The free portion of the 30th annual Peterborough Folk Festival happens this weekend (August 17 and 18) at Nicholls Oval Park (725 Armour Rd., Peterborough).

Below is the schedule of performers and activities over the weekend.

You can also download a PDF copy of the full schedule.

2019 Peterborough Folk Festival - Saturday, August 17

2019 Peterborough Folk Festival - Sunday, August 18

After each day of the festival, an after party takes place at The Historic Red Dog (189 Hunter St., Peterborough). Both after parties are 19+ with a $5 cover.

For Saturday’s after party, doors open at 11 p.m., with Paper Shakers performing at 12 a.m. and Fast Romantics at 12:45 a.m. For Sunday’s after party, doors open at 8:30 p.m., with Fred Penner performing at 9:15 p.m. and The Lucky Ones at 10:15 p.m.

Here’s a map of the festival setup at Nicholl’s Oval Park:

Important note: If you’re driving to Nicholls Oval Park, due to road reconstruction Armour Road is only accessible from Parkhill Road East.

For more details about the Peterborough Folk Festival, visit www.peterboroughfolkfest.com.

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, August 15 to Wednesday, August 21.

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.

There are several ways Peterborough Musicfest could have put the cap on its 33rd season. Classic rock is always a very good draw. Country never fails to bring out a good-sized crowd. And as evidenced this summer and those past, the familiarity offered by any one of a number of tribute acts is always a safe bet.

Then there’s the vast Canadian indie rock genre. In opting to present a season-ending Saturday, August 17th double bill of headliner The Rural Alberta Advantage with The Elwins opening, Musicfest will bring to the Fred Anderson Stage two of the more successful, and hence popular, bands that genre has to offer.

Admission to the 8 p.m. concert is free, thanks to the support of sponsors.

Formed in 2005 in Toronto, The Rural Alberta Advantage has explored themes ranging from hometowns lost and found to tragic Alberta disasters, presenting a frank and forthright style of songwriting that continues to leave its mark and grab the attention of music fans.

The band is comprised of Nils Edenloff on lead guitar and vocals, Amy Cole on keyboards and bass, and Paul Banwatt on drums.

“It (the band) started at an open mic night that we hosted, which is where Paul and I started to play together,” recalls Edenloff in a November 2014 interview with Sep Gohardani of Soundsphere magazine.

“Amy didn’t want to degrade herself by playing but we were like ‘We do’ and we just did that for a while. Because no one would come to the open mic night and play, in order to get the beer and food that we would be given that night, we would come up with our own songs and play a bunch of covers.”

“As much as we’ve toured and recorded and stuff, I don’t think we’ve deviated that much from those very early days. We’ve added things and refined it but that general feel of acoustic folky guitar songs with crazy drums was born at an open mic night in Toronto in front of nobody but a barkeep.”

VIDEO: “Stamp” – The Rural Alberta Advantage

VIDEO: “White Lights” – The Rural Alberta Advantage

From that inauspicious beginning which eventually saw Cole come into the fold, The Rural Alberta Advantage released its debut album Hometowns in 2008, followed by Departing (2011), Mended With Gold (2014) and The Wild (2017) featuring the singles “White Lights” and “Brother”.

Departing was a particular turning point, being a long-listed nominee for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize. The album also brought two 2012 Juno Award nominations for Best New Group and Video of the Year for the single “Stamp”.

In September 2016, the band’s momentum struck a bump in the road when Cole announced she was leaving the fold. That cleared the way for Robin Hatch to move in as keyboardist and bassist, her talents featured on The Wild. That album’s lead track, “Beacon Hill”, was inspired by the devastating 2016 wildfires in Fort McMurray, Alberta.

“Inspiration tends to come at the oddest of times and sometimes it’s hard to pin down exactly what impact certain events have on the songs that ultimately come together,” says Edenloff in a January 2017 interview with Scott Lewis of Indie88.

“It’s not like I was watching the news of the Fort McMurray fire and thought ‘There needs to be a song about this.’ However, as we were working on what would ultimately become Beacon Hill, a lot of thoughts I had about the fire kept coming up and it became more apparent what the song was about for me.”

VIDEO: “Beacon Hill” – The Rural Alberta Advantage

VIDEO: “Brother” – The Rural Alberta Advantage

Come early 2018, Cole was back with The Rural Alberta Advantage and Hatch moved on. But anyone looking for any ill feelings that resulted from the prodigal musician’s return will be disappointed. From all outward appearances, everyone was and remains on very good terms, the band’s social media announcement of the change confirming that.

“We extend our love and thanks to Robin Hatch for her time with us. Everyone who saw her live or heard her on The Wild knows Robin’s talent. We’re proud to have her as part of our story.”

Better yet for fans of the trio and those yet to discover its music, that story shows no indication of ending any time soon.

Opener: The Elwins

Just a year after The Rural Alberta Advantage first found its voice during those Toronto open mic gigs, The Elwins — Matt Sweeney, Travis Stokl, Francesco Figliomeni (he replaced Christopher Shannon in 2012), and Feurd Ian Robertson Moore — formed in Newmarket, Ontario (they are now located in Keswick).

Ten years and two studio albums later, the quartet was nominated for a 2016 Juno Award as Breakthrough Group of the Year, the single “So Down Low” fuelling that nod by peaking at #12 on the Canadian alt-rock chart, on its way to being used by Fido for a nation-wide advertising campaign.

The band’s latest album, 2017’s Beauty Community, produced the single “Hey! Ya You” that cracked the top 10 of the same listing.

VIDEO: “So Down Low” – The Elwins

“A lot of the early days were spent having fun,” relates the band in an October 2017 interview.

“We were learning how to interact with each other musically. Had we come at it from a more strategic manner, I’m not sure what would have happened, although our gut says that it was important to have that innocent, carefree spirit from the get-go. When we started playing shows, it became more real to us.”

“More responsibility came with it all. Instead of just writing songs we thought were good, there were other things that came up, such as finding a way to get to a show and back.”

VIDEO: “Hey! Ya, You” – The Elwins

Recognizing there are countless bands just starting the same journey it embarked on 13 years ago, The Elwins say it’s a question of staying at it and finding the joy.

“Something such as determination is, and will forever be, valuable. Hard work if done in some sort of Plan/Do/Check/Adjust manner will yield good results. Maintaining the fun of it all is important too. If you keep a healthy attitude exploring more sides to an initial idea, that’s great. Two minds are often better than one.”

Peterborough Musicfest presented 16 free-admission, sponsor-supported concerts featuring a total of 21 acts during its 33rd season — each concert staged on Wednesday and Saturday nights at Del Crary Park.

Overseen by general manager Tracey Randall and staff, a board of directors, and numerous volunteers, Peterborough Musicfest’s stated mission is to “provide diverse, affordable live music to enrich cultural and economic prosperity in our community.”

For more information on this concert or the entire 2019 season, visit www.ptbomusicfest.ca or phone the Peterborough Musicfest office at 705-755-1111.

There’s a lot to say for autumn in the Kawarthas: a bounty of local food, a kaleidoscope of leaf colours, no humidity or bugs, and — for lovers of art — fall studio tours.

Autumn officially arrives this year on September 23rd, so what better way to celebrate its arrival than with a trip to North Kawartha for the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour?

This is the 26th year of the renowned annual tour, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 21st and Sunday, September 22nd. For 2019, the free self-guided tour features 24 artists and artisans in 12 studio locations in the Apsley area, located midway between Peterborough and Bancroft.

Every year, new artists apply for Apsley Autumn Studio Tour and are admitted through a juried process. Many live in the area, while others are guest artists.

This year’s participants cover the gamut of the visual arts, including painting, jewellery, glass art, woodworking, sculpture, fabric art, pottery, photography, and metalwork.

As well as being able to view their work, the tour provides you with the opportunity to meet the artists in person.

Here’s a summary of the artists and artisans participating in the 2019 Apsley Autumn Studio Tour, including their disciplines and the studios where you can find them (watch for the black-and-white studio tour signs that mark each studio location, which are listed on the map below):

Shelley Brown (painting, Studio N)

“I love creating art. It both energizes and grounds me.”

Shane Climie (photography, Studio N)

“Photography provides an opportunity for me to explore nature and to try to capture images that reflect the beauty and biological diversity of the Apsley area.”

Megan Cole (sculpture, Studio A)

“I sculpt and paint because I have a compulsion to try to capture the beauty I see in people and my surroundings and I want to try to preserve those glimpses by creating something lasting.”

Rachel Conlin (artisan wool and soap, Studio O)

“I am inspired by quiet. I love nature and just the silent solitude that comes with it. Then I get lots of wonderful ideas.”

Brad Copping (glass art, Studio F)

“There is an incredible moment when your ideas and means of expression come together. This feeling, however fleeting, is emotionally powerful. ”

Jacques Deslauriers (woodworking, Studio L)

“The beauty of wood has drawn me to the forest. I’m inspired from the thickness of forest and the abundance of lakes.”

David Grieve (painting, Studio G)

“I love painting and look forward to getting into the studio every day. I enjoy the entire process involved in the creation of a painting: gathering reference photos, sketching new compositions, realizing some of these sketches on canvas and exhibiting the works.”

Anja Hertle (mosaics, Studio J)

“I love to create with colour, texture and pattern using materials others have discarded and turning them into fun, whimsical images that induce a reaction of pure joy for myself and the viewer.”

Susan Higgins (glass art, Studio M)

“When I was in my 20s, an encounter with stained glass reached into my heart, and I was captured, so that’s what I make things from now.”

Dolores Hopps (fabric art, Studio H)

“I love to work with different fibre and fabric, the colour and texture … sometimes just seeing a piece of fabric will give me an idea.”

Vivienne Jones (jewellery, Studio F)

“I think of jewellery like small sculpture. I get to make things from my own ideas and inspiration using my hands; things that didn’t exist before. It feels a little magical.”

Elizabeth Kusinski (painting, Studio A)

“Painting is necessary to who I am. It is like breathing. One of the qualities I most enjoy about painting with oil is the versatility of this medium.”

Molly Moldovan (visual arts, Studio M)

“I can’t remember a time that I didn’t make art. Although my primary focus is abstraction, much of my work is linked to the pristine landscape that surrounds me: the lake, forest and uninterrupted skyscape are at the foundation of every piece that I paint.”

Tom Parsons (woodworking, Studio B)

“I enjoy creating with wood. From collecting to designing to finished product, each piece is unique and I find the work therapeutic. I come from a family of foresters and woodworkers, and was exposed to crafting and building from a young age. Working with wood connects me to my past.”

Cathy Pennaertz (pottery, Studio K)

“Besides loving it, I enjoy creating art out of functional materials. Every aspect about where I live gives me new inspiration … my animals, trees, mushrooms to mention a few. ”

Susan Rankin (glass art, Studio F)

“I blow glass because it is so much fun! It is hot and fast and, like a dance, you have to be fluid and focused. Time just disappears.”

Kathy Robichaud (stained glass, Studio H)

“Art is an escape into creativity, where I can lose myself to all the cares in the world and create something beautiful to share.”

Arne Roosman (painting, Studio S)

“The infinite possibilities of oils … the brush, its strokes, the sexy response of the canvas, the inflexible protestations of wooden panels.”

Catharine Scott (jewellery, Studio H)

“I love creating items that people can touch, hold, and wear. I love the excitement from my clients when they see their custom piece or any piece that I have on display. And I love the feeling I get when I’ve completed a piece that was challenging or just so simple to make.”

David Smith (painting, Studio F)

“The rhythm of the landscape and the colour and quality of light found within has always been a source of inspiration for my work.”

Judy Sparkes (pottery, Studio H)

“I’ve always loved working with my hands and I have a great appreciation for skilled craftsmanship in any medium. From the first time I touched clay, I was hooked and I’ve spent a lifetime exploring it since.”

Clare Scott-Taggart (metal sculpture, Studio F)

“I do metalwork because I like manipulating metal, I like how it feels and smells. Working with metal is magic.”

Frances Timbers (jewellery, Studio A)

“I started playing with silver because I had a longtime passion for silver jewellery. I started selling my work because it is too expensive as a hobby to endlessly make things for myself.”

Kimberly Tucker (fibre art, Studio A)

“The process of artmaking is how I express my creativity. It is rewarding and gratifying to have an idea, then to take some materials — whether it is fibre, found objects or a colour of dye — and use that material as a language to express my idea, to make a commentary, or to communicate my experience in a way that words cannot.”

2019 Apsley Autumn Studio Tour Map

Download a printable version of the map

First launched in 1994, the mission of the Apsley Studio Tour is to create public awareness of the arts by promoting and supporting artists in the community.

The tour also supports young artists as well, including sponsoring the Arts Award at Apsley Central Public School. Last year’s recipient was Clara Baron.

Head to North Kawartha this September for the day, or make a weekend of it by staying overnight in local accommodation such as the Burleigh Falls Inn or Viamede Resort.

For more information on the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour, visit apsleystudiotour.com. You can also follow the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour on Facebook and Instagram.

This story was created in partnership with the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour.