Cornerstone Family Dentistry owner Dr. Anna Jo, YWCA Peterborough Haliburton executive diector Kim Dolan, and Nourish manager Joëlle Favreau at the February 5, 2020 YWCA Empty Bowls fundraiser announcement at Cornerstone Family Dentistry. At the 16th annual event, taking place at 12 p.m. on February 28, 2020 at The Venue in downtown Peterborough, you can choose a bowl made by local artisans and enjoy food from local restaurants while supporting Nourish food programs. (Photo courtesy of YWCA Peterborough Haliburton)
On Wednesday morning (February 5) at Cornerstone Family Dentistry at 681 Reid Street in Peterborough, YWCA Peterborough Haliburton announced tickets are on sale for the organization’s 16th annual Empty Bowls fundraiser, which takes place at 12 p.m. on Friday, February 28th at The Venue in downtown Peterborough.
Cornerstone Family Dentistry is one of the supporters of this year’s event, along with Kawartha Cardiology, Swish Maintenance, Kawartha Potters’ Guild, Artisans Centre Peterborough, Kawartha Woodturners Guild, Country 105, Energy 99.7, BE Catering, Fresh Dreams, Naked Chocolate, Rare Grill House, That’s a Wrap Catering Co., Black Honey, Two Dishes Cookshop, The Old Smoke House, By the Bridge, Ashburnham Alehouse, Sam’s Place, and other local participating restaurants.
At the lunchtime fundraiser, for $40 you can choose from hundreds of ceramic and wooden bowls — crafted and donated by local artisans with Kawartha Potters’ Guild, Kawartha Woodturners Guild, and Artisans Centre Peterborough — and enjoy a variety of food prepared and donated by local restaurants. A limited number of VIP tickets, which allow for early entry at 11:30 a.m., are also available for $50.
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This year’s event will feature a new “mix and mingle” format at The Venue rather than a sit-down lunch. If you can’t attend in person, you can instead pre-order lunch from the event’s take-out menu and pick up the meal at The Venue (you will receive a charitable tax receipt in place of a bowl).
Tickets can be purchased online at ywcapeterborough.org, by phone by calling Ria Nicholson at 705-743-3526 x113, or in person at YWCA Peterborough Haliburton’s administrative office at 216 Simcoe Street in downtown Peterborough.
All proceeds from the event will help to enhance local food security, reduce social isolation, and build healthy relationships through YWCA Nourish, whose innovative programs dedicated to eating, cooking, growing, and advocating for good food cultivate health, build community, and promote fairness.
Members of the Kawartha Potters Guild came together in January to make more than 115 wheel-thrown and hand-built bowls for the annual YWCA Empty Bowls fundraiser. The Kawartha Woodturners Guild and Artisans Centre Peterborough have also donated hand-crafted bowls for the event, which takes place at 12 p.m. on February 28, 2020 at The Venue in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Kawartha Potters Guild / Facebook)
Dabbah Corp owner Waleed Dabbah and Peterborough Police Service deputy chief Tim Farquharson are both board members of the opioid addiction and homelessness advocacy group PTBOstrong. Dabbah Corp, which is a successful brokering service for payment processing machines, donated a Poynt Smart Terminal so the organization can better to track merchandise sales for fundraising. As well as supporting worthwhile community causes, Dabbah Corp is continuing to expand, with plans to hire as many as 29 more employees in 2020 as well as five students. (Photo supplied by Dabbah Corp)
The new year is a time for reflection and new goals.
Waleed Dabbah, owner of Dabbah Corp, has no small list of goals for 2020. Continuing to grow his business, hiring as many as 29 local individuals for stable employment, assisting students with their career goals, and fighting the Peterborough opioid crisis are just a few of the items on his list.
And reflecting on Dabbah’s success from 2019 suggests that he is well positioned to achieve these goals.
In the spring of 2019, Waleed Dabbah launched his own financial services company Dabbah Corp, which is a brokering service for payment processing machines also known as point of sale (POS) systems.
“This is a competitive industry and I’m proud to say that Dabbah Corp has had a successful year in 2019,” says Dabbah, emphasizing that his business is growing. “In the last year, we’ve gained many new clients in the City of Peterborough and the surrounding area.”
Dabbah Corp currently services Peterborough and the Kawarthas, with Dabbah working on expanding north towards Bancroft.
In addition to gaining new clients, Dabbah Corp also hired eight employees in 2019 and is looking to hire 29 more before the end of 2020. Dabbah says he’s also looking to hire about five students in total, and will provide training and career advice.
“We’ve hired great staff so far and want to continue to hire local skilled employees,” says Dabbah. “I also want to help the student community and show students that Peterborough and the surrounding area is a great place to do business.”
Waleed Dabbah, owner of Dabbah Corp, which offers a range of point-of-sale systems, from simple to complex, to large and small businesses. Dabbah’s extensive knowledge about the systems and the financial services industry, along with his commitment to customer service and support, is a strong asset to his clients. (Photo: 705 Creative / kawarthaNOW)
But while Dabbah is planning to grow in 2020, he remains committed to the business principles that got him where he is today: offering excellent hands-on services at an affordable rate and treating each client as an individual with unique needs.
There are many larger financial services companies that offer POS systems, but Dabbah’s personalized approach is what sets him apart from other companies.
“I want to see my clients succeed,” says Dabbah, who encourages his clients to call him on his cell phone if they experience any issues. “Unlike larger companies, I’m always just a phone call away.”
Dabbah Corp offers a range of POS systems, from simple to complex, and Dabbah’s extensive knowledge about the systems and the financial services industry is a strong asset to his clients. Before launching his company, Dabbah worked at Hampton Financial and spent over five years developing his client base in the local community.
Dabbah’s refreshing approach to business will be of great benefit to small businesses especially.
“The goal is to give small businesses a chance,” says Dabbah. “I work with both large and small companies, but small businesses are at a higher risk of failing due to financial strains. Small businesses are the heart of our community and I want to see them thrive.”
Despite the many successes Dabbah Corp has had since launching, there are always challenges.
“Businesses can be skeptical about switching providers or about going with a smaller provider,” explains Dabbah. “I can reassure my clients that Dabbah Corp provides a world-class service to our local community for half the price.”
While Dabbah Corp works with both large and small companies, owner Waleed Dabbah (pictured here with client Sarah Susnar, owner and operator of family activity studio Play Cafe) says his company’s services are especially beneficial to small businesses. (Photo: 705 Creative / kawarthaNOW)
After meeting Dabbah, it is not hard to imagine why local businesses are making the switch to Dabbah Corp.
Right from the start, Rob Whelan’s experience with Dabbah was different. Whelan, the office manager of Whelan’s Flooring Centre (2512 Chemong Rd., Peterborough), met Dabbah when he came into the store to discuss saving the business money on their processing fees.
“This was already a different approach to most providers,” says Whelan. “I get several cold calls per week from different providers, but none of them come in to discuss business in person.”
Whelan allowed Dabbah to analyze their finances and to his surprise Dabbah was able to save his business a significant amount annually.
“Given Waleed’s personal approach and the savings, I decided to switch to Dabbah Corp,” says Whelan. “Waleed’s service is great. If I have an issue with the machine, I just call him directly instead of calling a tech line and waiting on hold.”
“He also drops in on a monthly basis to see how everything is going. None of my previous providers have ever done that. I would definitely recommend Dabbah Corp to another business. It is well worth the switch.”
Dabbah Corp owner Waleed Dabbah (right) with Peterborough Humane Society executive director Shawn Morey. As well as offering both savings and attentive customer service for its clients, Dabbah Corp has always been a strong supporter of the Peterborough community, such as by donating $10,000 to the Peterborough Humane Society. (Photo supplied by Dabbah Corp)
But Dabbah’s goals are not just business oriented.
Dabbah is committed to ensuring Peterborough is a strong and vibrant city through his community work. And he’s deeply invested in this — it’s the community he has chosen to start his business and raise a family.
For example, Dabbah’s previous community work included donating over $10,000 to the Peterborough Humane Society and sponsoring the Nels You Are Not Alone project, which allowed creator and mental health advocate Andrew Nelson to produce inspiring posters that have been displayed throughout the community.
Moving forward into 2020, as a member of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), Dabbah is committed to improving the downtown core for both businesses and shoppers.
While Dabbah has visions of eventually seeing a unified POS system throughout the downtown core, which would make it more convenient for both shoppers and merchants, he has turned his attention to a more immediate concern: Peterborough’s opioid and housing crisis.
Dabbah Corp owner Waleed Dabbah (second from right) with fellow board member Tim Burke of PTBOstrong, an advocacy group formed in 2015 to raise awareness, education, and funds to support the opioid addiction and homelessness crisis in Peterborough. Dabbah Corp donated a Poynt Smart Terminal so the organization can better to track merchandise sales for fundraising. (Photo supplied by Dabbah Corp)
Dabbah is currently working with local organization PTBOstrong. An effort that began in 2019 to address the opioid and homelessness crisis facing the City of Peterborough, PTBOstrong aims to raise awareness, education, and funds about the crisis within the local community.
Dabbah, who is a PTBOstrong board member, will be sponsoring the hall for the organization’s 2020 gala. He also supplied PTBOstrong with a POYNT Smart Terminal that has made it more efficient for the organization to track merchandise sales for fundraising.
“Waleed did not want anything in return for his donation,” explains Tim Farquharson, deputy chief of the Peterborough Police Service and a fellow PTBOstrong board member.
“This was a corporate donation to a not-for-profit he considers important in Peterborough. We are truly blessed as an organization to have formed this relationship with Dabbah Corp, a company that cares about its community.”
It’s all in a day’s work for Dabbah, who sees it as his duty to give back to the community that has given so much to him.
“I believe that we all need to come together to address this crisis that is affecting our community,” says Dabbah. “If we all put our hands together we can be united against the opioid crisis. It’s important that we start somewhere and commit to improving the lives of everyone in our community.”
For more information about the opportunities Dabbah Corp has to offer, visit dabbahcorp.com or contact Waleed Dabbah by phone at 705-761-2672 and by email at info@dabbahcorp.com.
VIDEO: Why work with Dabbah Corp?
This story was created in partnership with Dabbah Corp.
Emily Mae's Cookies & Sweets owner Jennifer Wight (right) with Madeleine Hurrell, entrepreneurship officer at Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development's Business Advisory Centre. Hurrell oversees the Starter Company Plus program, which awarded Wight a $4,000 grant in 2017 to help build her business. Wight held the grand opening of her brick-and-mortar shop at 1135 Lansdowne Street West in Peterborough on February 1, 2020. (Photo: Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development / Facebook)
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.
The week’s news features Emily Mae’s Cookies & Sweets officially opening its brick-and-mortar shop in Peterborough, the owners of Toe Beans Cat Café in Port Hope putting the business up for sale (cats not included), the opening of the federal government’s 2020 Canada Summer Jobs program to employers, and other notable business and organization news from across the Kawarthas.
New events added this week include the Township of Douro-Dummer’s launch party of its Sustainable Development Program in Peterborough on February 11th, the launch and open house of the Kawartha Lakes Incubator in Lindsay on February 11th, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development’s branding, marketing, and sales workshop in Peterborough on February 12th, the Innovation Cluster’s selling to government workshop in Peterborough on February 18th, and the Kawartha Lakes Small Business & Entrepreneurship Centre’s small business tax seminar in Lindsay on February 19th.
Emily Mae’s Cookies & Sweets officially opens brick-and-mortar shop in Peterborough
Emily Mae’s Cookies & Sweets owner Jennifer Wight (fourth from left) celebrates the grand opening of her brick-and-mortar shop at 1135 Lansdowne Street West in Peterborough on February 1, 2020. (Photo: Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development / Facebook)
Jennifer Wight, owner of Emily Mae’s Cookies & Sweets, held the grand opening of her brick-and-mortar shop at 1135 Lansdowne Street West in Peterborough last Saturday (February 1).
Wight first launched Emily Mae’s Cookies & Sweets, which specializes in custom decorated sugar cookies, as an online business when she was on maternity leave in 2016. She named the business using her middle name, which is comprised of the first names of each of her grandmothers.
In 2017, she received a $4,000 grant from Starter Company Plus, a program funded by the Ontario government and administered by the Business Advisory Centre of Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development. By that time, she had already produced around 16,000 personalized cookies.
Emily Mae’s Cookies & Sweets owner Jennifer Wight in 2017 with her $4,000 grant from Starter Company Plus, a program funded by the Ontario government and administered by the Business Advisory Centre of Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development. (Photo: Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development)
“I started when my little one was a few months old,” she told kawarthaNOW at the time. “I was looking for something to do and I came across this idea, tried it, and this is what came out of it. I didn’t expect it to blow up like it has. The response has been amazing. I call it art on a cookie because that’s what it is. People are really curious. I think that has really helped with the success of the business.”
Emily Mae’s Cookies was one of the six finalists in the 2019 Bears’ Lair Entrepreneurial Competition, where Wight won the People’s Choice Award and a free 2019/2020 membership to the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough. Emily Mae’s Cookies was also one of four finalists in the entrepreneur innovation category for the 2019 Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Awards of Excellence.
Prior to the February 1st grand opening, Wight has been preparing the location for several months and had her soft launch in November 2019. As well as offering her baked goods, Wight hosts workshops and live-streams her “Cookie Lookie” show most Friday nights.
A sample of Jennifer Wight’s work at Emily Mae’s Cookies & Sweets. (Photo: Emily Mae’s Cookies & Sweets / Facebook)
While the grand opening was a great success, Wight shared some bittersweet news on Facebook after the launch. One of the namesakes of her business, Wight’s grandmother Emily, passed after a few hours after the grand opening was over.
“When I graduated culinary school in early 2000, Grammy gave me a baking book all about cookies,” Wight shares on Facebook. “She wrote in the front that someday I would have a cookie shop — how did she know!”
Toe Beans Cat Café in Port Hope is for sale (cats not included)
Owners Alise-Ann Glover and Spencer Roffey are selling the Toe Beans Cat Café in Port Hope. (Photo: Toe Beans Cat Café / Facebook)
Alise-Ann Glover and Spencer Roffey, owners of the Toe Beans Cat Café (119 Peter St., Port Hope), have put their family-run business up for sale.
The wife-and-husband team, who are avid coffee drinkers and cat lovers, launched the popular cafe in September 2018. They are selling the business for personal reasons.
“We want to have a family,” Glover wrote on their Facebook page. “And having a human child is tough when you have a cafe baby. So we’re making the tough decision to list the cafe for sale.”
Silas, one of the cats available for adoption through the Toe Beans Cat Café in Port Hope. Since opening in September 2018, owners Alise-Ann Glover and Spencer Roffey have assisted in the rehoming of more than 160 cats. They are now selling the business because they want to start a family. (Photo: Toe Beans Cat Café / Facebook)
Toe Beans Cat Café partners with the Northumberland Humane Society and the municipal animal shelter to act as a foster home for adoptable cats, which can be seen in the cafe’s cat room. They have assisted in the rehoming of more than 160 cats since opening.
Glover and Roffey are asking $70,000 for the business in a turnkey sale, which includes all the cafe’s physical and virtual assets and a fixed lease with an option to renew. Cats are not included.
They expect to have sold the business by the end of February.
Toe Beans Cat Café owners Alise-Ann Glover and Spencer Roffey are asking $70,000 for the business in a turnkey sale, which includes all the cafe’s physical and virtual assets and a fixed lease with an option to renew. Cats are not included. (Photo: Toe Beans Cat Café / Facebook)
For more information and to contact Toe Beans Cat Café, visit toebeanscafe.com.
Federal government’s 2020 Canada Summer Jobs program is now open to employers
Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef meets with young people. The Government of Canada’s 2020 Canada Summer Jobs program is now accepting applications from eligible employers until February 24, 2020. (Photo: Office of Maryam Monsef / Facebook)
The Government of Canada has opened its 2020 Canada Summer Jobs program, which creates summer job opportunities for youth and young adults aged 15 to 30.
Small businesses with up to 50 employees, not-for-profit organizations, and public sector employers in Peterborough and the Kawarthas are eligible to apply.
Not-for-profit employers can receive funding for up to 100 per cent of the provincial/territorial minimum hourly wage and mandatory employment-related costs. Small businesses with up to 50 employees and public sector employers can receive funding for up to 50 per cent of the provincial/territorial minimum hourly wage.
The program’s local priorities for employers focus on cultural events (including arts and festivals), projects supporting environmental protection, programs for children and youth (e.g., summer camps), projects supporting not-for-profit organizations, and projects supporting small businesses.
According to Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, the federal government has supported 1,236 youth summer jobs in Peterborough-Kawartha and has approved funding to more than 100 local employers annually.
Applications for the 2020 Canada Summer Jobs program can be submitted until Monday, February 24th. For more information, including a list of national priorities and how to apply, visit canada.ca/canada-summer-jobs or a local Service Canada Centre.
Other notable business and organization news from across the Kawarthas
Plans for the new visitor centre at Kawartha Settlers’ Village in Bobcaygeon. Groundbreaking is expected in spring 2020. Normal operations and events will proceed during the construction period. (Graphic courtesy of Kawartha Settlers’ Village)
Here’s a summary of other notable business and organizational news from across the Kawarthas over the past week:
Riley’s Bar and Grill is now open at 50 Canal Street East in Bobcaygeon. Seasonal hours are 5 to 11 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and noon to 11 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, with longer hours after the May long weekend.
Kawartha Settlers’ Village in Bobcaygeon is planning to break ground on its new visitor centre in spring 2020. The new building will serve as a welcome centre, house offices for staff, and provide room for special exhibits. Normal operations and events will proceed during the construction period.
Dr. Vern Chase, founder of Pine Ridge Veterinary Clinic in Cobourg, has received the Golden Life Membership Award from Ontario Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA). The award recognizes OVMA members who are retired from full-time career pursuits of veterinary medicine or who have been a veterinarian for a minimum of 30 years and have served the profession in an extraordinary manner. Recipients receive an honorary lifetime OVMA membership.
Northumberland County’s Business & Entrepreneurship Centre (BECN) has entered into a new partnership with financial technology leader Lending Loop to will help local entrepreneurs gain access to capital. As a peer-to-peer lender, Lending Loop’s online platform connects small businesses seeking capital with interested lenders. Under a new memorandum of understanding, Lending Loop will become a key referral partner for BECN.
Mrs. B’s Country Candy Inc. in Brighton opened at its new location at 8 Loyalist Drive, Unit 9 on Monday (February 3). The business, which has been located in downtown Brighton for the past 15 years, closed its previous location on December 31, 2019.
Funding is available under The City of Kawartha Lakes’ Million Dollar Makeover program to support property and business owners in improving the visual and functional aspects of their commercial, mixed-use commercial/residential or heritage designated residential buildings. The municipality has more than $1 million in financial incentives available through loan and grant programs. The application deadline is Friday, February 28th. For more information, visit www.kawarthalakes.ca/makeover.
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Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development hosts new venture session in Peterborough on February 4
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development is hosting a “New Venture Session” from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 4th in the VentureNorth board room (270 George St., Peterborough).
Intended for entrepreneurs starting a new business, the session will provide an overview of the foundations of starting and running a business, resources and programs available to entrepreneurs in Peterborough & the Kawarthas, how to work with the Business Advisory Centre to build a plan of action for your business, and completing the start-up checklist
IG Wealth Management hosts free financial planning seminar for businesses in Peterborough on February 5
IG Wealth Management is hosting a free breakfast seminar entitled “10 things that should keep a business owner up at night” from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, February 5th at the Peterborough Golf & Country Club (1030 Armour Rd., Peterborough)
Guest speaker Ken Greenfield, director of tax and estate planning at Investors Group, will share expert insights and examples of situations that business owners may not realize are problems, and financial planning strategies that can reduce their impact.
Topics include how to grow and access the wealth from your business more efficiently, the new 2018 tax rules and how they influence your financial plan, how to use business incorporation to maximize capital gains exemptions, and why organizational structure matters.
To reserve a space, contact Kelley Giusti at kelleym.giusti@ig.ca or 705-748-9599.
Innovation Cluster hosts business development seminar in Peterborough on February 5
Graphic: Innovation Cluster
Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas is hosting “Hands-ON: From Goals to Wins” from 12 to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, February 5th in the small boardroom at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough)
Ryan Smith, director of business development of Legendary Coaching, will look at how starting from a place of self-awareness and passion will set you up for success and allow you to not only meet your goals, but to inspire others in the process. You will learn practical tools and principles for goal setting on a team and organizational level.
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development hosts business planning workshop in Peterborough on February 6
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development is hosting “Business Fundamentals: Business Planning” from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 6th in the VentureNorth board room (270 George St., Peterborough).
The session is designed to give entrepreneurs a strong foundation in business planning and to explain the importance of a comprehensive business plan. Tools available for creating a business plan will be shared as well as top tips for creating a plan ready to share with banks and funding agencies to secure financing.
Haliburton Chamber hosts members-only meeting with MP Jamie Schmale in West Guilford on February 11
The Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce is hosting “Chamber Connection” featuring Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock MP Jamie Schmale from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 11th at Camp Medeba (1270 Kennisis Lake Rd., West Guilford).
This members-only event will include a breakfast and costs $25.
Township of Douro-Dummer launch of Sustainable Development Program in Peterborough on February 11
In partnership with Builders for Climate Action, the Township of Douro-Dummer is hosting a launch party for its Sustainable Development Program at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, February 11th at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough)
Douro-Dummer Township Mayor J. Murray Jones will bring greetings and introduce Brian Fawcett of Fawcett Architectural and Chris Magwood of The Endeavour Centre. Local business leaders will share the positive impact this innovative project will have.
Launch and open house of Kawartha Lakes Incubator in Lindsay on February 11
The Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas is hosting a launch and open house of the Kawartha Lakes Incubator from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 11th at Kawartha Lakes Economic Development (180 Kent St. W., Lindsay).
The pilot project is a partnership between the Innovation Cluster and the City of Kawartha Lakes, with the support of FedDev Ontario through the Kawartha Lakes Community Futures Development Corporation, and will run through 2020.
The launch takes place from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., with three half-hour open house sessions running from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Northumberland Chamber hosts business networking event in Cobourg on February 11
The Northumberland Central Chamber of Commerce is hosting a special Valentine’s Day meet-and-greet networking event from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, February 11th at BMO Private Wealth (76 King St. W., Cobourg).
Attendees will have a chance to tour BMO Private Wealth’s spacious newly renovated downtown office, meet investment advisors and staff, and do a little business networking in a social environment.
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development hosts branding, marketing, and sales workshop in Peterborough on February 12
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development is hosting “Business Fundamentals: Branding, Marketing and Sales” from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, February 12th in the VentureNorth board room (270 George St., Peterborough).
The session is designed to give entrepreneurs a robust structure for formulating and identifying their business’s brand, and developing a marketing strategy and a customer relations strategy.
Peterborough Chamber presents “Power Hour” in Peterborough on February 12
The Peterborough Chamber of Commerce is presenting “Power Hour” from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, February 12th at The Venue (286 George St. N., Peterborough).
The annual chat with elected officials is an interactive lunch event and question-and-answer session with Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith, City of Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien, and Peterborough County Warden J. Murray Jones. A moderator will present questions from the audience.
Peterborough city and county councillors and chief administrative officers, as well as First Nations leaders, will also be invited to attend.
The cost is $65 for Chamber members or $75 for non-members (tables for seven are also available for $450 for members and $525 for non-members). For more information and to register, visit www.peterboroughchamber.ca.
Kawartha Lakes Arts Council hosts social media for cultural businesses seminar in Bobcaygeon on February 12
The Kawartha Lakes Arts Council is hosting “Social Media for Cultural Businesses” at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, February 12th on the upper floor of the Bobcaygeon Municipal Building (123 East St. S., Bobcaygeon).
Robyn Barton of Barton Creative will share tips on how to use social media platforms to promote your art, attract patrons and customers to your business, and sell your products and services online.
There will be a question-and-answer session at 8 p.m. followed by refreshments at 8:30 p.m.
The cost is $15 for Kawartha Lakes Arts Council members or $20 for non-members and guests.
Port Hope Chamber hosts coffee meeting with MP Philip Lawrence and MPP David Piccini in Port Hope on February 14
The Port Hope & District Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Valentine’s Day coffee meeting with Northumberland-Peterborough South MP Philip Lawrence and Northumberland-Peterborough South MPP David Piccini from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday, February 15th in council chambers at Port Hope Town Hall (56 Queen St., Port Hope)
Light refreshments will be provided by Empire Crossing. There is no charge to attend this members-only event.
Innovation Cluster hosts selling to government workshop in Peterborough on February 18
The Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas is hosting “Hands-ON: Selling to Government” from 12 to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, February 18th at the Innovation Cluster’s third floor office at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough)
Gregory J. Stulen, a specialist in strategic communications and public policy transformation at PathwayGroup Inc., will share information on becoming a vendor of record, accessing existing funds, creating new funding streams, and generating opportunities through regulatory change.
There will be a catered lunch supplied to workshop attendees.
Kawartha Lakes Small Business & Entrepreneurship Centre hosts small business tax seminar in Lindsay on February 19
The Kawartha Lakes Small Business & Entrepreneurship Centre in partnership with the Canada Revenue Agency is hosting a tax seminar for small business owners from 1 to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 18th in the lower level meeting room at the Lindsay Library (190 Kent St. W., Lindsay).
This seminar is offered to owners of small businesses and self-employed individuals who need help in understanding their tax obligations. The presentation is geared towards sole proprietorship and incorporated businesses and will provide participants with the basic principles and resources needed to navigate the tax system.
Kawartha Chamber holds annual general meeting in Lakefield on February 19
The Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism is holding its annual general meeting beginning at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, February 19th at The Village Inn (39 Queen St., Lakefield).
Open to all Chamber members, the meeting will feature highlights from 2019, networking, and light refreshments. Members will vote for the Chamber’s 2020-21 board and elect the executive. The 2018-19 annual report will be circulated before the meeting.
Trent Hills Chamber hosts lunchtime seminar on WSIB in Campbellford on February 25
The Trent Hills Chamber of Commerce is hosting a “lunch ‘n’ learn” seminar on the WSIB Health and Safety Excellence Program from 12 to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 25th in the boardroom at Team Eagle (10 Trent Dr., Campbellford).
Find out more about the program and how it can help your bottom line. Bring your own lunch and a refreshment to the meeting.
Port Hope Chamber holds annual general meeting in Port Hope on February 26
The Port Hope and District Chamber of Commerce is holding its annual general meeting from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, February 26th in the Sculthorpe Theatre at Cameco Capitol Arts Centre (20 Queen St., Port Hope).
Open to all Chamber members, the meeting will include a review of by-law changes and “Fostering an ecosystem of entrepreneurship”, a presentation by Lindsay Jeremiah, manager of entrepreneurship services at Durham College.
A light lunch will be served by Brandon Manor Bed & Breakfast.
Bruce Cockburn performing at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough on September 25, 2017. The legendary Canadian singer-songwriter returns to Showplace on October 16, 2020 as part of his 50th anniversary tour. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
Legendary Canadian singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn is returning to Peterborough in October 2020 as part of his 50th anniversary tour.
Announced on Monday (February 3), the new tour begins in the U.S. and ends with five tour dates in Canada.
The Canadian dates, all in Ontario, include one in his hometown of Ottawa and one at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough on Friday, October 16th.
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Cockburn — who last played Peterborough with a concert at Showplace on September 25, 2017 — is celebrating the 50th anniversary of his self-titled debut album, which was released on April 7, 1970.
Bruce Cockburn in 1969 performing at the Riverboat Coffee House in Toronto’s Yorkville. (Photo: York University Archives)
Recorded in late 1969, the 10-track album includes the tunes “Going To The Country” and “Musical Friends” and launched Cockburn’s music career, which has seen him release 34 albums and play thousands of concerts around the world.
Cockburn’s songs have been covered by many artists including Jimmy Buffet, kd Lang, Barenaked Ladies, Hawksley Workman, Jerry Garcia, Anne Murray, Elbow, Mary Balin, Judy Collins, Chet Atkins, The Rankin Family, Blackie and The Rodeo Kings, and many more.
The Ottawa native — who turns 75 in May — has sold more than seven million records worldwide. He’s won 13 Juno Awards, the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award, nine honorary doctorates, the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement, and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
He has been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and is an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 2011, Canada Post issued a Bruce Cockburn stamp. Pacing the Cage, a documentary film about his life, music, and politics was released in 2013. His memoir, Rumours of Glory, was published by Harper Collins in 2014.
“In 1969, when I was feeling the need to record an album of the songs I’d been writing, I had no concept of what that might lead to,” Cockburn recalls about his debut album. “Not unusual for a young person I guess. In some organic way it felt like it was time. The future wasn’t really an issue. It still isn’t. For each of us, there’s a future or there isn’t.”
VIDEO: “Forty Years In The Wilderness” – Bruce Cockburn at Showplace (Sep 15 2017)
“But looking back over the arc of fifty years of recording, performing, and travel, not to mention relationships and personal challenges, I can only shake my head and mutter a word of thanks for all of it. Even if I’d been a planner by nature, I doubt I could have predicted how things have gone. And they’re still going!”
During his 50th anniversary tour concerts, Cockburn will perform songs from each decade of his career.
Tickets for the Showplace concert, presented by Folk Under The Clock, go on sale on Friday, February 28th at Showplace Performance Centre (290 George St. N., Peterborough). Tickets will cost $65 for main floor seats and $60 for balcony seats (plus fees), and will be available in person at the Showplace box office, by phone at 705-742-7469, or online at www.showplace.org.
The many faces of Bruce Cockburn. (Graphic: brucecockburn.com)
Storyteller Hugh Foley in front of a pub named Foley's in Ireland. During the fourth annual Foley's Irish Pub on March 15, 2020 in the Nexicom Studio at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough, Foley will reprise his role as seanchaí (an Irish storyteller) by regaling the audience with tales of Ireland, with Irish music supplied by 4 Front and special guests Fiddlin' Jay Edmunds, Ron Kervin, Bridget Foley, Nancy Towns Trio, Catherine McInnis, Maria O'Grady, and Phil McCann. (Photo courtesy of Theresa Foley)
Seanchaí (shan-a-key) – A traditional Irish storyteller and custodian of folklore, myth, and legend.
Foley’s Irish Pub
When: Sunday, March 15, 2020 at 2 p.m. & 7 p.m. Where: Nexicom Studio at Showplace Performance Centre (290 George St. N., Peterborough) How much: $20 adults, $10 students
Featuring stories about Irish culture and lore by Hugh Foley and Irish tunes by 4 Front (Theresa Foley, Sheila Prophet, Norma Curtis, and Terry Finn) and special guests Fiddlin’ Jay Edmunds, Ron Kervin, Bridget Foley, Nancy Towns Trio, Catherine McInnis, Maria O’Grady, and Phil McCann. Tickets are available in person at the Showplace box office (290 George St. N., Peterborough), by phone at 705-742-7469, or online at www.showplace.org.
There’s the luck of the Irish and then there’s the good fortune of Hugh Foley.
While many, Irish and otherwise, often lay claim to the former to explain the presence of good things in their lives, Foley references his opportunity to carry on “a centuries-old tradition” as a central focus of his life from which many good things have flowed.
“I take true facts and then I just embellish them a little bit,” says Foley of his delightfully engaging storytelling, which will again be a key component of Foley’s Irish Pub.
The popular annual event takes place in Nexicom Studio at Showplace Performance Centre on Sunday, March 15th — just two days before pints are lifted and homage is paid to St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.
Tickets to Foley’s Irish Pub — there are two choices, at 2 or 7 p.m., although the matinee show is almost sold out — cost $20 ($10 for students), and are available in person at the Showplace box office, by phone at 705-742-7469, and online at www.showplace.org.
Besides Foley spinning tales in his role as seanchaí (the Irish word for storyteller), there will lots of music featuring 4 Front (Theresa Foley, Terry Finn, Sheila Prophet, and Norma Curtis), Fiddling Jay Edmunds, percussionist Ron Kervin, singer Bridget Foley, the Douro trio of Nancy Towns, Catherine McInnis, Maria O’Grady, and Phil McCann — who is crossing the Atlantic from County Clare in Ireland to play mandolin and banjo.
Fiddlin’ Jay Edmunds, Ron Kervin, and 4 Front (Theresa Foley, Sheila Prophet, Norma Curtis, and Terry Finn) performing at Foley’s Irish Pub in 2018. (Photo courtesy of Theresa Foley)Fiddlin’ Jay Edmunds and Ron Kervin performing at Foley’s Irish Pub in 2018. (Photo courtesy of Theresa Foley)
“It’s basically two hours of Irish music and songs with my stories thrown into the mix,” says Foley, noting the show name is borrowed from that of several pubs in Ireland that feature the family name.
“It’s a bunch of people we can’t fit in our kitchen, so we take the Nexicom Studio and go there instead. We even have Irish stew and soda bread at intermission that Tracey Ormond from That’s A Wrap! Catering here in Peterborough puts together for us.”
It’s clear that Foley relishes his being pub proprietor and seanchaí, a dual role he is reprising for a fourth year.
Hugh Foley sharing stories from Ireland at Foley’s Irish Pub in 2016. (Photo courtesy of Theresa Foley)Audience members join in the celebration of the stories and music of Ireland at Foley’s Irish Pub. (Photo courtesy of Theresa Foley)
“I’ve always been a storyteller, mostly for our kids and our grandkids,” he says.
“I was writing stories and we finally decided, what the heck, let’s try it and see what happens. I had no idea what to expect the first time around. The first show sold out so quickly we added a second show and that one sold out as well.”
“It’s a nice way of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day without going to a pub with loud, boisterous drunks all around you. We found in Ireland, when you get out into the countryside, the pub is a place where people come to catch up on the latest gossip. It’s a place the family goes to. You have your pint, you catch up on the news, and then you go home.”
According to Foley, storytelling has a long and storied history in Ireland.
Hugh Foley’s trips to Ireland have given him ample material for his stores at Foley’s Irish Pub. Here he receives instructions on broad sword fighting. (Photo courtesy of Theresa Foley)Photos of just a few of pubs named “Foley” that storyteller Hugh Foley has encountered during his trips to Ireland. (Photo courtesy of Theresa Foley)
“The seanchaí was the one who kept alive the past of Ireland by telling the tales of Irish heroes, battles, saints and so on,” he says.
“It was such an esteemed profession back in the day that the seanchaí held the same rank as the clan chief. Today, a seanchaí is often just part of a pub’s entertainment.”
Having been to Ireland several times hasn’t hurt Foley’s efforts to gather material for his stories.
“It’s stuff that I’ve picked up on our travels, listening to people in the pubs, and it’s stuff that I research. I’ve heard stories like these all my life.”
Foley’s Irish Pub takes place in the afternoon and evening of March 15, 2020 at the in the Nexicom Studio at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough. (Poster: Amy E. LeClair)
“Everyone going out on or around St. Patrick’s Day expects to hear the Irish music and Irish songs. What will really surprise them at our show are the stories. People are absolutely amazed.”
“This year, for instance, I’ll talk about an ocean beast that’s just off the coast from the Cliffs of Moher. I’ll talk about the formation of Killarney National Park. I’ll talk about the Guinness family and how Guinness has become such an important product around the world.”
What no doubt gladdens Foley’s heart immensely is there being an up-and-coming seanchaí in the family in the form of his four-year-old granddaughter.
“Vera is a storyteller. She and I have story offs. She’ll get me to tell her a story and then she’ll say ‘Okay, you tell me one.’ She’s got quite the imagination.”
Clearly, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
'The Link' pilot rural transportation service will use 15-passenger Peterborough Transit buses to provide affordable and accessible service from Selwyn Township and Curve Lake First Nation with connections to Bridgenorth, Ennismore, and Peterborough. Open houses are taking place during February where members of the public provide feedback on the route, schedule, and fare structure of the service, expected to launch in May 2020. (Photo: Selwyn Township / Facebook)
The public is invited to attend three open houses during February to provide feedback on a new pilot rural transportation service in Peterborough County expected to launch this spring.
‘The Link’ will provide transportation from Selwyn Township and Curve Lake First Nation with connections to Bridgenorth, Ennismore, Trent University, and the Chemong Walmart in the City of Peterborough.
Selwyn Township received a $1.48 million community transportation grant from the Ontario government for a three-year pilot project, in partnership with Curve Lake First Nation, the City of Peterborough, and Community Care Peterborough.
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The service will use 15-passenger Peterborough Transit buses.
The Link is intended to be a reliable, affordable, and fully accessible service, and is expected to launch in May 2020.
There will be three drop-in open houses during February 2020 where people can provide feedback on the route, schedule, and fare structure:
Monday, February 10th from 4 to 6 p.m. at Curve Lake Community Centre (20 Whetung St. E., Curve Lake).
Wednesday, February 19th from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Niels Pind Room at Lakefield Community Centre (20 Concession St., Lakefield).
Thursday, February 20th from 4 to 6 p.m. at Community Care Chemung Office (549 Ennis Rd., Ennismore).
For more information, contact Anna Currier at Selwyn Township at 705-292-9507 ext. 234 or acurrier@selwyntownship.ca.
The puck drop at the 11th annual Pink in the Rink at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on February 1, 2020. The game, which saw the Petes defeat the Oshawa Generals in front of a sold-out crowd, raised $88,300 for women's cancer research. (Photo: Jessica Van Staalduinen / Peterborough Petes)
The annual Peterborough Petes’ Pink in the Rink game was held on Saturday night (February 1) at the Peterborough Memorial Centre, raising $88,300 for women’s cancer research.
The 11th annual fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society also saw the Petes end a five-game losing streak by defeating the Oshawa Generals 4-1 in front of a sold-out crowd.
Petes players wore special Pink in the Rink fundraising sweaters, which were sold in a post-game live jersey auction, with Nick Robertson’s game-worn jersey selling for $1,600.
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Other fundraising efforts at the game included a chuck-a-ball, a silent auction, and a bucket pass, along with t-shirt sales and an online fundraiser. An autographed jersey of John Tavares of the Toronto Maple Leafs raised $600 in the silent auction.
A video was shown during the game as a tribute to those whose lives have been impacted by cancer, and whose names are printed on the game jersey.
Pink in the Rink is the top fundraising event in the Ontario Hockey League. With this year’s proceeds, Pink in the Rink has raised almost $790,000 for women’s cancer research since 2010.
According to research by the National Audubon Society, the snowy owl is very vulnerable to climate change and will lose 93 per cent of its range if global temperatures rise by 3°C. By participating in the 2020 Great Backyard Bird Count, members of the public can help scientists understand where birds are and how their numbers are changing. (Photo: Diane McAllister / GBCC)
If you’re looking for something special to do with your family on the Family Day long weekend, try your hand at citizen science.
The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is back for its 23rd year in 2020, beginning on Friday, February 14th (Valentine’s Day) and continuing through Monday, February 17th (Family Day).
During the GBBC, volunteers from around the world will count the birds they see for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the count, and then enter their checklists at birdcount.org.
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This year’s GBBC is especially important, because North America is facing a bird emergency.
In a study published by the journal Science last October, scientists revealed a staggering decline of bird populations in the United States and Canada, with more than one in four birds — three billion birds — gone since 1970.
Last fall, the National Audubon Society published a report called Survival By Degrees: 389 Species on the Brink. The report’s grim findings show that almost two-thirds of North American birds — as many as 389 out of 604 species — are at increasing risk of extinction from global temperature rise, as they are forced to relocate to find favourable habitat.
Birds from around the world are facing similar population declines and challenges.
Counting birds for science is one of seven simple actions people can take to protect birds and the places where they live.
“In order to understand where birds are and how their numbers are changing, we need everybody’s help,” says Marshall Iliff of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, leader of the eBird program that collects the GBBC data.
“Without this information, scientists will not have enough data to show where birds are declining.”
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With more than 10,000 bird species in the world, citizen scientists can play an invaluable role in monitoring birds found in backyards, neighbourhoods, suburban parks, wild areas, and urban areas.
“Birds are important because they’re excellent indicators of the health of our ecosystems,” says Chad Wilsey, interim chief scientist for the National Audubon Society. “Participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count is one of the easiest and best ways to help scientists understand how our changing climate may be affecting the world’s birdlife.”
“All over the world people are paying more attention to our environment and how it’s changing. There’s a lot of bad news out there, but in just 15 minutes you can be part of a global solution to the crises birds and people are facing.”
During last year’s GBBC, bird watchers from more than 100 countries submitted more than 210,000 bird checklists, reporting a record 6,850 species — more than half the known bird species in the world.
Bird watchers in Florida during the 2019 Great Backyard Bird Count. Bird watchers from more than 100 countries submitted more than 210,000 bird checklists, reporting a record 6,850 species. (Photo: Ruben Marchena / GBCC)
Bird count data become more and more valuable over time because they highlight trends over many years, apart from the normal short-term fluctuations in bird populations.
“At times, we can feel like there’s little we can do on environmental issues,” says Steven Price, president of Birds Canada.
Seven simple actions to help birds. (Infographic: Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
“The Great Backyard Bird Count gives all bird enthusiasts a chance to help, as well as a great opportunity to include family and friends of all skill levels in a common conservation effort. Go out, have fun, and take heart that you are helping birds and nature.”
To learn more about how to take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count, a joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society with partner Birds Canada and founding sponsor Wild Birds Unlimited, visit birdcount.org.
In addition to participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count, you can also help birds by making your windows safer, keeping your cats indoors, planting native plants, avoiding pesticides, drinking shade-grown coffee, and using less plastic.
"Blue Valentine" at The Garnet in downtown Peterborough on February 9, 2020 is an annual tribute to the music of Peterborough singer-songwriter Willie P. Bennett. Pictured here in the 1970s, Willie P. died from a heart attack in his Peterborough home in 2008. (Photo source: Willie P. Legacy project)
As the winter season continues on, we all need some other activities and bits of culture to ward off cabin fever. Luckily, Peterborough and area has a ton of amazing concerts and music this month to keep you entertained.
Here are just a few of the amazing live music events coming up in February.
Samantha Martin and Delta Sugar at the Market Hall in Peterborough on February 1
The month starts off with a bang on Saturday, February 1st at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough, 705-749-1146) as premier Canadian blues-soul act Samantha Martin and Delta Sugar take the stage.
Martin’s latest record Run to Me was nominated for four Maple Blues Awards in 2019. Her songwriting is deep and centres on the many different sides of love and life, while her powerful voice and talented band make for an amazing evening of music.
The show kicks off at 8 p.m.. Tickets are $33, all fees included, and are available the Market Hall Box Office or online at markethall.org.
VIDEO: “My Crown” – Samantha Martin and Delta Sugar
Dave Mowat and Curbside Shuffle at the Keene Centre for the Arts on February 8
On Saturday, February 8th, Dave Mowat and Curbside Shuffle bring their own brand of country blues to the Keene Centre for the Arts (12 1st St., Keene, 519-993-0079).
Mowat is an excellent harmonica player and singer with a whole lot of soul, and his band is made up of excellent players with ties to Peterborough and area: Al Black on drums, Terry Wilkins on bass and, last but not least, Clayton Yates on guitar.
If you can’t make it to the Keene show, the band is also hosting the monthly Deluxe Blues Jam of the Peterborough Musicians Benevolent Association (PMBA) the following Saturday afternoon (February 15) at Dr. J’s BBQ & Brews in downtown Peterborough.
VIDEO: “Cherry Street Blues” featuring Dave Mowat and Al Black
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Blue Valentine tribute to Willie P. Bennett in Peterborough on February 9
It is hard to believe that Willie P. Bennett has been gone for almost 12 years. The Canadian roots singer-songwriter died in Peterborough on February 16, 2008 at the age of 56.
But his legacy continues on, with his songs having been covered by the likes of Emmylou Harris, Matt Andersen, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, and many more.
On Sunday, February 9th at The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-0107) another edition of the annual tribute to the man and his music will take place. Blue Valentine (named after a song of Willie’s, and also the unfortunate time around which he passed) will feature performances by friends and fans of his music.
The show is admission by donation runs from 3 to 6 p.m. You don’t have to know Willie’s music to enjoy this show, everyone is welcome!
VIDEO: “Blackie And The Rodeo King” by Willie P. Bennett (1977)
VIDEO: “Willie’s Diamond Joe” by Willie P. Bennett performed by Matt Andersen
VIDEO: “White Line” by Willie P. Bennett performed by Blackie and the Rodeo Kings
Lindy Vopnfjörd at the Clock Tower Cultural Centre in Campbellford on February 13
Lindy Vopnfjörd is not a household name in Canadian music, but he should be. In some ways he’s a musician’s songwriter; however. he definitely has carved out a great career for himself.
The Canadian-Icelandic musician has been making great records for a while now. You can see him perform at a house concert-esque show presented by Westben at the Clock Tower Cultural Centre (36 Front St., Campbellford, 705-653-5508) on Thursday, February 13th at 7:30 p.m.
Lindy effortlessly keeps audiences engaged with just a guitar and his beautiful songs.
Buck Tingley with Jimmy Bowskill at The Garnet in Peterborough on February 15
Halifax’s Buck Tingley hits Peterborough on Saturday, February 15th at The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-0107) for two shows, and he comes with the high praise of Bailieboro’s own Jimmy Bowskill (The Sheepdogs, Blue Rodeo).
“Buck is awesome man,” Bowskill says. “Great, great stuff!” Bowskill will be joining him for the sets as well.
Tingley’s music is drenched in early rock and roll, blues, and boogie-woogie stylings. The first show will be 4 to 6 p.m. and the second will start at 9 p.m.. Tickets will be $15 at the door.
VIDEO: “Buzzed” by Buck Tingley
Blackie and the Rodeo Kings at the Market Hall in Peterborough on February 20
kawarthaNOW favourites Blackie and the Rodeo Kings return to Peterborough for a show at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough, 705-749-1146) on Thursday, February 20th.
The roots-rock supergroup began 25 years ago as a tribute to their friend, the amazing songwriter and Peterborough resident Willie P. Bennett. Blackie and the Rodeo Kings (Colin Linden, Tom Wilson, and Stephen Fearing) released their debut album High or Hurtin’ in 1996, consisting entirely of songs written by Willie, who passed away in 2008.
Since that first record, the band went on to release 10 albums, with 1999’s Kings of Love winning the Juno Award for Best Roots & Traditional Album – Group in 2000. The group is on top of the Americana music world right now, having just signed a recording deal with Warner Music Canada. The band’s most recent record, King of This Town, dropped on January 24th.
Presented by the Market Hall and kawarthaNOW, the February 20th concert is now sold out.
VIDEO: “Cold 100” – Blackie & The Rodeo Kings
VIDEO: “Stoned” – Blackie & The Rodeo Kings
VIDEO: “Sometimes It Comes So Easy” – Blackie & The Rodeo Kings
Geoff Berner with Bird City at The Garnet in Peterborough on February 21
Vancouver’s Geoff Berner is a stalwart musician and activist. His music is a combination of klezmer-inspired accordion tunes and protest songs. On Friday, February 21st he brings his hilarious stage presence and meaningful tunes to The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-0107).
Opening the show will be Guelph’s Bird City, a.k.a Jenny Mitchell (who once toured as Jenny Omnichord). Her music is tinged with banjo and tenor guitar and is full of unique twists and turns.
Tickets for the show, which begins at 9 p.m., will be $10 at the door.
VIDEO: “Grand Hotel Cosmopolis” – Geoff Berner
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Michael C Duguay, Oberge, and Sing Leaf at the Gordon Best in Peterborough on February 29
The Peterborough Folk Festival presents an evening of fine indie-folk music at the Gordon Best Theatre (216 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-876-8884) on Saturday, February 29th.
Three great acts will take the stage including Peterborough native Michael C Duguay, Oberge, and Toronto’s Sing Leaf. Each act has their own distinct sound within the indie-folk realm.
Oberge has a dreamy quality, Duguay’s is a more stripped-down and reflective sound, while Sing Leaf has an almost psychedelic tinge to their music.
Tickets are $12 in advance at The Only (below the Gordon Best) and $15 at the door. The show begins at 8 p.m.
Record collector Chris Flanagan became obsessed with a reggae song called "Jamaican Fruit Of African Roots" he discovered on a thrift shop record, attributed to an unknown musician named Shella Record. This led to a decade-long investigation that Flanagan documented in his debut film "Shella Record - A Reggae Mystery". The documentary is kawarthaNOW arts writer (and fellow record collector) Sam Tweedie's top pick at the 2020 ReFrame Film Festival, which took place January 23 to 26 in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Shella Productions Inc.)
Four days, 80 films, thousands in attendance, and an immeasurable amount of inspiration. This is the best way to describe the 16th annual ReFrame Festival that took over downtown Peterborough this past weekend.
Peterborough’s documentary film festival, the annual event was healthier than ever as a multitude of attendees were drawn to Market Hall Performing Arts Centre, The Venue, and Showplace Performance Centre to view films on a variety of subjects — all cultivated to challenge the audience. Featuring films originating from our own community and from around the world, new voices and ideas were shared with appreciative audiences.
With a weekend pass in hand, I took in all four days of the festival, scurrying up and down George Street between King and Charlotte from venue to venue in the attempt to see as many films as possible. The challenge with ReFrame is that you can’t see everything, and must pick and choose from a jam-packed schedule of films all playing simultaneously.
As a result, each individual cultivates their own ReFrame experience. Over the four days of the festival, I viewed 20 films. Personally I am always interested in arts and entertainment, but I also gravitate towards films that speak about social justice, the human experience, and personal stories.
Although all the films I saw had something to say, obviously some special ones rise to the top. With this in mind, I’d like to share those special ones that I saw in my personal ReFrame experience. These are the films that I have kept thinking about for days afterwards, and have already affected the way I look at the world around me.
Our Dance of Revolution (2019) – Directed by Phillip Pike
Toronto filmmaker Phillip Pike was at Market Hall on Friday (January 24) to present his remarkable film Our Dance of Revolution, which explores the history of black people in Toronto’s LGBTQ+ community.
Beginning in the early 1980s, Our Dance of Revolution combines politics and pride as a 40-year history is examined via the people at the forefront of the community. The film hits all the pulses, from the bathhouse raids of the ’80s, through the AIDS crisis, and culminating with Black Lives Matter. The film also touches on racism within the gay community itself, and the black community’s own struggle against social oppression.
But as political as the film is, it keeps its joy, maintaining a sense of love and respect between the players within the film, which seeps out to the audience watching. The genuine warmth within the film shines, and it remains a uniquely Toronto story. An untapped history is weaved via a path that is still recent enough to remember, but brought together in a coherent narrative.
The Hottest August (2019) – Directed by Brett Story
Director Brett Story was at Market Hall on Saturday (January 25) to present The Hottest August, her climate crisis film with a difference.
In August 2017, Brett — a Canadian filmmaker living in New York City — took on a social experiment by going into the streets every day and talking to ordinary New Yorkers about their individual perspectives on their future. Still in the early days of the Trump presidency, and with the Charlottesville “Unite the Right” rally taking place within the middle of the month, Story captures the growing anxiety of a cross section of people about an oncoming American dystopia, and the unforeseeable social, political, environmental, and economic struggle that exists in the future.
Through the film, Story uncovers a common narrative through unscripted interviews with charismatic and often eloquent normal people, who talk about a number of topics that morph into a coherent narrative of the human experience. The Hottest August is a film that paints an intimate portrait of a city and a certain moment in time, and also uncovers a common spirit of survival by people who are living in a tainted American landscape.
Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am (2019) – Directed by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders
An intimate portrait of African-American novelist Toni Morrison, The Pieces I Am explores how a single mother of two young boys rose up through the white-male-dominated publishing world of the 1970s to redefine the black narrative in her novels such as The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon, Sula, and Beloved.
The Pieces I Am relies heavily on first-person interview material with Morrison and her colleagues — including Oprah Winfrey, Angela Davis, and Walter Mosely — mixed with archival material to explore her illustrious career as both an editor and author.
In his film, director Timothy Greenfield-Sanders is able to get Morrison to step down from her mantel as a modern-day literary icon, and present herself in a very human way, while still presenting her fierce intelligence, confidence, wit, and experience. The Pieces I Am is also a testament to the power of language and the revolution of narrative. After viewing this film, a batch of Toni Morrison books suddenly appeared in my Amazon shopping cart.
The Pieces I Am premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2019, and Morrison passed away on August 5th, 2019, making the film the last cohesive testament to her legacy.
VIDEO: “Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am” official trailer
We Are the Radical Monarchs (2019) – Directed by Linda Goldstein Knowlton
When Anyvette Martinez’s daughter wanted to join the Girl Guides, the Oakland California educator did not feel the current mandate for the century-old organization reflected the needs of her young daughter growing up in a modern world.
Calling upon her friend Marilyn Hollinquest, the pair created a new kind of organization in the same mould, but one that will teach radical politics to young girls of colour and promote sisterhood, strength, independence, and awareness. Made up of girls aged seven to 10 from Hispanic and African-American backgrounds, The Radical Monarchs learn and earn badges in being political allies, understanding positive body and racial identity, and exercising self-defence, while learning lessons about LGBTQ+ history, Black Lives Matter, and the #MeToo movement.
We Are the Radical Monarchs follows the activities of the pilot group and the formation of the second troop. Through the film, you not only get to know the girls as they share their unique perspectives of the world around them and talk to community leaders, but you learn the unique wisdom the tween girls possess. A search on the Radical Monarchs shows that, since the film was shot, the organization continues to grow with branches extending throughout California’s Bay area.
An endearing portrait of an amazing organization, the women who brought it to life, and the incredible girls who became the heart of it, We Are the Radical Monarchs is rooted in the social nightmare that is Donald Trump’s America, but illustrates a hope for the future where young girls like the Radical Monarchs will become the adult leaders of tomorrow, using the lessons they learn today, to actually make America great again.
VIDEO: “We Are the Radical Monarchs” official trailer
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Shella Record – A Reggae Mystery (2019) – Directed by Chris Flanagan
Chris Flanagan was at Market Hall on Saturday (January 25) to present his film Shella Record – A Reggae Mystery and to take the audience on his 10-year odyssey to discover the identity of a mysterious song nobody had ever heard.
An Australian record collector living in Toronto, Flanagan was spellbound by an obscure song called “Jamaican Fruit of African Roots” on a bootleg reggae record that he discovered in a northern Ontario thrift shop. The song was credited to a woman called Shella Record but, despite her unique and powerful voice, nobody seems to have ever heard of her.
Flanagan’s search for the story behind one of the best songs you’ve never heard is a decade-long journey into record shops, archives, and recording studios from Toronto to New York to Los Angeles, the centre of Jamaica, and the American heartland. He talks to DJs, record store owners, musicians, sound engineers, music producers, private detectives, and reggae legends to slowly piece together the identity of Shella Record.
Shella Record – A Reggae Movie was my favourite film at this year’s Refrsme festival, giving me a new understanding and appreciation for the reggae industry and once again reminding me that some of the best music ever recorded never finds commercial success within its time. Flanagan came armed with vinyl copies of a new official pressing of “Jamaican Fruit of African Roots”, which were quickly scooped up by audience members at the screening.
For more information of Shella Record – A Reggae Mystery, visit shellarecordmystery.com. You can purchase your own vinyl copy of “Jamaican Fruit of African Roots” at www.shellarecords.com.
VIDEO: “Shella Record – A Reggae Mystery” official trailer
Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band (2019) – Directed by Daniel Roher
In Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band, the final film that screened at ReFrame, Canadian musician Robbie Robertson exercises his talented voice as a storyteller to narrate his musical odyssey and tell the story of The Band.
Via archival footage, photographs, home movie, and new and past interviews with musical icons such as Bruce Springsteen, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, and George Harrison, Robertson takes the viewer from his early days playing clubs in Toronto with Ronnie Hawkins through to the legendary The Last Waltz concert in 1976.
Robertson covers all the notes, from the disastrous tour with Bob Dylan, creating music at the pink house in Woodstock New York, and his relationships with band mates Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Garth Hudson, and Richard Manuel. Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band explores the good times when the energy and joy of music fuses together five men, but is also a cautionary tale of excess and substance abuse during the darkest times. Most of all, the film brings the music and the story of The Band alive in a dynamic way that emphasizes the human experience, while exalting in the uniqueness of The Band’s music from everything else that was coming out during their era.
As a fan of ’60s and ’70s music as well as an avid record collector, I went into the film as someone who has never paid any attention to The Band. After seeing the film, I was in Bluesteak Records first thing Monday morning searching for a copy of Music From Big Pink.
VIDEO: “Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band” official trailer
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Inspiring and informative, the ReFrame Film Festival is one of the most important artistic events in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. I left with my perspective being challenged and with ideas that are changing the way I think and I write.
I want to thank everybody at ReFrame — the organizers and staff, board of directors, and volunteers — for their hard work in producing such a beautifully run event, and for another year of creating new discussions and idea.
These films bring a bigger world home to our community, and I’m already looking forward to what next year’s ReFrame Film Festival has to offer.
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