Mentalist and magician Spidey will mess with your mind (but in a good way) at his show "Make Believe - Magic of your Mind" at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough on October 18, 2019. (Publicity photo)
Showplace Presents Spidey: Make Believe – The Magic of Your Mind
When: Friday, October 18, 2019 at 8 p.m. Where: Showplace Performance Centre (290 George St. N., Peterborough) How much: $35
Advance tickets are available in person at the Showplace box office, by phone at 705-742-7469, and online. Note: This show has been moved to the Nexicom Studio with cabaret seating.
Promising to deliver “an emotional rollercoaster,” acclaimed mentalist and magician Spidey returns to Peterborough this fall, this time spinning his mind-blowing web at the Showplace Performance Centre.
“There are things that happen in my show that people would describe as supernatural,” he says in a March 2017 interview with kawarthaNOW that precluded his last visit to the city.
“There are very intense moments, extremely happy moments, really funny moments, and deeply emotional moments.”
For most, those ingredients are at the centre of pure entertainment, and entertain Spidey will when he takes to the stage of the downtown Peterborough venue on Friday, October 18th.
VIDEO: Spidey: Make Believe – Magic of your Mind
He promises to bring his popular magic and mentalism tricks to the Showplace stage, from playing a heart-racing game of Russian roulette and ‘mind Pictionary’ to tapping into someone’s happiest memories and revealing impossible details.
Spidey (his real name is Bedros Akkelian) has entertained and amazed millions via North American and international tours, numerous television appearances, and several viral YouTube videos — including one clip that sees him exercise the power of suggestion to dodge getting a speeding ticket. He also appears as a guest star in three episodes of the 2018 Netflix original series, Brainchild, which is available in 21 countries.
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A Canadian Magician of the Year nominee and a Canada’s Got Talent finalist, Spidey has performed for, and been consulted by, numerous celebrities, the famed magic duo Penn and Teller among them.
In 2014, performing in front of a studio audience for a taping of the reality TV series Wizard Wars, Spidey’s mentalism skills caught the full attention of the duo, including a rare vocal outburst from the typically silent Teller. Leaping to his feet, he cried ‘Bravo!’ repeatedly.
“It was one of most iconic moments of my career … that was huge for me,” recalls Spidey, noting it led directly to his appearing on Penn and Teller’s television series Penn & Teller: Fool Us.
VIDEO: Spidey and Joel Meyers on Penn & Teller Fool Us
A graduate of Montreal’s Concordia University with a degree in social psychology, Spidey practised card tricks while in high school. His eventual stage name can be traced back to his time as a camp counsellor. A fan of comic books, and with the Spiderman film big in theatres at the time, he adopted that handle as his camp name.
Spidey’s increasing fascination with the mental aspect of magic took him in a new direction. In a June 2018 interview with Lindsay Carlton of Fox News, Spidey recalls “That was when the real spark hit where I got really into the more mental stuff”..
“I thought it (mentalism) was a really great way to connect with people, to break the ice, and it’s something that I just became so passionate about.”
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According to Spidey, mentalism has at its heart four subcategories: prediction, clairvoyance, telekinesis, and telepathy. That said, he adds mind reading isn’t what most think it is.
“It’s not like we look at the person and we see or hear their thoughts,” he says. “Through a combination of deductive reasoning, magic, and psychology, we know what they’re thinking.”
He adds using psychology to manipulate people’s minds shouldn’t be confused with being psychic.
“When people see mentalism, their first guess typically is that it involves some sort of psychic ability, but it’s not,” Spidey explains.
“I think that even psychics are using trickery and deceptive methods. The only difference is what they claim it is. They say it’s real — ‘I’m tapping into your energy, and I’m reading your mind, and I can see your aura’ — whereas for me, it’s ‘I’m just entertaining you with this’.”
VIDEO: Spidey uses the power of suggestion to get out of a speeding ticket
Spidey makes it clear he doesn’t view his talent as a gift. Rather, he says, it’s all about technique.
“It’s something you learn and develop, akin to learning to play a music instrument.”
That in mind, he advises to aspiring mentalists to practice over and over.
“Because mentalism is so much about connecting with someone, the best way is just to get out there and do it as often as you can, for as many people as you can. You’re going to mess up at first — it’s going to happen — but then, as you get more comfortable with it, you get better.”
For more information about Spidey, visit his website at www.spideymagic.com.
These Grade 2 students harvested 122 pounds of onions at Edwin Binney's Community Garden in Lindsay on September 27, 2019, pushing the total weight of produce harvested in the garden's first year of operation to more than two tons. The fresh produce was donated to local social service agencies, food banks, shelters, and children's programming agencies. (Photo courtesy of United Way City of Kawartha
United Way City of Kawartha Lakes (CKL) has announced Edwin Binney’s Community Garden in Lindsay has now produced more than two tons of fresh produce in its first year of operation, with all food donated to the community.
The milestone was reached on Friday (September 27) with the help of a Grade 2 class that harvested 122 pounds of onions, pushing the total weight of fresh produce harvested to 4,109 pounds.
Edwin Binney’s Community Garden comprises 30,000 square feet of Crayola Canada’s previously unused land that the United Way and Fleming College staff have developed into a fully operational community garden. The garden is maintained by staff from both United Way CKL and the Sustainable Agriculture program at Fleming College Frost Campus, as well as several volunteers from Crayola Canada, Farm Credit Canada, and the community.
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The main goal of the garden is to provide fresh produce to people who need it in the City of Kawartha Lakes through social service agencies, food banks, shelters, and children’s programming agencies. In the garden’s first year, 11 different agencies received fresh produce.
FoodRescure.ca — operated by Second Harvest, Canada’s largest food rescue organization — was instrumental in distributing the fresh produce.
“Thanks in large part to United Way City of Kawartha Lakes, we are seeing 95 per cent of all donations going through FoodRescue.ca be fresh and nutritious produce — items which such non-profits might not often come by or which can be expensive to purchase for their programming,” says FoodRescue.ca coordinator Jessica Topfer.
“This has helped non-profits immensely by saving them some of their already limited financial resources, but most importantly, it has given members of our community an opportunity to access good food which can provide them the nutrition and energy they need as they work toward strengthening their future.”
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A partnership with Frost College’s Sustainable Agriculture program at Fleming College has meant that the garden uses a science-based crop rotation plan, which will allow even more produce to be grown in future years. Students in the Sustainable Agriculture course are also able to receive practical experience that will count towards their diploma while working on site at Edwin Binney’s Community Garden.
Along with college students, children of all ages have enjoyed learning at the garden. Through a grant from TD Friends of the Environment, United Way CKL was able to hire an educator to create curriculum-based workshop materials. Fifteen school classes and summer camps, with children ranging from 3 to 17 years old, were able to visit the garden this year. A total of 300 young people gained hands-on experience in food literacy, numeracy, agriculture and biology through plant identification, scavenger hunts, crafts, and various other activities.
Pictured is 456 pounds of fresh produce harvested from Edwin Binney’s Community Garden in Lindsay. The garden is located on 30,000 square feet of Crayola Canada’s previously unused land that the United Way and Fleming College staff have developed into a fully operational community garden. In the garden’s first year of operation, 11 different agencies received fresh produce from the garden.(Photo courtesy of United Way City of Kawartha Lakes)
“This is an amazing accomplishment, way beyond any expectation we had when this project started,” say representatives from Crayola Canada. “It is a result of a combined effort from so many local partners. Crayola is very proud to be a part of such a significant community initiative.”
Plans for the second year of Edwin Binney’s Community Garden are underway, with the goal of increasing produce yields and student involvement.
Anyone interested in getting involved in Edwin Binney’s Community Garden can contact Elly Millington, projects and communications coordinator at United Way CKL, at office@ckl.unitedway.ca or at 705-878-5081.
It is legal in Canada to grow up to four cannabis plants for personal use. (Photo: Wikipedia)
Although you can now legally grow up to four cannabis plants, you might want to think twice about growing them in an area where they are visible from the street.
A Lindsay man was arrested on Thursday (September 26) after he was caught with stolen cannabis plants.
At around 10:30 a.m. on Thursday morning, a resident of Melbourne Street West in Lindsay contacted Kawartha Lakes Police Service to report that a man had just entered their backyard and stole a cannabis plant that was growing on the property.
A short time later, officers located a man walking in the area with several mature cannabis plants in his possession. The man was arrested for the theft.
Further investigation revealed the man had also stolen two cannabis plants from two other properties.
Police have charged 44-year-old Matthew Cork of Lindsay. with three counts of theft under $5,000, three counts of possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000, and three counts of failing to comply with the conditions of his probation order.
The accused man will appear at the Ontario Court of Justice at 440 Kent Street West in Lindsay on October 31, 2019.
The cast of Lindsay Little Theatre's production of "Moon Over Buffalo" (left to right): Kaitlyn Thiodeau, Michael Chapman, Colin Dusome, Jeff Condon, Lorna Green, Shannon Peters Bain, and Michael Hart. Not pictured is Bonnie Kelly. (Photo: Sam Tweedle / kawarthaNOW.com)
On Friday, September 27th, the curtain goes up on Lindsay Little Theatre’s 2019-2020 season with Ken Ludwig’s farcical comedy Moon Over Buffalo.
Lindsay Little Theatre presents Moon Over Buffalo
When: Friday, September 27 and Saturday, September 28, 2019 at 8 p.m., Friday, October 4 and Saturday, October 5, 2019 at 8 p.m. Where: >Lindsay Little Theatre (55 George St. W., Lindsay) How much: $20
Written by Ken Ludwig. Directed by Pamela Brohm and Beth Harrington. Starring Michael Chapman, Lorna Green, Shannon Peters Bain, Colin Dusome, Michael Hart, Kaitlyn Thiodeau, Jeff Condon, and Bonnie Kelly. Tickets are available in person or by phone at the Academy Theatre box office (2 Lindsay St. S., Lindsay, 705-324-911), online at www.lindsaylittletheatre.com, or at the door before each performance (subject to availability).
Directed by Pamela Brohm and Beth Harrington, Moon Over Buffalo is a likeable comedy lampooning the backstage antics of repertory theatre and the ambitions of aging actors who have seen better days.
Written by award-winning playwright Ken Ludwig, Moon Over Buffalo debuted directly on Broadway in 1995, where it saw the return of comedian Carol Burnett on stage after 30-year absence. A hit with curious audiences, the play saw Tony nominations for Burnett and her co-star Phillip Bosco, and was the subject of a documentary by famed filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker. The show ran for 300 performances and has had a life on the stage ever since.
Set in 1953, Moon Over Broadway centres on the fading careers of married actors George and Charlotte Hay (Michael Chapman and Lorna Green). Once famous on Broadway, the couple were the darlings of New York and even appeared on the cover of Life magazine.
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However, after a failed attempt to make it in Hollywood, where they perished in B-movies, George and Charlotte are now appearing in repertory theatre in Buffalo during an era where the advent of television is replacing people’s interest in theatre. Performing daily performances of Cyrano de Bergerac and Private Lives, things are about to go from bad to worse for the couple.
When George and Charlotte’s daughter Rosalind (Shannon Peters Bain), who gave up acting to live a ‘normal’ life, arrives in Buffalo to introduce her parents to her new fiancé Howard (Colin Dusome), she doesn’t expect to run into her old flame Paul (Michael Hart), who is producing the couple’s show.
Furthermore, an unexpected night of passion paired with the return of an old flame threatens to break George and Charlotte up, marking the end of the theatre company. But everyone soon needs to get things together because it is revealed that famous Hollywood director Frank Capra has lost his leading man to an accident on the set, and he is on his way to Buffalo to see the couple perform as possible replacements.
From that moment on, everything goes wrong, leading to mistaken identities, misinformation, disastrous performances, and plenty of slamming doors in the classic comedic farce style.
In the Lindsay Little Theatre production of Moon Over Buffalo, Michael Chapman and Loran Green are well cast in the roles of George and Charlotte Hay. The audience can find comedy as George, a likeable cad, has the worst day of his life.
As George, Michael is highly energetic with expressions that fall somewhere between actor Tom Ewell and comic book hero Plastic Man. He meets his match in Lorna, who remains spot on and steady through the entire production.
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However, some of the funniest scenes are between Michael and co-star Michael Hart, who plays stage manager Paul. The pair have an unlikely comedic chemistry, and Michael gives a delightful performance.
The highlight of the show for me was a hilarious reading of Noel Coward’s Private Lives by Michael and Shannon Peters-Bain. While Michael keeps it straight, Shannon plays it bored and haughty, making for the biggest laughs of the show.
Supporting performances are by Kaitlyn Thibodeau as Eileen and Jeff Condon as Richard, whose romantic entanglements threaten the future of the theatre (not to mention George and Charlotte’s marriage), and Bonnie Kelly as Charlotte’s crusty mother Ethel, who has most of the show’s best zingers.
Micheal Chapman as George and Michael Hart as Paul in Lindsay Little Theatre’s production of “Moon Over Buffalo”. (Photo: Sam Tweedle / kawarthaNOW.com)
A special shout-out goes to Colin Dusome as hapless weatherman Howard who, despite mostly being shoved out doors or maliciously manhandled, gives the funniest and most charming performance in the play. A very funny character actor, Colin lights every show he is in and provides a much-needed comedic rescue for Moon Over Buffalo.
About the play’s title
“Moon Over Miami was a popular film in the 1940s and was thought of as the epitome of romance. One day while writing the play, the title just popped into my head. The notion was that Buffalo is generally thought of as the antithesis of romance and by juxtaposing “Moon Over” with a city like Buffalo instead of the (then) glamorous Miami, it would be a funny statement about where my protagonists are in their lives. They’re not playing London or New York or Miami; they’re playing Buffalo.” – Playwright Ken Ludwig
Although the farcical antics makes up the majority of the show, the real fun begins when the actors fly into the world of Cyrano de Bergerac and Noel Coward. Donning fabulous costumes by Meg Duncan, the mixture of stage fiction and stage reality is a joy to watch and is when the actors really get into the spirit of the show. Wait carefully for the second scene in act two for some truly fun moments.
Moon Over Buffalo is an interesting choice for the opening of Lindsay Little Theatre’s new season. Although the material is slightly dated at times, the company puts a lot of passion into it. For audiences that enjoy a classic farce, Moon Over Buffalo is a perfect opportunity to visit one of the most endearing theatres in the Kawarthas.
Moon Over Buffalo will be performed at Lindsay Little Theatre (55 George St. W., Lindsay) at 8 p.m. on Friday, September 27th and Saturday, September 29th and again on Friday, October 4tyh and Saturday, October 5th. Tickets are available in person or by phone at the Academy Theatre box office (2 Lindsay St. S., Lindsay, 705-324-911), online at www.lindsaylittletheatre.com, or at the door before each performance (subject to availability).
The West End Riverboat Band (John Williams on clarinet and vocals, Ben Lee on tenor banjo and vocals, and Chris Adriaanse on double bass) will be performing old-time New Orleans jazz and folk at The Arlington in Maynooth on Saturday, September 28th and then again at the Black Horse Pub in downtown Peterborough on Sunday, September 29th. (Publicity photo)
Every Thursday, we publish live music and performance events at pubs and clubs in Peterborough and The Kawarthas based on information that venues provide to us directly or post on their website or social media channels. Here are the listings for the week of Thursday, September 26 to Wednesday, October 2.
If you’re a pub or club owner and want to be included in our weekly listings, please email our Nightlife Editor at nightlife@kawarthanow.com.
Hydro One is advising of a planned power outage on Sunday morning (September 29) in the Peterborough area, to allow crews to complete required upgrades to ensure safe and reliable power.
Between 7 a.m. and 12 p.m., Hydro One will disconnect power to 8,489 customers in the Smith, Curve Lake First Nation, Douro, Harvey, Lakehurst, Buckhorn, Burleigh, and Cavendish areas.
The power outage will also affect Lakefield, which is served by Peterborough Utilities Group.
Hydro One crews will be completing required upgrades and maintenance in the area, which includes replacing poles and switches. An outage is required to ensure the safety of crews.
Hydro One customers requiring additional information can call 1-888-664-9376.
On Saturday, October 5th, GreenUP's Sustainable Urban Neighbourhoods (SUN) program invites the public to enjoy a community celebration and BioBlitz at Kawartha Heights Park in Peterborough. During the BioBlitz, GreenUP's expert volunteers will help you learn about the fascinating plants and animals living within the park. The event also includes tree planting, a live performance by Washboard Hank, and the official release of the Kawartha Heights and East City-Curtis Creek Neighbourhood Action Plans. (Photo courtesy of GreenUP)
GreenUP’s Sustainable Urban Neighbourhoods (SUN) program is inviting the public to enjoy a community celebration and BioBlitz at Kawartha Heights Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 5th.
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Brittany Harding, GreenUP Education and Outreach Coordinator.
A BioBlitz is an event where scientists and members of the public work together to identify and inventory all the species of flora and fauna within a given geographic area, giving a snapshot of biodiversity in the area.
At the Kawartha Heights BioBlitz, our expert volunteers will help you learn about the fascinating plants and animals living within the park.
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The day also includes tree planting, a live performance by Washboard Hank, and the official release of the Kawartha Heights and East City-Curtis Creek Neighbourhood Action Plans.
Over the past three years, SUN has collaborated with residents, the City of Peterborough, and other partners to develop two Neighbourhood Action Plans. The plans identify 10-year goals related to rainwater management and watershed health, habitat and urban forests, healthy and active transportation and recreation, community building, energy and climate, and local food security.
Key actions identified in the plans provide specific steps toward the realization of sustainability goals. These actions will help each neighbourhood adapt to the projected impacts of climate change in the Peterborough region, such as greater precipitation and more extreme temperatures.
VIDEO: October 5th BioBlitz & celebration of Sustainable Urban Neighbourhoods Program
Climate change is a daunting issue that can leave us feeling overwhelmed and even hopeless. We often think, ‘I’m just one person, what can I do?’
A 2017 report by the American Psychological Association, Climate for Health, and ecoAmerica acknowledges that it is common to be “deeply affected by feelings of loss, helplessness, and frustration due to an inability to feel like (we) are making a difference in stopping climate change.”
The SUN Action Plans address these feelings by identifying specific, clearly defined, and attainable actions.
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The plans identify many projects that residents can undertake and support, especially at home. For example, installation of rain barrels and rain gardens can help capture rainwater where it falls. Rain barrels and rain gardens can reduce demands on municipal storm water infrastructure and maintain the health of local watersheds.
Actions like these are achievable and remind us that we are part of a much larger, human and non-human, community. What we do at home can directly and indirectly impact the health and well-being of others. We all reap the benefits of climate action.
Interested in learning more about sustainable landscaping projects, their benefits, and how to get started? Check out our guide Planting for a Sustainable Urban Neighbourhood at www.greenup.on.ca/sun.
A BioBlitz is an event where scientists and members of the public work together to identify and inventory all the species of flora and fauna within a given geographic area, giving a snapshot of biodiversity in the area. (Photo courtesy of GreenUP)
Many of the actions emphasize the value of collaboration and the multiple benefits of local initiatives. For example, enhancing local parks is one of the main focus areas of the action plan in Kawartha Heights. The October 5th BioBlitz offers residents an opportunity to get outdoors and enjoy all that nature has to offer.
It will also provide SUN, the City of Peterborough, and other partners with more information about local plants and animals that live in this important greenspace so we can protect and enhance the park. In other words, we can achieve a lot when we work together.
Don’t live in a SUN neighbourhood? No problem. The actions described in the existing plans can give you some great examples of things that can be done in any neighbourhood to adapt to climate change.
The October 5th BioBlitz at Kawartha Heights Park in Peterborough will also see the official release of the Kawartha Heights and East City-Curtis Creek Neighbourhood Action Plans. Over the past three years, GreenUP’s Sustainable Urban Neighbourhoods (SUN) program has collaborated with residents, the City of Peterborough, and other partners to developthe plans, which identify 10-year goals related to rainwater management and watershed health, habitat and urban forests, healthy and active transportation and recreation, community building, energy and climate, and local food security. (Photo courtesy of GreenUP)
This fall, SUN will be working with neighbourhood residents, the municipality, and other partners to begin implementing the action plans. If you are interested in learning more about Kawartha Heights and East City-Curtis Creek Action Plans, or if you would like to support a specific action, please contact Hayley Goodchild, SUN program co-ordinator, at hayley.goodchild@greenup.on.ca.
Following their release on October 5th, the SUN Action Plans will be available online at www.greenup.on.ca/sun, and can be picked up in the Greenup Store at 378 Aylmer Street in downtown Peterborough.
Guided nature walks will depart from the playground at Kawartha Heights Park at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The Peterborough Field Naturalists will be leading a Junior BioBlitz for kids starting at 10:30 a.m. A live performance by Washboard Hank will begin at noon. Any attendees participating in the guided nature walks or tree planting will be required to wear close-toed shoes and long pants.
Interested in volunteering? We are looking for volunteers to make this event a success. If you are interested in helping to lead or support BioBlitz groups or SUN partners, please contact Brittany Harding at brittany.harding@greenup.on.ca or 705-745-3238 ext. 224 for more information.
The SUN program is a three-year initiative funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation and facilitated by Greenup. SUN is modelled on and delivered in association with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority’s Sustainable Urban Neighbourhood Action Program (SNAP). SUN is administered in partnership with the City of Peterborough, Otonabee Conservation, and Nourish.
As well as guided nature walks, the October 5th BioBlitz at Kawartha Heights Park in Peterborough also includes tree planting and a live performance by Washboard Hank. (Photo courtesy of GreenUP)
In Planet 12 Productions' original play "Tex", Samuelle Weatherdon, Aimee Gordon, and Emily Keller star as three girls who use an Ouija board on Halloween and contact a spirit who calls himself Tex and leads the girls into a local cemetery in search for the answers to a gruesome murder from their town's past. The show runs from September 25 to 28, 2019 at The Theatre on King in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
Halloween comes early this year when Planet 12 Productions premieres Tex at The Theatre on King (TTOK) in downtown Peterborough from September 25th to 28th.
Planet 12 Productions presents Tex
When: Wednesday, September 25 to Saturday, September 28, 2019 at 8 p.m. Where: The Theatre on King (171 King St., Peterborough) How much: $10 or pay what you can
Written and directed by Derek Weatherdon and featuring Brad Brackenridge, Aimee Gordon, Emily Keller, Adam Martignetti, Mark Paton, Nicole Roy, Ben van Veen, and Sam Weatherdon.
A supernatural thriller written and directed by Derek Weatherdon, Tex is a creepy ghost story in the vein of Stephen King, mixed with a hint of Rashomon. Starring Samuelle Weatherdon, Aimee Gordon, and Emily Keller, Tex mixes urban legends with a hint of nostalgia in Planet 12’s most ambitious production to date.
Ouija boards, apples, and the grave of an unknown man set the stage for this chiller. Tex follows three friends — Max (Samuelle Weatherdon), Billie (Aimee Gordon), and Regi (Emily Keller) — on Halloween. Just at the age where they are almost too old to go out for candy, the three girls spend the early evening trick or treating and return to Max’s home for candy and scary movies.
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However, Max has other ideas. Having borrowed a Ouija board from a school friend, Max chides her reluctant friends into using it. Almost immediately the threesome begin communicating with a spirit identifying himself as Tex, leading the girls into a local cemetery in search for the answers to a gruesome murder from their town’s past. What follows is a night of secrets, confessions, and revenge as the girls spend their Halloween in the company of spirits of the past, and the horror of Tex.
Although Planet 12 Productions has created a lot of interesting shows since their inauguration in 2017, Tex is the strongest offering from the group since Boy Wonders. Exploring themes from his own youth, writer/director Derek Weatherdon has a masterful way of capturing the nostalgic wonderment of yesteryear, especially when writing about the 1970s.
Brad Brackenridge as Auguste La Grande with Nicole Roy as Catherine and Ben vanVeen, in his stage debut, as Tex. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
Set in 1974, Tex is a love letter to Halloween nights of the past, when parents allowed their children to run wild in the dark, dressed in garish plastic Ben Cooper Halloween costumes, with little to no supervision.
From the perfect vintage look of the set and costumes to zippy dialogue bursting with era-appropriate cultural references, to musical interludes featuring music by Gladys Knight and the Pips, Cher, Screaming Jay Hawkins and Skeeter Davis, Derek and his company manage to capture that simpler time, immediately creating a nostalgic feeling for anybody who lived in that era.
But Tex is not just a ghost story — it’s also a coming-of-age tale, written to usher in the Planet 12 regulars who are no longer kids but growing into both young adults and fine performers.
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As someone who has been following these young actors working together in productions since 2016, it is really wonderful for me to see them grow from performance to performance. I have a natural soft spot for the Planet 12 performers, but in Tex they raise the bar to a new level.
Although still in her teens, Samuelle Weatherdon has already become one of the most prolific young performers in the Kawarthas via her appearances at TTOK, 4th Line Theatre, the Peterborough Theatre Guild, and other various stages.
In Tex, Sam plays the slightly naive but forceful Max. Seemingly the most stable of the three friends, Max is the girl that leads the girls into the darkness of the past.
Max (Samuelle Weatherdon) and Billie (Aimee Gordon) experiment with Ouija board on Halloween as Regi (Emily Keller) looks on. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
I don’t want to give away any of the story but, in the role of Max, Sam is able to put on duo hats as a curious teenage girl looking for mystery and adventure, and something else from beyond the grave. It’s a great role for a fine actress.
I have been very vocal that Aimee Gordon, who plays Billie, is one of my favourite local young actresses, and it’s wonderful to see her again with Planet 12 after a short absence. Although a wonderful musical theatre actress, Aimee also has some serious dramatic chops and she once again flexes those muscles in Tex.
In the role of Billie, Aimee is the cool girl with a complicated family situation. She is also the medium between the two other girls, who wavers between siding with Max’s spooky ideas and Regi’s cautious ones. Aimee brings a sense of reality to the role, giving another fine performance to her growing theatre resume.
As the cautious Regi, Emily Keller gives her greatest performance to date. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
The biggest shout-out goes to Emily Keller as Regi. Although Emily has always had a solid presence with Planet 12, in the past she has always been the quiet (bordering on docile) performer. In the role of Regi, Emily has finally found her voice and she steps up her performance tenfold.
As the cautious, if not slightly dorky, of the three girls, Regi is the voice of reason. However, as the night goes forward, Regi is fighting a losing battle against the spirits that surround them. Emily gives her greatest performance to date and often stealing the stage from her co-stars — a big role for an emerging actress who finally takes centre stage.
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Tex also features a series of flashback scenes featuring Ben vanVeen, Nicole Roy, and Brad Brackenridge.
In his first appearance at TTOK, Ben shows great dramatic chops by playing the role of Tex in three very different fashions, embodying different versions of the same character. It’s a strong debut by a promising actor who I hope we will see much more of on stage.
Nicole Roy also gives one of her strongest performances to date as the tragic Catherine, who she plays as both sultry and sweet. Brad, who is always interesting to watch, plays the town’s leading citizen August La Grande, who holds the key to the mysteries of the past, and gets entangled in the horror of Tex.
Adam Martignetti, who performs a small role as Max’s father, also created two short film sequences for the play that allow the story to be told beyond the confines of the physical theatre. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
Tex is also unique by including two short film sequences, created by Adam Martignetti (who makes a small but potent cameo in the show as Max’s father).
Written and directed by Derek Weatherdon, “Tex” runs September 25 to 28, 2019 at The Theatre on King in downtown Peterborough.
The filmed sequences are a brilliant and well-executed element of the production, allowing the story to be told beyond the confines of the physical theatre.
One of the pieces is a beautiful and moody opening sequence that gives Tex a cinematic feel, adding an exciting element to the play.
There is a lot to be excited about when it comes to Tex. It is a perfect mix of clever dialogue, endearing characters, universe-building moments, and chilling horror centred around three talented young actresses.
Tex sits well amongst recent film releases It Part Two and Stories to Tell in the Dark in relation to theme and genre, but out of the three I’ll admit I’m most excited about Tex.
Come out to this great show this week for some early trick or treats and to discover the truth about Tex.
The play runs from Wednesday, September 25th to Saturday, September 28th at TTOK. Each performance start at 8 p.m. and is $10 at the door or pay what you can.
Samuelle Weatherdon as the slightly naive but forceful Max and Aimee Gordon as the cool girl Billie. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
"The Mush Hole", which addresses the devastation of residential schools with a visceral and thought-provoking dance performance, is one of seven performance events offered during Public Energy Performing Arts' 2019-20 season. "The Mush Hole" will be performed by Kaha:wi Dance Theatre at the Market Hall in downtown Peterborough on November 2, 2019. (Photo: Ian R. Maracle)
Public Energy Performing Arts — Peterborough’s presenter and facilitator of contemporary dance, theatre, performance, and interdisciplinary work — has announced its 2019-20 season, featuring seven performance events from October through May.
The upcoming season includes two festivals, a free outdoor storytelling installation, and mainstage events at three downtown Peterborough performance venues, as well as artist discussions, classes, and workshops.
Themes covered this season range from transformation, mental illness, and the precarity of creative labour to the impact of residential schools and environmental activism.
“Trophy” is a free event where audience members can move between lighted tents to listen to local stories of life-changing moments of transformation. (Photo: Dahlia Katz)
Trophy, by Ottawa artists Sarah Conn and Allison O’Connor, features local stories of life-changing moments of transformation in a pop-up living installation at Fleming Park (427 Aylmer St. N., Peterborough).
Audience members will move through at their own pace from tent to tent listening to stories that capture turning points in the lives of the storytellers. The light-filled tents become temporary beacons to a world in changing times, before they vanish off into the night.
Drop in anytime during performance times: from 7 to 10 p.m. on Friday, October 4th and from 4 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 5th. This event is free.
The Mush Hole – November 2, 2019
Choreographed by the award-winning Santee Smith, “The Mush Hole” is a dance performance that moves through the devastation of the residential school experience with grace and the hope for transformation and release. (Photo: Ian R. Maracle)
The Mush Hole is a visceral and thought-provoking dance performance that reflects the realities of the Mohawk Institute residential school experience through dance.
Performed by Kaha:wi Dance Theatre, The Mush Hole offers a way to open dialogue and to heal through acknowledgement and by honouring the spirit of the survivors and families that were impacted.
Curated by Patti Shaughnessy, The Mush Hole was choreographed by Santee Smith (Six Nations / Toronto). Local audiences may remember Smith’s dance about lacrosse, The Creator’s Game, that had its world premiere for a crowd of 3,000 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre during the 2012 Ode’min Giizis Festival. Smith is an award-winning producer and choreographer whose original work has been seen around the world and featured on film and television.
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The Mush Hole will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 2nd at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St, Peterborough). Tickets will cost $25 ($12 for the underwaged and $7 for high school students) and there will be a post-show question-and-answer session with the artists.
Precarious2: Peterborough ArtsWORK Festival – November 1 to December 21, 2019
Rat costumes created by Laurel Paluck. One of the theatrical pieces during the 2017 Pecarious Festival was Kate Story’s “Festivus Rattus 2035”, a post-apocalyptic retelling of the Pied Piper of Hamelin as a metaphor for the underpaid and undervalued artist. (Photo by Andy Carroll)
Precarious2 is a month-long multi-arts festival that explores the precarity of creative labour features more than 50 artists creating and presenting new works in theatre, visual art, music, spoken word, literary arts, and performance. The first Precarious Festival took place in November 2017.
Presented by Fleshy Thud in partnership with Public Energy Performing Arts with Kate Story as artistic director and Ryan Kerr as festival director, Precarious2 will also offer workshops, artistic mentorships, and panel discussions on topics including food security, decolonizing artistic practice, precarity and aging, labour issues, and gentrification.
Precarious2: Peterborough ArtsWORK Festival will run at multiple venues throughout downtown Peterborough from Friday, November 1st until Saturday, December 31st. More details will be coming closer to the event date.
Every Brilliant Thing – January 16 to 19 and 21 to 25, 2020
Dora Award winner and Stratford Festival company member Steve Ross stars in “Every Brilliant Thing”. (Photo: Trish Lindstrom)
Public Energy Performing Arts has partnered with New Stages Theatre to present Every Brilliant Thing, directed by New Stages artistic director Randy Read and starring Stratford company member Steve Ross.
Written by Duncan MacMillan and Jonny Donahoe, Every Brilliant Thing is a powerfully moving comedy-drama about a man who remembers when, as a young boy, he tried to ease his mother’s depression with a list of everything he could think of to remind her that life was still worth living. In the process, he makes his own discoveries about the power of hope and storytelling.
A full production of Every Brilliant Thing will be staged at The Theatre on King (171 King St., Peterborough) at 7:30 p.m. from Thursday, January 16th through Saturday, January 25th (no performance on Monday, January 20), with a 3 p.m. matinee performance on Sunday, January 24th. Tickets will cost $25 ($12 for the underwaged).
The Chemical Valley Project – March 6, 2020
“The Chemical Valley Project” is a work of documentary theatre that examines the impact of the petrochemical industry in Sarnia, Ontario, on the Aamjiwnaang First Nations reserve. (Photo: Dahlia Katz)
Toronto’s Broadleaf Theatre presents The Chemical Valley Project, a work of documentary theatre featuring an innovative blend of design, object puppetry, and performance.
Located in Sarnia, Ontario, the so-called “Chemical Valley” is a corridor of petrochemical industry plants that lie adjacent to the Aamjiwnaang First Nations reserve. In The Chemical Valley Project, theatre makers Julia Howman and Kevin Matthew Wong document the activism of Vanessa Gray and Lindsay Beze Gray, who have dedicated their lives to fighting the pollution that threatens their community’s health and future.
The 2017 critics’ pick by Toronto’s NOW Magazine, The Chemical Valley Project will spark conversation on Canadian environmental policy, treaty rights and Indigenous relations, and Canadian identity and values.
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The Chemical Valley Project will be staged at 12:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 6th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St, Peterborough). Tickets will cost $25 ($12 for the underwaged and $7 for high school students) and there will be a post-show question-and-answer session with the artists.
Emergency Festival #23 – April 3 to 5, 2020
A promotional shot of Charlie Petch in “Daughter of Geppetto”, which was performed at Emergency Festival #22. (Photo: Mona Mousa)
Now in its 23rd year, the Emergency Festival is a cornerstone of support for local artists creating new work, from experimental theatre to contemporary dance and aerial circus arts.
A call for artists to submit proposals for Emergency Festival #23 will be issued in November 2019, with artistic programming decisions to follow.
The schedule for the 2020 festival is still to be determined, but performance venues will include Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St, Peterborough) and The Theatre on King (171 King St., Peterborough).
In-Ward – May 14, 2020
“In-Ward” features six dancers choreographed Alexandra “Spicey” Landé who use hip-hop to explore the human psyche with dramatic tension and dark humour, with sound design by hip-hop beat maker and producer Shash’U. (Photo: Melika Dez)
Presented by Montreal urban dance company Ebnflõh in conjunction with Showplace Performance Centre, In-Ward uses hip-hop dance to explore the human psyche with dramatic tension and dark humour.
Choreographer Alexandra “Spicey” Landé builds bridges between hip-hop culture and contemporary dance, taking the dance of the streets to new artistic heights. With six accomplished dancers, she plunges us into the deep waters of the human psyche, depicting the overlapping of feelings and the subtle contradictions of the unconscious — both individual and collective — while faced with forced confinement, sharing same spaces, and isolation.
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Renowned hip-hop beat maker and producer Shash’U provides a sound design that simultaneously accompanies the dance and propels it forward.
In-Ward will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 14th Showplace Performance Centre (290 George St. N., Peterborough). Tickets will cost $25 ($12 for the underwaged and $7 for high school students) and there will be a post-show question-and-answer session with the artists.
Elmhirst's Resort, located on the shores of Rice Lake in Keene, is a Tourism Employer of the Year finalist for the 2019 Tourism Industry Awards of Excellence. The award recognizes an organization that has developed an admirable reputation as a great place to work, and that has established itself as an upstanding example of Ontario's tourism industry. (Photo courtesy of Elmhirst's Resort)
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 Elmhirst’s Resort in Keene being selected as a finalist for the 2019 Tourism Industry Awards of Excellence, Peterborough’s Signarama expanding into the custom apparel and promotional products industry, Lucky Strike Bait Works in Peterborough celebrating its 90th anniversary, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada rebranding with a new look.
Also featured this week are Pinnguaq Association launching Lindsay Makerspace, Spark Photo Festival announcing new festival director Jennifer MacKenzie, and the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce winning the annual Canadian Chamber of Commerce competition.
New regional business events added this week include the Cobourg job fair employer registration deadline on September 30th, Venture13 presenting a cyber security tech talk in Cobourg on October 5th and an IBM Lunch and Learn seminar in Cobourg on October 15th, and Small Business Week in Kawartha Lakes from October 21st to 25th.
Elmhirst’s Resort in Keene a finalist for the 2019 Tourism Industry Awards of Excellence
Stephen Elmhirst (right) and team picking apples at Elmhirst’s Resort in Keene. The apples were then taken to Kawartha Country Wines for cider processing. (Photo: Elmhirst’s Resort / Facebook)
Elmhirst’s Resort in Keene is a finalist in the 2019 Tourism Industry Awards of Excellence from the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO).
For the Tourism Employer of the Year, Elmhirst’s Resort is up against Ottawa Tourism and Escape Manor (with locations in Toronto, Cornwall, Ottawa, Regina Hamilton, Saskatoon, and Brisbane in Australia).
The Tourism Employer of the Year award recognizes an organization that has developed an admirable reputation as a great place to work, and that has established itself as an upstanding example of Ontario’s tourism industry.
Established in 1903, Elmhirst’s Resort on the shores of Rice Lake is an all-season cottage resort and conference facility. It offers a spa, dining, and a activities for the whole family. Managed by a fifth generation of the Elmhirst family, the 240-acre property includes a farm that produces livestock, fowl, and fruit and vegetables that are served to resort guests.
The award winners will be announced on Wednesday, October 30th at the Ontario Tourism Awards of Excellence gala evening at Blue Mountain Village Inn & Conference Centre in Collingwood, as part of the 2019 Ontario Tourism Summit.
Peterborough’s Signarama expands into custom apparel and promotional products industry
With its Fully Promoted sister franchise, Signarama is expanded its services to offer custom apparel and promotional products. (Supplied photos)
Signarama, a full-service sign, banner, and decal company in Peterborough, has now expanded into the custom apparel and promotional products industry.
Fully Promoted is a sister franchise to Signarama, and both businesses are now located in the same office 774 Rye Street Unit 10 to be able to offer more services and products to existing Signarama clients.
Signarama’s partnership with Fully Promoted, the world’s largest branded products franchise, means Signarama can now offer everything from storefront signage to uniforms to office pens and more.
The grand opening of Fully Promoted takes place from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, October 24th. The free event will feature food and drink, prizes, giveaways, draws, and more.
Lucky Strike Bait Works in Peterborough celebrates its 90th anniversary
Lucky Strike Bait Works was founded in Peterborough in 1929 by Frank “Rusty” Edgar. (Photo courtesy of Lucky Strike Bait Works)
Lucky Strike Bait Works celebrated its 90th year in business on Saturday (September 21) at the Evinrude Centre in Peterborough.
One of North America’s oldest and largest tackle and landing net manufacturers, Lucky Strike was founded in Peterborough in 1929 by Frank “Rusty” Edgar.
With a love of fishing, Edgar turned his hobby into a booming business from his garage. He began to improve wooden plug baits that he had previously fashioned out of broom handles. The plugs were quite heavy and ran deep in the Otonabee River where he loved to fish. The interest of local anglers was quickly peaked, and Edgar began selling his lures from his tackle box.
In 1939, after expanding the business for a decade, Edgar established a new shop where he could now compete with major U.S. companies. After World War II, during which time the Peterborough plant was switched to the war production of search light parts and machine work for armoured cars, an addition was added to the plant expanding production once again.
The anniversary event at the Evinrude Centre included displays of historical antique tackle collections from the Canadian Antique Tackle Association.
“It means a great deal to see our business still growing after 90 years,” says Lucky Strike president Dustin Rhodes. “I am very proud of the lures and nets we build in Peterborough and want to thank all of the great people in our community that have helped us along our journey.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada rebrands with new look
The new logo of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada, a non-profit organization with a focus on mentoring programs for youth, has rebranded with a new modern look.
The 106-year-old organization has a new logo, with the three lines symbolizing the three players who help a young person forge a new path forward: the family, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the volunteer mentor (the “Big”).
The new look and brand reflect months of research and consultation with over 3,500 volunteer mentors, young people, parents and guardians, mentoring leaders, and members of the general public from coast to coast.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada worked with Bain & Co. (which has supported Big Brothers Big Sisters as a long-term pro bono project) and Barkley on the research and brand transformation.
VIDEO: Big Brothers Big Sisters: Empowering Youth and Igniting Potential
“Mentoring is an essential service, impacting childhood brain development and creating positive cognitive, education, employment, and health outcomes,” says W. Matthew Chater, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada.
“Our modernization is meant to engage a new wave of volunteers and donors and give them an opportunity to make a true difference in this world, to change two lives: their own and the life of a young person.”
There are three charter agencies of Big Brothers Big Sisters in the Kawarthas: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peterborough, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kawartha Lakes-Haliburton, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northumberland. All three have now rebranded with the new logo.
Pinnguaq Association launches Lindsay Makerspace
Pinnguaq Kawartha Lakes was at the Lindsay Exhibition in September 2019 to share information about the new Lindsay Makerspace. (Photo: Pinnguaq Kawartha Lakes / Facebook)
Pinnguaq Association is opening Lindsay Makerspace, a gathering place for people of all ages and backgrounds to come together to share, learn, create, experiment, and play with digital technology in a safe and fun environment.
Founded in Nunavut (“pinnguaq” means “play” in Inuktitut) and with offices in Nunuvat, Ontario, and British Columbia, the not-for-profit social enterprise organization incorporates STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) into unique learning applications that promote storytelling, health, wellness and growth with rural and remote communities.
Pinnguaq Kawartha Lakes will host an open house and grand opening of Lindsay Makerspace (87 Angeline St. N., Lindsay) from 3 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 3rd. Everyone is welcome to attend to get an inside look on the services and programming the Makerspace has to offer.
Fall programming will begin on Tuesday, October 8th and will includes Tech Xploration, Ask An Expert, and Repair Cafe Drop-Ins, along with programs for registered participants to learn and experiment with specific skills including Create Comix, 3D Print A Piece, and Community Applied Workshop.
For more information, including the Makerspace schedule and program registration, visit pinnguaq.com/makerspace/ and follow Pinnguaq Kawartha Lakes on Facebook.
Spark Photo Festival announces new festival director Jennifer MacKenzie
Jennifer MacKenzie is the new festival director of the Spark Photo Festival, which returns in April 2020. (Supplied photo)
The board of directors of the Spark Photo Festival has announced the appointment of Jennifer MacKenzie as the organization’s new festival director.
The former co-owner of Nuttshell Next Door Café in Lakefield, MacKenzie is a cookbook author and food writer who has run her own consulting business since 1999 and is an experienced special events coordinator. She brings her administrative, marketing, and organizational skills to her role at Spark, as well as a personal passion for photography.
“I’m excited to be part of the effort to nurture the ever-growing roster of participating photographers, to expand the array of venues across the region, and to keep increasing audiences for our exhibits,” MacKenzie says.
MacKenzie replaces Spark co-founder Robert Boudreau, who departed as festival director after six years in the role. Boudreau will remain involved in the Festival as a board member in an advisory role and special exhibits curator, while working on personal projects.
The 2020 Spark Photo Festival runs from April 1st to 30th, with ehibit registration opening in October. For more information, visit www.sparkphotofestival.org.
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Peterborough Chamber of Commerce wins annual Canadian Chamber of Commerce competition for “Power Hour”
Peterborough Chamber of Commerce CEO and president Stu Harrion, policy analyst and communications specialist Sandra Dueck, and board vice chair Dawn Hennessey at the annual general meeting of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Saint John, New Brunswick on September 21, 2019. (Supplied photo)
At the annual general meeting of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Saint John, New Brunswick on Saturday (September 21), the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce won the annual Canadian Chamber of Commerce competition.
The Peterborough Chamber was awarded first place by around 300 delegates from across Canada for its annual “Power Hour” event. First launched in 2016, the Power Hour brings together Peterborough’s elected officials for a discussion with the business community.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the staff and volunteers of the Chamber,” says Chamber president and CEO Stu Harrison. “To have the opportunity to not only showcase our Chamber at the national level, but to be judged the best, is truly an honour.”
Community Futures Peterborough hosts financial workshop in Peterborough on September 24
Community Futures Peterborough is hosting “Financial Foundations”, a workshop from 8:45 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 24th in the boardroom at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough).
At this workshop, entrepreneurs and those interested in starting a business will learn about federal and provincial funding, local resources available, and how to enter the Company Startup Plus program. Keynote speaker Marie Dietrich, partner at Grant Thorton, will discuss the top five common mistakes young companies make.
Diversity and inclusion in the workplace information session in Lindsay on September 26
The Workforce Development Board/Local Employment Planning Council, in partnership with the Lindsay DBIA and the Lindsay & District Chamber of Commerce, is hosting an information session on diversity and inclusion in the workplace from 8 to 10 a.m. on Thursday, September 26th at Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Lindsay (134 Angeline St. S., Lindsay).
The free session will feature guest speaker Lindsay Kretschmer, executive director of the Toronto Aboriginal Support Services Council. Her areas of expertise include Indigenous social justice issues and well being, provincial and federal negotiations, program and training development, research and evaluation, policy and advocacy, and capacity and partnership building.
A webinar will be available for those unavailable to attend in person (details will be provided upon registration).
FLEX Fitness and AW Media Consulting host fall refresh women’s networking event in Lindsay on September 26
Cathy Steffler of FLEX Fitness and Ashley Webster of AW Media Consulting are hosting a fall refresh women’s networking event from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, September 26th at FLEX Fitness (66 William St. N., Lindsay).
The event features networking and conversation with like-minded business women along with wine and chocolate. Ashley Webster owner of AW Media Consulting will provide a 45-minute hands-on social media workshop focused on Instagram and Facebook, covering social media best practices, handling negative comments and reviews, social media advertising, building your brand online, and technical tips.
FLEX Fitness is a child-friendly space with a play area, so children are welcome.
Ontario Chamber of Commerce presents “Scaling Up Small Business” in Peterborough on September 27
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce is presenting “Scaling Up Small Business”, a regional panel discussion and report launch event, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, September 27th at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough).
The event will bring together private and public sector stakeholders to discuss the opportunities and challenges related to growing a business in Ontario. Ontario Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction Prabmeet Sarkaria will make remarks, followed by a keynote presentation by Diane Richard, Director of Product Development, Charlotte Products. A panel discussion moderated by Derek Newton (Assistant Vice President, Innovation Partnerships and Entrepreneurship, University of Toronto) will feature Rhonda Keenan (President and CEO, Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development), Dylan Trepanier ( CEO, Alexander Optical), and John Porter (President and CEO, BarterPay).
Cobourg job fair employer registration deadline on September 30
Watton Employment Services is presenting a free job fair from 3 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, October 9th at Cobourg Lions Community Centre (157 Elgin St. E., Cobourg).
Interested employers must commit to attending for the full duration of the event, and will be supplied with and table and chairs (wi-fi will be available).
There is no charge for employers to participate. The deadline to register is Monday, September 30th.
Local business organizations host members-only all-candidates debate on economic growth and development in Peterborough on September 30
Local business organizations are hosting a members-only all-candidates debate on economic growth and development from 5:30 to 10 p.m. on Monday, September 30th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough).
This event is hosted by the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce, Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area, Peterborough and the Kawarthas Association of Realtors, Peterborough and the Kawarthas Homebuilders Association, Kawartha Manufacturers’ Association, Women’s Business Network of Peterborough, and the Peterborough and District Construction Association.
Venture13 hosts TechXpo Cybersecurity Challenge in Cobourg on October 5
The TechXpo Cybersecurity Challenge takes place from 7:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. on Saturday, October 5th at Venture13 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre (739 D’Arcy St., Cobourg).
This event is part of the global CyberLympics, sponsored by SiberX, Durham College AI-Hub, and Venture13. The purpose of the event is to encourage developers to bring forward innovative ideas for cybersecurity applications that are technically feasible and commercially viable.
Teams will have one day to advance their concepts and pitch them to a panel of experts. Mentors and advisors will be available to help teams rapidly iterate their concepts and prepare a pitch presentation to the judges. The winner of the TechXpo Cybersecurity Challenge and the $1,000 cash team prize will be announced at the Cyberlympics finale at Durham College on October 26th, 2019.
TechXpo is sponsored by Venture13 VentureZone Members Eagle Aerospace and ConnexHealth Inc. and the Cobourg Police Service.
Venture13 presents cyber security tech talk in Cobourg on October 5
Venture13 is presenting a tech talk called “I to Eye : Thinking Like A Hacker” from 8:30 to 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 5th at Venture13 (739 D’Arcy St., Cobourg).
Keynote speaker Mahdi Raza, co-founder of SiberX, will be speaking on cyber security. SiberX is a roaming customized platform for training, events, and skills development in the cyber security field.
Venture13 presents Fireside Chat on Technology Adaptation and Healthcare in Cobourg on October 7
Venture13 is presenting its next Fireside Chat, on the topic “Technology Adaptation and Healthcare”, from 7 to 9 p.m. on Monday, October 7th in the Innovation Commons at Venture13 (739 D’Arcy St., Cobourg)
Sponsored by ConnexHealth, the free event features a keynote by Dr. Mukesh Bhargava (Chief of Staff, Northumberland Hills Hospital) and a panel discussion with Dr. Bhargava, Ryan Doherty (President and Founder, Empower Health), and Medha Saraiya (Founder and CEO, ConnexHealth), moderated by Rhonda Cunningham (Director, Northumberland CFDC and Executive Director, Northumberland Hills Hospital Foundation).
Business & Entrepreneurship Conference Northumberland in Cobourg on October 10
The second annual Business & Entrepreneurship Conference Northumberland takes place from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 10th at the Best Western Plus Cobourg Inn & Convention Centre (930 Burnham St., Cobourg).
Presented by Northumberland County, Business & Entrepreneurship Centre Northumberland, Destination Ontario, and Kawarthas Northumberland, the one-day high-level business growth conference is designed to educate, motivate, and promote collaboration.
Keynote speakers include Ron Tsang on the topic “Influential Communication for Entrepreneurs” and Andrew Patrico on the topic “How to Cost and Price Your Products and Services Profitably”.
The cost is $45+HST, which includes breakfast and lunch.
Kawartha Chamber hosts Awards of Excellence and Social Gala in Lakefield on October 10
The Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism is hosting its 20th Annual Awards of Excellence and Social Gala from 6:30 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, October 10th at Lakefield College School (4391 County Rd. 29, Lakefield).
There will be a silent and live auction, light hor d’oeuvres, a cash bar, and a social hour for networking in Upper Hadden Hall before the presentation of the awards in the Bryan Jones Theatre.
IBM Lunch and Learn seminar in Cobourg on October 15
Venture13 is presenting Lunch and Learn session with Sarmad Ibrahim, Tech Evangelist at IBB, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 15th at Venture13 (739 D’Arcy St., Cobourg).
Find out about the IBM I3 program, discover IBM’s artificial intelligence, internet of things, and blockchain opportunities, network with entrepreneurs and innovators, and more.
Peterborough Chamber hosts 2019 Business Excellence Awards in Peterborough on October 16
Awards in 20 categories will be presented at the 2019 Business Excellence Awards at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Peterborough Chamber of Commerce)
The Peterborough Chamber of Commerce is hosting the 2019 Business Excellence Awards at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 16th at Showplace Performance Centre (290 George St. N., Peterborough).
Awards will be presented in 20 categories, including Business Citizen of the Year.
The event begins with a reception at 6:30 p.m. on the Nexicom Studio followed by the awards ceremony at 7:30 p.m. in the Erica Cherney Theatre.
Tickets are $50+HST, available at excellencepeterborough.ca/tickets. Your tickets includes one complimentary beverage and light hors d’oeuvres catered by The Imperial Tandoor.
Small Business Week in Kawartha Lakes from October 21 to 25
Kawartha Lakes Small Business Week takes place the week of Monday, October 21st, culminating with the presentation of the Kawartha Lakes Small Business Innovation Awards beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, October 25th at the Lindsay Golf & Country Club (292 Lindsay st. S. Lindsay).
Nominations are now open for the awards, which feature a first prize of $750, a second prize of $500, and a third prize of $250.
For a list of all the events during Kawartha Lakes Small Business Week and to submit a nomination for the Kawartha Lakes Small Business Innovation Awards, visit www.smallbizweek.net.
For more business-related events in the Kawarthas, check out our Business Events column.
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