunch ideas. One of my favourite ideas is fresh fruit or vegetable skewers.
Also, try visiting the website of the brand of your child’s lunch box. For example, the PlanetBox website at www.planetbox.com provides specific recipes that help you make the most of the compartments provided.
School lunches offer an opportunity to instil healthy eating habits and foster waste awareness, which can help to establish healthy habits that last a lifetime. Tackling climate change will require sustained, consistent, and collaborative effort by everyone in the community. Litterless lunches are a daily decision that is one part of a multipronged approach to this global problem.
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The GreenUP Store offers a variety of tools to help you create your child’s zero-waste lunch kit. We carry many reusable stainless steel container options in many sizes including PlanetBox, and many other brands that feature easy-to-open lids, silicone seals, and insulated double-walls for keeping meals warm or cold. We have many reusable bottles, drinking boxes, lunch bags and totes, fabric snack bags, and more.
For more information, visit our website at www.greenup.on.ca/greenup-store. Please visit us at the GreenUP Store at 378 Aylmer St. in downtown Peterborough, or give us a call at 705-745-3238, ext. 222, or email kristen.larocque@greenup.on.ca with your zero-waste lunch questions.
Brantford painter David Grieve is one of the 24 artists and artisans participating in the 26th annual Apsley Autumn Studio Tour, which takes place on September 21 and 22, 2019. Many of Grieve's paintings are inspired by Jack Lake in North Kawartha, where he maintains a summer studio. (Photo courtesy of the artist)
There’s a lot to say for autumn in the Kawarthas: a bounty of local food, a kaleidoscope of leaf colours, no humidity or bugs, and — for lovers of art — fall studio tours.
Autumn officially arrives this year on September 23rd, so what better way to celebrate its arrival than with a trip to North Kawartha for the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour?
This is the 26th year of the renowned annual tour, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 21st and Sunday, September 22nd. For 2019, the free self-guided tour features 24 artists and artisans in 12 studio locations in the Apsley area, located midway between Peterborough and Bancroft.
Apsley-area photographer Shane Climie, one of the artists participating in the 2019 Apsley Autumn Studio Tour, specializes in photographing nature, wildlife, and rugged landscapes, especially in and around Southern Ontario. (Photo courtesy of Apsley Autumn Studio Tour)
Every year, new artists apply for Apsley Autumn Studio Tour and are admitted through a juried process. Many live in the area, while others are guest artists.
This year’s participants cover the gamut of the visual arts, including painting, jewellery, glass art, woodworking, sculpture, fabric art, pottery, photography, and metalwork.
As well as being able to view their work, the tour provides you with the opportunity to meet the artists in person.
Download the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour map and watch for the black-and-white studio tour signs that mark each studio location. (Photo courtesy of Apsley Autumn Studio Tour)
Here’s a summary of the artists and artisans participating in the 2019 Apsley Autumn Studio Tour, including their disciplines and the studios where you can find them (watch for the black-and-white studio tour signs that mark each studio location, which are listed on the map below):
“I love creating art. It both energizes and grounds me.”
Shane Climie (photography, Studio N)
“Photography provides an opportunity for me to explore nature and to try to capture images that reflect the beauty and biological diversity of the Apsley area.”
Megan Cole (sculpture, Studio A)
“I sculpt and paint because I have a compulsion to try to capture the beauty I see in people and my surroundings and I want to try to preserve those glimpses by creating something lasting.”
Rachel Conlin (artisan wool and soap, Studio O)
“I am inspired by quiet. I love nature and just the silent solitude that comes with it. Then I get lots of wonderful ideas.”
Brad Copping (glass art, Studio F)
“There is an incredible moment when your ideas and means of expression come together. This feeling, however fleeting, is emotionally powerful. ”
Jacques Deslauriers (woodworking, Studio L)
“The beauty of wood has drawn me to the forest. I’m inspired from the thickness of forest and the abundance of lakes.”
David Grieve (painting, Studio G)
“I love painting and look forward to getting into the studio every day. I enjoy the entire process involved in the creation of a painting: gathering reference photos, sketching new compositions, realizing some of these sketches on canvas and exhibiting the works.”
Anja Hertle (mosaics, Studio J)
“I love to create with colour, texture and pattern using materials others have discarded and turning them into fun, whimsical images that induce a reaction of pure joy for myself and the viewer.”
Susan Higgins (glass art, Studio M)
“When I was in my 20s, an encounter with stained glass reached into my heart, and I was captured, so that’s what I make things from now.”
Dolores Hopps (fabric art, Studio H)
“I love to work with different fibre and fabric, the colour and texture … sometimes just seeing a piece of fabric will give me an idea.”
Vivienne Jones (jewellery, Studio F)
“I think of jewellery like small sculpture. I get to make things from my own ideas and inspiration using my hands; things that didn’t exist before. It feels a little magical.”
Elizabeth Kusinski (painting, Studio A)
“Painting is necessary to who I am. It is like breathing. One of the qualities I most enjoy about painting with oil is the versatility of this medium.”
Molly Moldovan (visual arts, Studio M)
“I can’t remember a time that I didn’t make art. Although my primary focus is abstraction, much of my work is linked to the pristine landscape that surrounds me: the lake, forest and uninterrupted skyscape are at the foundation of every piece that I paint.”
Tom Parsons (woodworking, Studio B)
“I enjoy creating with wood. From collecting to designing to finished product, each piece is unique and I find the work therapeutic. I come from a family of foresters and woodworkers, and was exposed to crafting and building from a young age. Working with wood connects me to my past.”
Cathy Pennaertz (pottery, Studio K)
“Besides loving it, I enjoy creating art out of functional materials. Every aspect about where I live gives me new inspiration … my animals, trees, mushrooms to mention a few. ”
Susan Rankin (glass art, Studio F)
“I blow glass because it is so much fun! It is hot and fast and, like a dance, you have to be fluid and focused. Time just disappears.”
Kathy Robichaud (stained glass, Studio H)
“Art is an escape into creativity, where I can lose myself to all the cares in the world and create something beautiful to share.”
Arne Roosman (painting, Studio S)
“The infinite possibilities of oils … the brush, its strokes, the sexy response of the canvas, the inflexible protestations of wooden panels.”
Catharine Scott (jewellery, Studio H)
“I love creating items that people can touch, hold, and wear. I love the excitement from my clients when they see their custom piece or any piece that I have on display. And I love the feeling I get when I’ve completed a piece that was challenging or just so simple to make.”
David Smith (painting, Studio F)
“The rhythm of the landscape and the colour and quality of light found within has always been a source of inspiration for my work.”
Judy Sparkes (pottery, Studio H)
“I’ve always loved working with my hands and I have a great appreciation for skilled craftsmanship in any medium. From the first time I touched clay, I was hooked and I’ve spent a lifetime exploring it since.”
Clare Scott-Taggart (metal sculpture, Studio F)
“I do metalwork because I like manipulating metal, I like how it feels and smells. Working with metal is magic.”
Frances Timbers (jewellery, Studio A)
“I started playing with silver because I had a longtime passion for silver jewellery. I started selling my work because it is too expensive as a hobby to endlessly make things for myself.”
Kimberly Tucker (fibre art, Studio A)
“The process of artmaking is how I express my creativity. It is rewarding and gratifying to have an idea, then to take some materials — whether it is fibre, found objects or a colour of dye — and use that material as a language to express my idea, to make a commentary, or to communicate my experience in a way that words cannot.”
First launched in 1994, the mission of the Apsley Studio Tour is to create public awareness of the arts by promoting and supporting artists in the community.
The tour also supports young artists as well, including sponsoring the Arts Award at Apsley Central Public School. Last year’s recipient was Clara Baron.
Head to North Kawartha this September for the day, or make a weekend of it by staying overnight in local accommodation such as the Burleigh Falls Inn or Viamede Resort.
“Rocha Rock” by Apsley painter David Smith, one of the 24 artists and artisans participating in the 2019 Apsley Autumn Studio Tour. After a a career in advertising, graphic design, and colour retouching, Smith now paints fulltime in watercolour, acrylic, and oil. (Photo courtesy of Apsley Autumn Studio Tour)
For more information on the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour, visit apsleystudiotour.com. You can also follow the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour on Facebook and Instagram.
This story was created in partnership with the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour.
Police continue to investigate a serious multi-vehicle accident on Saturday afternoon (August 10) on Highway 7 east of Oakwood in Kawartha Lakes.
The three cars involved in the accident, which occurred between Eldon Road and Taylors Road, were all extensively damaged.
One of the drivers was transported by ambulance to a local hospital and later to a Toronto area hospital with critical injuries.
A second driver was transported to a local hospital with unknown injuries and a passenger in the third vehicle was also transported to a local hospital as a precaution.
Highway 7 was closed for several hours as the OPP’s Technical Collision Investigation unit attended the scene to assist with the investigation, which is continuing.
Mohammad Shahidul Islam, who owns Curry Village in downtown Peterborough with his brother Muslim Islam, uses natural ingredients and a variety of spices to make fresh and healthy Indian food. The restaurant is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a special event on September 21, 2019. (Photo: Eva Fisher / kawarthaNOW.com)
This month, food writer Eva Fisher celebrates 25 years with Curry Village, takes a selfie with an alpaca at the Farmhill and Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market Harvest Dinner, sizes up the competition at the Keene Summer Barbeque, and prepares to celebrate local food during Local Food Month this September.
Curry Village (306 George St N, Peterborough, 705-742-1432) is celebrating their 25th anniversary — with an all-you-can-eat buffet featuring more than 50 dining options and live music — on Saturday, September 21st beginning at 5 p.m.
Brothers Mohammad Shahidul Islam and Muslim Islam, owners of Curry Village, moved to Peterborough from Bangladesh in 1996. Mohammad was a clothing designer at the time, but his relatives in Canada were in the restaurant business, so he thought with his brother’s help he would give it a try.
Curry Village was an instant hit.
“The restaurant was super busy,” Mohammad recalls. “Lunch was 70 to 80 people a day.”
The menu has a wide variety of traditional Indian food, but Mohammad has gone beyond traditional favourites, adding some of his own recipes to the menu.
“The latest dish I put on the menu is mango butter chicken. People say ‘Where did you get this dish? I’ve never tried this dish!’ It’s very sweet and tasty, and they’re really happy.”
He says that the recipe is inspired by the food he grew up eating in Bangladesh.
“When I was a kid my parents fed me mango, rice and coconut milk together. I just made it a different way. I said why not put some mango and coconut milk in the chicken and see how it tastes?”
A chicken curry lunch at Curry Village in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Eva Fisher / kawarthaNOW.com)
Every dish is made to order so it can be made spicy or mild.
“People think our food is spicy, but we have spicy, mild, medium, and hot. Whatever you want, we make it for you.”
Since its early heyday, Mohammad Shahidul admits that business at Curry Village has slowed, which he attributes to more multicultural food options in Peterborough. However, there is a vibrant base of regular customers young and old who frequent the downtown restaurant.
“Even people aged over 100, they are my customers. One lady has been coming for the past 25 years almost twice a month. She likes my chicken tandoori and Indian butter chicken.”
I’m there for lunch, and the regulars begin to filter in as we talk. Mohammad greets them by name and asks for their order, but he is also happy to make a recommendation.
“Just leave it to me, I know what you like, it’s okay,” he says, dashing to the kitchen.
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Like the best long-running businesses, Curry Village has become a community.
“There is all kinds of family here, my friends are here.” Mohammad smiles. “Some kids love me so much, they go directly to see me in the kitchen. I’m really happy for those kinds of things. I don’t want to retire from the restaurant. It’s hard work, but I love it.”
Mohammad would like to thank the many customers who have contributed to Curry Village’s success.
“I’m really proud and thankful to the Peterborough community. They are very helpful people and very nice people. I’m really thankful to them for supporting us for the past 25 years.”
Don’t miss out: call Curry Village at 705-742-1432 to reserve your table for the Curry Village 25th anniversary party.
Farmhill and Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market Harvest Dinner brings guests from field to table
On September 14, 2019, Farmhill Weddings and Events is partnering with the Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market to host a harvest dinner made with local farm fresh ingredients. (Photo: Jenn Austin-Driver)
Farmhill Weddings and Events (2709 Dillon Road, Peterborough) is partnering with the Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market to present Harvest Dinner, an evening of local dining at 6 p.m. on Saturday, September 14th that will bring you from field to table.
Jenn Austin-Driver and Matt Smith are the owners of Farmhill Weddings and Events. They also sell lamb at the Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market with their farm Millen + Smith Acres. Jenn is hoping that this event will make people feel more connected to their local farmers.
“We hope that this dinner will show people what a real working farm looks like and how they can eat better and support their community at the same time.”
Guests of the Harvest Dinner are invited to enjoy the farm and experience where their food is coming from. (Photo: Jenn Austin-Driver)
The meal will be served informally, and guests are encouraged to mingle while they eat. The food will be prepared by Two Dishes using fresh local ingredients from the Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market. Jenn says that the exact menu hasn’t been finalized yet.
“Since we’re only going to be using ingredients that are local, it will be whatever is in season.”
Another fun feature of the evening: alpaca cocktail hour.
“We want to reinvent cocktail hour and bring it full circle back to the farm,” Jenn explains. Guests are invited to grab a drink from the Farmhill Horse Trailer Bar and head into the field with the alpacas, where they can get to know the animals and take a few photos.
Farmhill Weddings and Events hosts a popular alpaca cocktail hour, where guests are encouraged to enjoy a cocktail while mingling with the farm’s alpacas. (Photo: Jenn Austin-Driver)
A portion of event proceeds will go towards securing a permanent space for the Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market. Jenn says that farming is at the heart of this event.
“We want to bring people together and give them a really fun, cool experience on the farm while promoting our local farmers. Community and local is our jam.”
Competition is smoking hot at the Keene Summer Barbeque
Team Ribneck will return to the Keene Summer Barbeque competition on August 24, 2019. (Photo: Keene Summer Barbeque / Facebook)
Hundreds will flock to the soccer field at McIntyre Sports Field (24 Pine Valley Rd., Keene) on Saturday, August 24th from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the annual Keene Summer Barbeque.
Organizer Neil Lorenzen, owner of Muddy’s Pit BBQ (3247 Country Rd. 2, Keene, 705-295-1255) says that seven barbeque competitors have signed up so far, but they are still welcoming more challengers.
Interested parties have until Sunday, August 18th to sign up to compete, and they can do so by contacting Muddy’s Pit BBQ.
Night with a Pig won last year’s pulled pork championship. They will return to compete at the Keene Summer Barbeque this year. (Photo: Keene Summer Barbeque / Facebook)
While the competition gets underway at 11 a.m. on Saturday, competitors start preparing their food at midnight on August 24th.
“People are cooking throughout the night to have their food available for judging in the afternoon,” Neil explains.
And he’ll be there all night too, providing guidance and making sure that everything is being prepared safely. Muddy’s will have food at the BBQ, but they won’t be competing because of Neil’s involvement as an organizer.
Dorisdale Farm in Kenne will provide fresh corn on the cob at the Keene Summer Barbeque. (Photo: Dorisdale Farm / Facebook)
Neil says that this event is a great place for amateur pitmasters.
“Last year it was an amateur person who basically took the whole thing,” Neil notes. “The actual cooking is always quite a surprise. You’ll have a professional outlet with the big smokers all running, and then here will be some guy with a little backyard smoker that he works on every weekend and he ends up having the best ribs or the best pulled pork.”
Attendees can taste an incredible variety of barbeque, grab a cob of corn from Dorisdale Farms as a side, then wash down all of that barbeque at the beer tent, sponsored by Sleeman’s.
There will be a full lineup of music including Phil and the Blanks, Jacob Lauzon, The Tizzies, and Deep Dark River.
Proceeds from the event will go to fund community projects in Otonabee-South Monaghan. Last year, funds went to Keene Minor Hockey and to the Otonabee Memorial Centre arena upgrade project. Funds from this year’s event have yet to be allocated.
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Get ready for Local Food Month in September
September is Local Food Month in the City and County of Peterborough. (Photo: Peterborough County / Twitter)
On Wednesday (August 14) at Elmhirst’s Resort (1045 Settler’s Line, Keene, 705-295-4591), City of Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien and Peterborough County Warden J. Murray Jones will officially proclaim September as Local Food Month in Peterborough/Nogojiwanong. Editor’s note: this event has been cancelled “due to unforeseen circumstances”. Local Food Month will still take place in September, but there will be no formal proclamation event.
Local Food month is an annual celebration of local food, with events happening throughout the city. Watch for free farm tours, workshops, dinners and a competitive Eat Local Food Challenge.
A statement from Transition Town Peterborough outlines how celebrating local food is of growing importance.
“Local food is receiving more and more attention as climate change alters growing zones and as communities try to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions with Climate Change Action Plans. Buying local food reduces emissions by shortening the distance food must be trucked.”
Local Food Month will culminate in the Purple Onion Festival, an annual celebration of local food held at Millenium Park in Peterborough. (Photo: Transition Town Peterborough)
The final event of Local Food Month will be the 9th annual Purple Onion Festival, a celebration of local food presented by Transition Town Peterborough from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, September 22nd at Millennium Park in downtown Peterborough.
The annual harvest season celebration features samples of local food prepared by chefs, fresh produce, artisans, live entertainment, and dancing.
An architectural rendering of Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region's planned 41-unit affordable condo development at 33 Leahy’s Lane in Peterborough. On August 13, 2019, the federal government announced it is investing up to $3.2 million to support the development, part of a $32.4 million financial commitment over three years (2019-2021) under the federal government's National Housing Co-Investment Fund to support Habitat for Humanity Canada and its affiliate organizations across Canada. (Illustration courtesy of Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region)
The federal government is investing up to $3.2 million in Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region for the construction of a 41-unit affordable condo development at 33 Leahy’s Lane in Peterborough.
Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef made the announcement on Tuesday (August 13) on behalf of Jean-Yves Duclos, the federal minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
The funding for Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region is part of a $32.4 million financial commitment over three years (2019-2021) under the federal government’s National Housing Co-Investment Fund to support Habitat for Humanity Canada and its affiliate organizations across Canada.
In total, the funding will create around 405 new homes and support the repair of around 105 units for lower-income families in communities across Canada.
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In 2019, Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha will receive up to $3,183,250 in federal funding for 35 new homes within its Leahy’s Lane project. The three-storey 41-unit building is the largest multi-residential development by Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha.
“We just can’t stay on the sidelines any longer, confining our building activity to the traditional single-detached home built one at a time,” says Sarah Burke, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha. “We need to innovate in a big way — the need is just too great. With this development, we aim to provide homes not just for low-income families, but also for low-income couples, singles, and seniors.”
Habitat for Humanity traditionally builds single detached homes for lower-income families. The Leahy’s Lane multi-unit development will allow Habitat to also support low-income couples, singles, and seniors. (Photo courtesy of Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region)
The Leahy’s Lane project will include six one-bedroom units, 29 two-bedroom units, and six three-bedroom units. All units will be energy efficient, accessible, and affordable, intended for families with a mixture of incomes from around $20,000 to $50,000 depending on family size.
The 33 Leahy’s Lane property across from Garside Drive fronts onto Parkhill Road East, with a bus stop adjacent to the property. The development will include trees, gardens, a small covered walkway with a bench. The building will also feature a party room/social lounge on the first floor.
To qualify for a Habitat condo, applicants need to prove they can repay an interest-free mortgage with repayments geared to income, and that they do not have the means to get their own conventional mortgage. All applicants who partner with Habitat are required to achieve 500 “sweat equity” hours, providing volunteer service on the build site, at the ReStore, or through other Habitat initiatives.
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Normally, applicants can contribute their hours by participating in the construction of the home. This will not be the case with the Leahy’s Lane project, which will be built by a professional developer; however, applicants will be able to participate in landscaping and similar activities.
Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha is planning to start construction on the Leahy’s Lane project in the fall of 2019, with completion slated for 2020. For more information on applying for home ownership with Habitat, visit www.habitatpkr.ca/homeownership/.
The undeveloped site at 33 Leahy’s Lane fronts onto Parkhill Road East. Construction of the new multi-unit residential development will begin in the fall of 2019, with completion slated for 2020. (Photo courtesy of Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region)
Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC) executive director Wendy Curtis and Northumberland-Peterborough South MP Kim Rudd (centre) join local women entrepreneurs and business leaders at Venture13 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre in Cobourg on August 8, 2019, when the federal government announced an investment of $1.4 million in Northumberland CFDC's DELIA, a financial technologies lending platform that will priorize commercial loan applications for women-owned and women-led enterprises in Eastern Ontario. (Photo: Office of Kim Rudd)
businessNOW™ is the most comprehensive weekly round-up of business and organizational news and events from Peterborough and across the Kawarthas.
Every week, our managing editor collects news and events related to businesses and organizations from across the Kawarthas. If you’d like us to promote your news or event in businessNOW, please email business@kawarthanow.com.
This week’s business and organizational news includes the federal government investing $1.4 million in Northumberland CFDC’s lending platform for women-owned and women-led enterprises in Eastern Ontario, Nexicom receiving $1 million in federal funding to bring high-speed internet to Douro-Dummer, the Kawartha Chamber announcing the finalists for its 20th Annual Awards of Excellence, and the Peterborough Chamber announcing the finalists for its 16th Annual Peterborough Business Excellence Awards.
Also featured this week is Mickaël’s Café Librairie opening a second location in Omemee and the Food Basics grocery store opening in Port Hope.
New regional business events added this week include the Innovation Cluster’s “No Stress Zone: Pilates with the Healthy Sweet Potato” workshop in Peterborough on August 14th (registration is now open), Orangetheory Fitness in Peterborough hosting its grand opening on August 15th, and the launch of the Trent-Severn Trail Town program in Campbellford on August 22nd.
Federal government invests $1.4 million in Northumberland CFDC’s lending platform for women-owned and women-led enterprises in Eastern Ontario
Northumberland-Peterborough South MP Kim Rudd announcing a $1,436,500 investment in Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC) to support women-owned and women-led enterprises in Eastern Ontario. The announcement took place at Venture13 in Cobourg on August 8, 2019. (Photo: Office of Kim Rudd)
Last Thursday (August 8), Northumberland-Peterborough South MP Kim Rudd announced a $1,436,500 investment in an initiative by Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC) to support women-owned and women-led enterprises in Eastern Ontario.
Rudd joined local women entrepreneurs and business leaders at Venture13 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre in Cobourg to make the announcement.
The funding will support the development of a financial technologies (FinTech) lending platform called DELIA (Develop Educate Lead Innovate Accelerate) that will provide an easy online application process and instant decisions on commercial loan applications up to $50,000.
“DELIA is about calibrating our lending to innovative, women entrepreneurs using contemporary financial technologies,” says Northumberland CFDC executive director Wendy Curtis. “We will work closely with a cohort of up to 30 high-potential women-led firms in enhancing their competitive development and scale-up through an all-inclusive suite of entrepreneurial support services and training.”
The priority of DELIA will be investment in innovative women-owned and women-led enterprises in Eastern Ontario. Successful recipients will be automatically inducted into a concurrent program providing advisory support services, networking opportunities, accelerator space and entrepreneurial skills development through Venture13.
The objective of the FinTech-driven women’s entrepreneurship program is to close existing service and access to capital gaps in Eastern Ontario, to help to ensure under-represented women successfully start, scale up, and expand their ventures with dedicated financing and strategy support services.
The FinTech lending platform will launch on November 4, 2019.
The funding comes from the federal government’s Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, a $2-billion investment that seeks to double the number of women-owned businesses by 2025.
For more information and updates about DELIA, visit https://financingandstrategy.com/delia/.
Nexicom receives $1 million in federal funding to bring high-speed internet to Douro-Dummer
Douro-Dummer Mayor J. Murray Jones, Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, and Nexicom president and owner Clayton Zekelman at the August 12, 2019 announcement of $1 million for Nexicom to bring high-speed internet to the Township of Douro-Dummer. (Photo: Office of Maryram Monsef)
On Monday (August 12), Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef announced federal funding of $1 million on behalf of Minister of Rural Economic Development Bernadette Jordan for local telecommunications company Nexicom for high-speed internet in the Township of Douro-Dummer.
Nexicom will also be contributing $334,600 to the initiative, which will bring new or improved internet access and capacity to the residents of Warsaw.
“Nexicom have been part of the Douro-Dummer family for many years and we are very appreciative of their efforts and the generous assistance of the federal government,” says Peterborough County Warden and Douro-Dummer Mayor J. Murray Jones.
The funding comes from the federal government’s “Connect to Innovate” program, which is extending high-speed internet service to more than 900 rural and remote communities.
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Kawartha Chamber announces finalists for 20th Annual Awards of Excellence
Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism’s 2018 Awards of Excellence & Social Gala at Lakefield College School. This year’s event takes place on October 10, 2019. (Photo: Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism)
Last Wednesday (August 7), the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism announced the finalists for its 20th Annual Awards of Excellence:
Commercial Development or Renovation: Kawartha Lakes Construction, Lock Stop Cafe, Sweet Competition
Customer Service Excellence: Bell’s Garage, Home Suite Home Transitions, Lang Pioneer Village Museum, Nexicom, Village Pet Food & Supply
Not-for-Profit Excellence: BEL Rotary Club, Camp Kawartha, Curve Lake First Nation Cultural Centre, Lakefield Literary Festival, The Canadian Canoe Museum
Retailer of the Year: Griffin’s Greenhouses, Kingdon Timber Mart, Paris Marine, Village Pet Food & Supply
Service Sector Excellence: BALL Real Estate, Swanky Events, Whelan’s Flooring Centre
Tourism/Hospitality Excellence: Scotsman Point Resort, The Kawartha Buttertart Factory, Westwind Inn on the Lake
Outstanding Business Achievement: Beachwood Resort, Central Smith, Cottage Toys, T. G. Quirk Garage
Finalists have not been announced for two additional categories: Young Professional and Citizen of the Year. The recipients of these awards, along with those of the other categories, will be revealed at the Awards of Excellence & Social Gala on Thursday, October 10th at Lakefield College School in Lakefield.
Peterborough Chamber announces finalists for 16th Annual Peterborough Business Excellence Awards
he Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce’s 2018 Peterborough Business Excellence Awards. This year’s event takes place on October 16, 2019 at Showplace Performance Centre. (Photo: Peterborough Chamber of Commerce)
Last Thursday (August 8), the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce announced the finalists for its 16th Annual Peterborough Business Excellence Awards:
Entrepreneurial Spirit: Inclusive Advisory, Carlson Wagonlit Travel:G. Stewart Travel Services, The Willow Studio
Skilled Trades: AVIT Manufacturing, Kevin Mooney Construction Ltd., Thompson Machine and Tool
Tourism: Escape Maze Incorporated, The Friends of Hope Mill, Kawartha Craft Beer Festival
Retail: Kingdon Timber Mart, Tiny Greens Plant Cafe, Sunderland Co-operative Inc. – Peterborough District
Professional Services: D.M. Wills Associates Limited, Inclusive Advisory, Lett Architects Inc.
Customer First:Keene Truck Inc., Showplace Performance Centre, Sunderland Co-operative Inc. – Peterborough District
Local Focus: Brides United Peterborough, Merrett Home Hardware Building Centre, Peterborough Petes
Innovation / Research & Development: Campfire Collective, Charlotte Products Ltd., Percheron Plastic Inc.
Commercial Development or Renovation: Hospice Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes Construction, Weichel & Associates
Marketing & Promotion: 123DigitalPower by Sofie Andreou & Associates, Mega Experience, Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area
Environmental Practices: GreenUP, Simply Trees, Wild Rock Outfitters Inc.
Health & Wellness: Horizon Family Naturopathic Clinic, Kawartha Heights Retirement Living, Tiny Greens Plant Cafe
Not-for-Profit: Alternatives Community Program Services (Peterborough) Inc., The Canadian Canoe Museum, Cuddles for Cancer
Micro Business – Less than 5 employees: CrossFit PTBO, Hidden Potential Consulting, Renew Medi Spa Peterborough
Hospitality: Publican House Brewery, Shorelines Casino Peterborough, The StoneHouse Hall
Employer of the Year: D.M. Wills Associated Limited, Friendly Fires, Lett Architects Inc.
In addition to the finalists, the Chamber announced the 2019 Immigrant Entrepreneur of the Year (Mohammad Alftih of (OMG) Oasis Mediterranean Grill), the recipients of the Business Student Leadership Prizes (Joao Borges of Fleming College and Rhode Thomas of Trent University), and the 4-Under-40 Profiles (Dr. Vipin Grover, Brooke Hammer, Grace Reynolds, and Nicole Truman).
The Business Citizen of the Year, along with the recipients of the other categories, will be announced at the Excellence Awards ceremony on Wednesday, October 16th at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough.
Mickaël’s Café Librairie opens a second location in Omemee
Mickaël Durand at work at Mickaël’s Café Librairie in Lindsay. The boulangerie owner has opened a second location in Omemee. (Photo: Mickaël’s Café Librairie)
Mickaël Durand, owner of Mickaël’s Café Librairie in Lindsay (230 Kent St. W.), has opened a second location in Omemee.
Located at 26 King Street East, right beside (and connected to) the Omemee branch of the Kawartha Lakes Public Library, the boulangerie (French-style bakery) with seating for 20 is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday.
Originally from Brittany in France, where he operated two bakeries with one of his brothers, Durand emigrated to Canada and eventually settled in Lindsay with his wife and children.
He opened his small cafe and bookstore in Lindsay in 2016, where he focused on crepes and coffee. In 2017, he renovated the location so he could start baking, and now offers a variety of breads, bagels, croissants, pretzels, cookies, brûlée, and more.
At the new Omemee location, he also offers specialty coffees, crepes, and sandwiches.
Food Basics grocery store opens in Port Hope
Food Basics is now open at 125 Hope Street South in Port Hope. (Photo: Port Hope and District Chamber of Commerce)
The new Food Basics grocery store officially opened in Port Hope last Thursday (August 8).
A ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour was held at the 32,000-square-foot location at 125 Hope Street South, which was previously a Metro store that closed in the spring.
Food Basics vice-president of operations John Manax, Port Hope Mayor Bob Sanderson, and Deputy Mayor Les Andrews were among the attendees.
Food Basics is the discount brand of Metro, with more than 130 stores across Ontario.
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FastStart Peterborough hosts “Goodbye Summer, Hello Entrepreneurship” seminar in Peterborough on August 13
The next FastStart E-Connect seminar, “Goodbye Summer, Hello Entrepreneurship!”, takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, August 13th at the Silver Bean Cafe in Millennium Park (1130 King St., Peterborough).
Donna Floyd, founder and CEO of Cottage Toys, and Jillian Scates, sales and operations analyst with Central Smith Creamery, will discuss family business and working in Peterborough and the Kawarthas.
FastStart Peterborough is a partnership between Trent University, Fleming College, and the Innovation Cluster.
Innovation Cluster hosts “Hands-ON: Maintaining Mindfulness as an Entrepreneur” workshops in Peterborough starting on August 14
On Wednesdays in August, the Innovation Cluster is hosting “Hands-ON: Maintaining Mindfulness as an Entrepreneur”, a three-part series emphasizing mindfulness for entrepreneurs.
“No Stress Zone: Pilates with the Healthy Sweet Potato” is a Pilates class at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough) on August 14th, followed by “Managing Stress and Burnout with Legendary Coaching” on August 21st, and “Pause for Paws – Therapy Dogs” on August 28th, when East Central Therapy Dogs will bring in volunteers to do an hour of de-stressing with their dogs.
All workshops (which are free) will have a limited amount of space and registration is mandatory.
Orangetheory Fitness in Peterborough hosts grand opening on August 15
Orangetheory Fitness in Peterborough is hosting a grand opening celebration from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 15th at its location at 1905 Lansdowne Street West in Peterborough.
The Peterborough franchise, independantly owned by Katie Wheler, opened for VIP members on August 2nd.
Members and staff will be at the studio for a celebration and meet and greet, featuring a photo booth, snacks, and beverages.
Port Hope Young Professionals and Port Hope Chamber host a “house party” in Port Hope on August 16
Port Hope Young Professionals and the Port Hope and District Chamber of Commerce are hosting a “house party” starting at 6 p.m. on Friday, August 16th at the Penryn Mansion at the Port Hope Golf & Country Club (82 Victoria St. S., Port Hope).
The free event for the Port Hope business community will feature live music from Chris Devlin and a special guest (presented by the Brown Bag Tour Co.), local food, a cash bar, and more.
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Venture13 hosts The Employer Event in Cobourg on August 20
The Community Employment Resource Partnership, Northumberland County, and the millennial team of Canada Summer Jobs students at the Community Training and Development Centre are presenting “The Employer Event” from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 20th in the lecture hall at Venture13 (739 D’Arcy St., Cobourg).
The focus of the event is how to recruit, retain, and train millennials (employees aged 20 to 45) who, by 2025, will make up 75 per cent of the workforce. You will learn information from experts in recruitment, retention, and training, explore a variety of techniques and resource, and discover innovative ideas, insights, and strategies.
Trent-Severn Trail Town program launches in Campbellford on August 22
Regional Tourism Organization 8 (RT08) will be launching Canada’s first waterway “Trail Town” program at 11 a.m. on Thursday, August 22nd at Trent-Severn Waterway Locks 11-12 (15 Trent Dr., Campbellford).
The Trent-Severn Trail Town program celebrates the Trent-Severn Waterway and Kawarthas Northumbeeland, while supporting small businesses along the waterway and sustainbly building tourism. The program will connect communities, foster pride of place, embrace visitors, and elevate the region.
Participating communities to date are Campbellford, Hastings, Lakefield, Buckhorn, Lindsay, Bobcaygeon, Fenelon Falls, Coboconk, and Rosedale.
Stay tuned for coverage by kawarthaNOW.com on launch day.
Comfort Keepers Peterborough hosts its grand opening in Peterborough on August 22
Corey and Alyssa Rowe are the owners of Comfort Keepers Peterborough. (Photo: Comfort Keepers Peterborough)
Comfort Keepers Peterborough will be hosting a grand opening from 2 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, August 22nd at Peterborough Business Hub (398 McDonnel St., Peterborough).
Corey and Alyssa Rowe are the owners of the local franchise, which offers senior care, dementia/Alzheimer care, personal care and grooming, meal preparation, transportation services, palliative and end-of-life care, new mother services, brain injury support, post-surgery or car accident support, and more.
There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony and light refreshments will be available.
Bancroft Chamber hosting Mineral Collecting Tours now until August 31
The Bancroft & District Chamber of Commerce is hosting Mineral Collecting Tours now until Saturday, August 31st at various locations in Hastings County.
Registration is held at 9 a.m. at the Chamber office (51 Hastings St. N., Bancroft) on the day of each tour, with tours departing at 9:30 a.m. The tours take place on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, with each tour lasting around five hours.
Participants are responsible for their own equipment (mandatory safety glasses and closed-in footwear and rockhounding equipment) and transportation. The cost is $17 for adults, $12 for youth aged 16 and under, or $50 for a family of up to five people. Additional fees are required for specific sites.
Haliburton Highlands Chamber hosts The Breakfast Club in Dysart et al on September 10
The Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce is hosting The Breakfast Club from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on Tuesday, September 10th at Abbey Retreat Centre (1150 Garden Gate Dr., Dysart et al).
The guest speaker is John Purkis, senior associate with The Natural Step Canada, who will speak on the topic “Incorporating Environmental Sustainability Into Your Organization”. Purkis is a sustainability expert, facilitator, and systems change specialist who works with municipal governments and other organizations in Canada and around the world to implement sustainability into their operations and planning.
"Repatriation to the Moon", the debut play from Peterborough's newest theatre company Grassboots Theatre, will be performed by company founders Chris Whidden and Peyton Le Barr, who recently relocated from Toronto to Peterborough County. The play runs for four performances from August 14 to 17, 2019 at Artspace in downtown Peterborough. The play is based on an underground theatre performance in 1946 by Whidden's great-uncle, artist and playwright Wladyslaw Dutkiewicz. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
On Wednesday, August 14th, Peterborough’s newest theatre company Grassboots Theatre debuts their inaugural production, Repatriation to the Moon, at Artspace in downtown Peterborough.
Grassboots Theatre presents Repatriation to the Moon
When: Wednesday, August 14, 2019 to Saturday, August 17, 2019 at 8 p.m. Where: Artspace (378 Aylmer Rd., Peterborough) How much: $15 (free for children 12 and under)
Inspired by a performance from the 1940s by Polish artist Wladyslaw Dutkiewicz. Written by Chris Whidden and performed by Chris Whidden and Peyton Le Barr. Advance tickets available online at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4306306.
Created and performed by company founders Chris Whidden and Peyton Le Barr, Repatriation to the Moon will be Peterborough’s first look at the exciting projects that the couple has planned for our community in the months, and years, to come.
Seemingly coming out of nowhere earlier this summer, Grassboots Theatre Company caught the attention of the community in a big way when Chis and Peyton hosted a open mic storytelling night, called Share Off!, in late July. Despite being virtual strangers to the arts community, Chris and Peyton’s event was a huge success with a packed house showing up to hear familiar faces from the arts community tell stories during what proved to be one of the hottest nights in July.
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“We needed a fundraiser for Repatriation to the Moon but we also needed to dive in and be a company here,” Chris says of the storytellers event. “We needed to do something more than just to ask for money to help us put on a show. We wanted to do something that incorporated the community, and that’s where the storytelling event came from.”
“It was a great way to get to know Peterborough, and for the community to get to know us,” Peyton adds. “We wanted to create an event that was for Peterborough and wasn’t about us. I was pretty terrified that we would lose money doing it, or at best break even. I knew we’d have some people because we knew that we had storytellers signed up.”
“But never in my wildest dreams did I think that we would be jam packed and run out of chairs. People stayed despite the heat, which was unreal because I don’t know if I would stay at someone’s event if it was that hot.”
In July, Grassboots Theatre Company held an open mic storytelling night at Artspace to raise funds to stage their first production while also creating an event for Peterborough’s arts community. (Photo: Grassboots Theatre Company / Facebook)
Originally from Toronto, Peyton and Chris were both working as actors when they met during a production of Twelfth Night. However, battling an oversaturated market and not finding the types of community in Toronto they wanted, the couple decided to find a new place to set up their own theatre company.
Knowing of the Kawarthas’ reputation as an arts community, they decided to pack up their two dogs and belongings and move to Peterborough County.
“We wanted to go somewhere that was a reasonable drive from Toronto so we could still work there as artists if we need too,” Chris recalls. “We had a radius and Peterborough fit in. We also wanted to go to a city that had an arts scene.”
“Peterborough has an energy that suits us,” Peyton adds. “We couldn’t be more honest to say that we chose to move here on a whim. We booked a hotel and decided to do a weekend visit. There was a blizzard, so we saw nothing of Peterborough. But we stumbled into Le Petit Bar (in downtown Peterborough) and it had the nicest energy. It was a lovely night, and we decided ‘Okay. This will do.'”
Peyton Le Barr and Chris Whidden, founders of Grassboots Theatre Company. The couple recently moved from Toronto to Peterborough County and hope to eventually build a small theatre space on their farm in Havelock. (Photo: Sam Tweedle / kawarthaNOW.com)
Purchasing a hobby farm in Havelock, the couple’s eventual plan is to build a small theatre space on the property. However, that dream is still in its infancy and is years away. In the meantime, they are making their theatrical debut with Repatriation to the Moon, which finds inspiration from a colourful figure in Chris’ family’s past: his great-uncle Wladyslaw Dutkiewicz, a Polish-born naturalized Australian artist and Polish language playwright.
“The whole inspiration for this show comes from my Polish heritage,” Chris explains. “When Poland was split between Russia and Germany during World War II, my grandma was sent to Siberia and her brother, Wlad, went to Germany. He was an artist and a member of the Polish Resistance, and he would do shows in Germany for the Polish people.”
“Wlad got someone to smuggle my grandma into Germany so they could be together again. When she found him, he was performing a show and, when he saw her in the audience, he fainted on the stage. The show he was doing at the time was called Repatriation to the Moon — about two Polish people who have no home anymore and decide to find a new one. There is no script, but there is one photo from that time of my great-uncle performing in that show, which I used as the inspiration for creating this show.”
Written by Grassboots Theatre Company co-founder Chris Whidden, the original play “Repatriation to the Moon” was inspired by a performance of the same name by Whidden’s great-uncle Wladyslaw Dutkiewicz, a member of the Polish resistance during World War II who was taken prisoner by both the Soviets and the Nazis. Pictured are brothers Ludwik and Wladyslaw Dutkiewicz in the only known photo of the original production, taken in 1946 in Hohenfels, Germany. (Photo: Dutkiewicz Archive, supplied by Grassboots Theatre Company)
Still guarded about the plot of the story during our visit, Peyton and Chis do reveal that Repatriation to the Moon is an unlikely love story.
“The story is about a janitor and an engineer who meet under circumstances of war, fall in love, and find home in each other,” Chris tells. “The whole story is about two people who are displaced and don’t have a home, and their search for home.”
“The background is really heavy and it’s drenched in history,” Peyton says. “It’s sorrowful to know that (the original) play was illegal and had to be performed underground, but in our show we do physical play and our focus is on humour. Our play is very fun and very light. One of the characters speaks Polish and the other speaks Italian, so the show is quite physical.”
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With positive community interest in Chris and Peyton’s debut endeavour, tickets are already selling strong for the show that runs for four nights at Artspace. However, Repatriation to the Moon is only the beginning for Grassboots Theatre Company. The couple consider this a “workshop production” as they plan to produce Repatriation to the Moon on a bigger scale in the future.
Meanwhile, Peyton has a solo project called Hands she is working on in conjunction with Public Energy’s Alternating Currents, and the pair will be starring in Hannah Moscovitch’s Little One, directed by Lee Bolton, at the Peterborough Theatre Guild this coming October.
Founded by Chris Whidden and and Peyton Le Barr, Grassboots Theatre Company is the Kawarthas’ newest theatre company. (Graphic: Grassboots Theatre Company)
Through their ambition and positivity, Chis and Peyton have already created a solid buzz about Grassboots Theatre Company, and have made strong inroads to the arts community. It’s exciting to welcome new faces and talents in Peterborough to shake things up a little bit, and to continue to grow our community’s art culture.
Repatriation to the Moon is our opportunity, as a community, to welcome Chris and Peyton to Peterborough and to help support their vision for community theatre.
“We are so excited,” says Chris. “I sometimes wonder if this would be possible anywhere else. Peterborough has been so warm and welcoming.”
Repatriation to the Moon runs from Wednesday, August 14th to Saturday, August 17th at Artspace (378 Aylmer Rd., Peterborough). Performances begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 (free for children 12 and under) and can be purchased in advance at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4306306.
Toronto-based live music collective Dwayne Gretzky, described as "a curated nostalgia trip", brings its unique interpretations of classic songs to Peterborough Musicfest for a free, sponsor-supported concert at Del Crary Park in downtown Peterborough on August 14, 2019. (Publicity photo)
All those who think Dwayne Gretzky is simply a badly bungled reference to the greatest hockey player of all time, raise your hand.
Peterborough Musicfest presents Dwayne Gretzky
When: Wednesday, August 14, 2019 at 8 p.m. Where: Del Crary Park (100 George St. N., Peterborough) How much: Free admission
Bring your own lawn chairs or blankets (lawn chairs are available to rent for $4/chair). VIP seating available for sponsors. No smoking, alcohol, or pets permitted. There’s no public parking at Del Crary Park, but there’s neighbourhood street parking nearby and ample parking in downtown Peterborough.
You are not alone.
Outside of Toronto, where the live music collective by that name has built a huge and still growing following, the band’s infectious sound, collective talents, and music-for-the-pure-fun-of-it stage persona has eluded many for most of its eight-year existence.
A major step toward correcting that was taken last August when Dwayne Gretzky headlined Peterborough Musicfest and again more recently when the band was among several acts that opened The Rolling Stones’ concert on June 29th at the Burl’s Creek Event Grounds in Oro-Medonte.
Now Dwayne Gretzky returns to Del Crary Park on Wednesday, August 14th — the penultimate presentation of the current summer concert series. Admission to the 8 p.m. concert is free, thanks to the support of sponsors.
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“When we began playing shows in Toronto, we didn’t have a band name,” recalls original band member Nick Rose in a July 2018 interview with Bill Bodkin of Pop Break.
“It didn’t really seem necessary somehow — we were just a bunch of friends playing covers for the fun of it. But then at one of our first shows somebody inevitably yelled out ‘What’s your band called?’ and I just replied ‘Dwayne Gretzky’ for a laugh. Honestly, it was just the first thing that popped into my head. A few days later somebody posted a video of us on YouTube and referred to us as Dwayne Gretzky and that was that.”
VIDEO: “Dancing in the Dark” by Bruce Springsteen performed by Dwayne Gretzky
Since day one, Dwayne Gretzky has brought new life to hit songs by a number of artists, delivering over-the-top renditions of more than 600 songs to date. But to simply term Dwayne Gretzky a cover band would be akin to describing Van Gogh as some Dutch guy who dabbled in art. The band puts its own unique spin on each song it performs, bringing their full talents to bear via their mastery of a number of instruments, including horns.
“We steer away from predictable cover band material and try to challenge ourselves by learning songs you don’t see a lot of bands doing,” Rose explains.
“It’s tough to pick favourites. You Can Call Me Al (by Paul Simon) is one that stands out for me, as is Under Pressure (by Queen), but it’s always fun to tackle something as epic as Bohemian Rhapsody or Manfred Mann’s version of Blinded By The Light.”
VIDEO: “S.O.S.” by ABBA performed by Dwayne Gretzky
In an April 2013 interview with Sara Harowitz of She Does The City, band members Allie Hughes and Robyn Hatch credit co-founder Tyler Kyte for his song selection.
“He (Kyte) is so good at keeping the energy flowing,” praises Hughes.
“A lot of work goes into the song choice — they’re all hits, they’re all songs that are known, but it won’t always be the obvious choice. Our audience leaves having had a good time. I think that has a lot to do with flow.”
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“It’s almost like a narrative, choosing songs,” Hatch adds.
“When people ask what kind of covers we play, it’s hard to say. We really just try to find all of our favourite songs from the last 50 years and make them sound as authentic as possible.”
The formation of Dwayne Gretzky came about innocently enough.
VIDEO: “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac performed by Dwayne Gretzky
“Tyler and I were playing in an originals band called Sweet Thing that was kind of winding down,” notes Rose.
“We were both living in the same apartment building along with a few other musician friends of ours. We all befriended the superintendent who gave us access to his top-secret jam space in the basement. Most evenings we’d go down there and watch hockey and muck around playing Tom Petty songs and such.”
“Once we had learned enough songs for a set, we booked a couple shows just for the fun of it. It’s our full-time gig but the feeling has always remained the same: friends playing their favourite songs.”
VIDEO: “Just What I Needed” by The Cars performed by Dwayne Gretzky
That “friends” dynamic has been and remains key to the band’s success, according to Hughes and Hatch.
“It’s fun because it’s all your best friends,” says Hatch, with Hughes adding, “It’s such a good hang. I’m such a hermit that it’s like my social time. We all get along really well. And it’s so informative, as a music writer, learning new songs; you learn so much about writing good music.”
“I know there are some musicians who are like ‘A cover band?’ but all of us have no shame. It’s a lot tougher than people think. These are pop songs but a lot goes into them.”
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According to Dwayne Gretzky’s website at www.dwaynegretzkyband.com, the band’s self-titled debut album will drop on August 23, 2019. In the months leading up to its release, a number of digital singles have teased what fans can expect, including an acoustic version of The Cars’ “Just What You Needed” and a fuller band take on The Beach Boys’ “Don’t Worry Baby”.
“We’re very fortunate that we get to do this as a full time gig — play our favourite songs with our best buds,” Rose says.
“We’ve got a really great group of people in this band and I’m very grateful for that. They’re all a bunch of sweethearts and there’s never a shortage of dumb jokes to go around.”
VIDEO: “Don’t Worry Baby” by The Beach Boys performed by Dwayne Gretzky
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Peterborough Musicfest is presenting 16 free-admission, sponsor-supported concerts featuring a total of 21 acts during its 33rd season — each concert staged on Wednesday and Saturday nights at Del Crary Park.
Overseen by general manager Tracey Randall and staff, a board of directors, and numerous volunteers, Peterborough Musicfest’s stated mission is to “provide diverse, affordable live music to enrich cultural and economic prosperity in our community.”
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Kevin Bundy and Asha Hall-Smith in the world premiere of Robert Winslow and Ian McLachlan's "Carmel" at 4th Line Theatre. The play, which focuses on the White family's attempt to save the family farm during the Great Depression of the 1930s, runs Tuesdays to Saturdays until August 31, 2019 at the Winslow Farm in Millbrook. (Photo: Wayne Eardley / Brookside Studio)
On Thursday, August 9th, 4th Line Theatre opened its second production of the summer with the world premiere of Carmel, written by Robert Winslow and Ian McLachlan.
4th Line Theatre presents Carmel
When: Performances at 6 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays (August 6-10, 13-17, 20-24, 27-31, 2019) with additional performance at 6 p.m. on August 26 2019 Where: The Winslow Farm (779 Zion Line, Millbrook) How much: $40 adults, $34 youth
Tickets available by calling 1-800-814-0055 or 705-932-4445, online www.4thlinetheatre.on.ca, by emailing boxoffice@4thlinetheatre.on.ca, or in person at 4th Line Theatre’s box office (4 Tupper St., Millbrook) or at the Peterborough Museum and Archives (300 Hunter St. E., Peterborough).
The fifth collaboration between 4th Line Theatre founder Robert Winslow and local historian Ian McLachlan, Carmel weaves together both local and international history within a very human story of struggle, perseverance, friendship, and love.
Directed by Winslow, the play is the third entry in his and McLachlan’s series of plays about characters Billy Fiddler and Walter White, two Barnardo children — so named after philanthropist Dr. Thomas John Barnardo, who brought as many as 35,000 orphaned and poverty-stricken children to Canada from Great Britain between the 1870s and 1939.
Winslow and McLachlan first introduced Billy and Walter to audiences in the successful 2005 production Doctor Barnardo’s Children, which was restaged in 2014. This was followed in 2014 by the second play in the series, Wounded Soldiers, which recounted Billy’s experience (and its aftermath) as a Canadian soldier in World War I.
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Carmel picks up Billy and Walter’s story in the late 1930s during the height of the Great Depression. Billy (Jonathan Shatzky), accompanied by his travelling companion Thomas Fortune (Danny Waugh), returns as a transient worker to the Kawarthas, where his childhood friend Walter (Kevin Bundy) is raising a family with his strong-willed wife Abagail (Kristina Nicholl) on a farm located on Carmel Line in Cavan.
Kristina Nicoll as Abagail While and Kevin Bundy as her husband Walter in Robert Winslow and Ian McLachlan’s “Carmel” at 4th Line Theatre. (Photo: Wayne Eardley / Brookside Studio)Robert Winslow and Ian McLachlan’s “Carmel” at 4th Line Theatre features a number of original songs written by Justin Hiscox. (Photo: Wayne Eardley / Brookside Studio)
The main storyline focuses on Walter and Abagail’s ongoing efforts to save their farm from the clutches of the bank, in particular the devious Delbert Grey (JD Nicholsen). Along the way, the play also explores the real-life plight of local workers at Peterborough’s Bonnerworth textile mill and delves into the Spanish Civil War.
On the surface, Carmel is about class struggle during the Great Depression and the conflict between the “haves” and the “have nots.” It’s about farmers versus banks and workers versus big business. But more than that, Carmel is about the bonds of community, and the strength and love found in family and friends during difficult times of trouble and tragedy.
JD Nicholsen (right) as the devious banker Delbert Grey, with Kelsey Gordon Powell in Robert Winslow and Ian McLachlan’s “Carmel” at 4th Line Theatre. (Photo: Wayne Eardley / Brookside Studio)Robert Winslow and Ian McLachlan’s “Carmel” at 4th Line Theatre also explores the real-life plight of local workers at Peterborough’s Bonnerworth textile mill. In 1937, 650 workers at Bonnerworth and the Auburn Mill went on strike, leading to violence and eventually to Ontario’s first minimum wage legislation. (Photo: Wayne Eardley / Brookside Studio)
While the previous Barnardo shows have focused on Billy, Carmel changes gears by focusing on the life of Walter with Billy moving into the background as a supporting character. Kevin Bundy plays Walter as good man respected by his community, but living in the shadows of his past.
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Walter and his wife Abagail are surrounded by the love and loyalty of their family, including Abagail’s brother Les (Mark Hiscox) and sister Audrey (Melissa Payne), as well as their daughter Ruth (Asha Hall-Smith) and young sons Garnet and James (Saoirse and Riordan MacQuarrie).
Although life is not perfect for the Whites, moments of tenderness between Walter and Abagail are seen throughout the show, illustrating the strength of their love and establishing Walter as the patriarch of the family with Abagail as the brains and emotional backbone of the household.
Jonathan Shatzky as Billy Fiddler in Robert Winslow and Ian McLachlan’s “Carmel” at 4th Line Theatre. (Photo: Wayne Eardley / Brookside Studio)Ennismore musician Melissa Payne (right) makes her theatrical debut as Audrey in Robert Winslow and Ian McLachlan’s “Carmel” at 4th Line Theatre. (Photo: Wayne Eardley / Brookside Studio)
Jonathan Shatzky and celebrated local musician Melissa Payne are featured in a secondary plot as Billy and Audrey join together in song when the play focuses on the formation of a union within Peterborough.
While Jonathan is an experienced actor making his debut at 4th Line, this is Melissa’s first foray into theatre. The majority of Jonathan and Melissa’s scenes involve folk music, which went hand in hand with the labour movement went during the 1930s.
The pair performs a number of original songs written by Justin Hiscox with highlights being “Song of the Banker”, “You Love, and I”, “The 9:15” and “Market Day in Guernica”, which explores the tragic event in Spanish history immortalized by Pablo Picasso’s iconic painting.
Danny Waugh as Thomas Fortune, Billy Fiddler’s travelling companion who is searching for a place to call home, in Robert Winslow and Ian McLachlan’s “Carmel” at 4th Line Theatre. (Photo: Wayne Eardley / Brookside Studio)Kevin Bundy as Walter White with one of the three equine actors in Robert Winslow and Ian McLachlan’s “Carmel” at 4th Line Theatre. (Photo: Wayne Eardley / Brookside Studio)
Danny Waugh gives a strong character performance as Thomas Fortune who, like Billy, has been constantly travelling in search of a place to call home. While he quickly gains the trust of the White family, Thomas’ story arc illustrates how racial prejudices make him an outsider in the community, causing him difficulty in laying down roots.
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JD Nicholsen also creates an interesting adversary in small-town banker Dilbert Gray. Dilbert goes beyond being the stereotypical Depression-era banker villain by introducing his own insidious ulterior motives that make the audience’s collective skin crawl.
The biggest shout out goes to young actress Asha Hall-Smith, who plays the show’s narrator and is the audience’s guide through the drama. Although Asha has appeared in shows before, this is the first time I have seen her as a central character, and she takes on a big responsibility with a ton of likeable spunk and zeal.
Asha Hall-Smith is the play’s narrator and the audience’s guide through the drama in Robert Winslow and Ian McLachlan’s “Carmel” at 4th Line Theatre. (Photo: Wayne Eardley / Brookside Studio)Members of Peterborough’s MacQuarrie family perform in Robert Winslow and Ian McLachlan’s “Carmel” at 4th Line Theatre. (Photo: Wayne Eardley / Brookside Studio)
Carmel‘s connections to the two previous Barnardo plays are purely superficial, so the show doesn’t get bogged down with backstory for audience members who haven’t seen the previous productions. For those in the audience who are familiar with the previous two plays, they can revisit these characters with fresh eyes.
Furthermore, the previous Barnardo plays have ventured into some very dark territory. Although Carmel has its share of tragedy, it never heads down the bleak paths the other shows have. This makes Carmel the kind of traditional summer show on which 4th Line Theatre has built its reputation: light drama and likeable characters with a touch of history.
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Carmel runs Tuesday through Saturdays at 6 p.m. until August 31st at the Winslow Farm (779 Zion Line, Millbrook), with an additional performance on Monday, August 25th. Advance tickets can be purchased by phone at 705-932-4445, online at www.4thlinetheatre.ca, at 4th Line Theatre’s box office in Millbrook at 4 Tupper Street and in Peterborough at the Peterborough Museum and Archives at 300 Hunter Street East (atop Armour Hill).
Tickets can also be purchased from 4 to 6 p.m. on performance nights at the Winslow Farm, subject to availability.
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