Welcome to summer 2024. It’s already a hot one, and this weekend is going to be a very busy one. There are numerous events every day, so check out the rundown below and pick your favourites.
Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., it’s the Coldwater and Area Studio Tour. This long-running arts tour is in its 22nd year and features 38 artists and all their work, showcased in and around the lovely Village of Coldwater, in various venues in the area.
There are painters, multimedia artists, woodturners and woodworkers, potters, and so much more. Venues include the beautiful and historic Coldwater Canadiana Heritage Museum and the Coldwater Mill, as well as the Coldwater Legion, the Coldwater Community Centre, and a couple of local studios.
It will be a beautiful weekend of gorgeous art. Come check it out and bring your wallet to support these hard-working local artists. For more information, go to coldwaterstudiotour.com.
Also Saturday and Sunday, the RAM Rodeo Tour is coming back to ODAS Park. There will be some of Canada’s top cowboys and cowgirls competing in standard rodeo events like barrel racing, bronc riding, pole bending and the world’s most dangerous sport: bull riding. It’s going to be a wild time, quite a contrast to the studio tour. For more information and tickets, go here.
Thursday and Friday night at Quayle’s Brewery, Boonies presents the Quayle’s Comedy Festival, featuring a laugh-riot lineup of comedians in two fun-filled evenings. You can grab your tickets here.
Friday at 7 p.m., Creative Nomad Studios is hosting the aptly named Summer Kick-Off Concert, featuring well-known local musicians Craig Mainprize and Jakob Pearce. Tickets are $17 in advance, $20 at the door, and there will be a cash bar. You can grab your tickets here.
Mainprize is a multi-talented fellow, and will also be featured as a Meet the Artist at Cloud Gallery the following Saturday, June 22, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come by and see his stunning landscape paintings, and say hello.
Saturday, Laugh for Lake Simcoe comes back to the Orillia Opera House. This is a fundraiser for the Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition, and $20 of the $50 ticket price goes to that organization. Stand-up comics featured include Ron Josol, Fiona O’Brien and Jeff McEnery from Letterkenny. Get your tickets here.
Also Saturday, it’s a full day of Pride events, including the Pride parade and barbecue in Couchiching Beach Park afterward. As well, there are two performances of the Queer Cabaret on Saturday. There are still tickets available for the 10 p.m. performance at the Mariposa Arts Theatre Warehouse on Brammer Drive.
For tickets and more information on the Queer Cabaret, go here.
For more information on all the Pride events in Orillia, go here.
Sunday, don’t even think about taking a break. There is a ton going on that day as well. St. Paul’s Centre in Orillia presents its annual Water Bundle ceremony at 10:30 a.m. There will be a ceremony led by Elders John Rice and Roseanne Irving, followed by a procession to Lake Couchiching to offer the bundle to the water.
Sunday from noon to 2 p.m., have fun at the Drag Lunch at Couchiching Craft Brewing Co. Enjoy a delicious lunch, refreshing drinks, and incredible performances by local queens that showcase the talent and diversity of our community.
Admission is a $5 cover to be paid upon entry. All proceeds from the cover charge will benefit Lake Country Pride. To reserve your table, go here.
Also Sunday, at 2 p.m., enjoy a Coulson concert at the historic Coulson Church, at 301 Horseshoe Valley Rd. W. This concert features Tannis Slimmon and Lewis Melville, and you can get your tickets here.
Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m., Arts for Peace is finally back, at the Stephen Leacock Museum. “After a five-year hiatus, Arts for Peace will once again bring folks together for a peaceful summer afternoon of music, crafts, dance, storytelling, yoga, bubbles and community. This will be the 36th gathering of its kind on the shores of Lake Couchiching,” shared a spokesperson.
Musicians performing include Maeve O’Connor, Dan McCoy and Alex Rose, Steve Caston, Alex the Folk Band, Brandt Street Sessions, Little Otter, Steve Porter, and more. The event is free to attend, but donations are gratefully accepted, and there will be special T-shirts available to purchase.
“I think the focus, being world peace, must be in everyone’s hearts,” said longtime event volunteer Lorna Bolden. “Locally, it has become almost like a family reunion. People who were involved right at the beginning are now bringing their grandchildren. The theme of this year’s festival is Sowing the Seeds of Peace, very timely given current global events.”
But wait; there’s more. The second of the Orillia Farmers’ Market pop-up markets is also happening this Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Port of Orillia. Dubbed the Lazy Sunday market, it will feature food, crafts, handmade items, and lots more. Perfect for a wander and purchase on a lazy Sunday.
To finish off your Sunday, come on down to the Rotary Aqua Theatre at Couchiching Beach for the first Sunday Evening Band Concert this year, featuring the Orillia Concert Band. The show gets underway at 6:30 p.m., so bring your picnic and a lawn chair and enjoy this lovely tradition in our beautiful park. Admission is free.
Phew. What a weekend. It’s going to be glorious. Don’t forget live music in many venues this weekend, including Sammy Johnston and Jeff Davis on Saturday night at Couchiching Craft Brewing Co., and Even Steven on Friday night at the same place.
Monday at 5:30 p.m., come to a gathering at the Orillia Recreation Centre (255 West St. S.) for a special reception to celebrate the new Indigenous art exhibit titled Roots and Resilience: Expressions of Identity and Culture. The exhibit showcases six works of art from four Indigenous artists from Orillia and surrounding areas. It will remain on display until December.
One final note: Congratulations to Orillia Secondary School student Joshua Young, who is one of the 2024 NUFSICISUM (read it backward) Youth Leadership in Music Award winners.
From a spokesperson: “Joshua started a Dixieland jazz quartet in his school called North of New Orleans and he arranges all of the pieces for this group, in addition to having written some of his own original compositions. Joshua has taken the leadership role in this quartet and the group is improving its musicality without the direction of a teacher.
“Joshua has also written pieces for a local community group called 4th Street Jazz Project, growing his musical ability and building community within the band.
“Joshua’s school hosted the regional music festival and he was a vital part of the organizing of the festival. During the festival the school saxophone ensemble was supposed to perform but the tenor sax player had to drop out and Joshua stepped up as a replacement despite never having played the tenor sax. Way to go, Joshua, for taking on this challenge and supporting other student musicians.
“Joshua also helps out in the Grade 9 and Grade 8 music programs at his school to help teach younger students how to play music.”
Congratulations, Joshua. What an incredible leader and role model you are.
Coming up: Orillia Youth Centre concerts, Mariposa Folk Festival and more.
Have a great weekend. If you have arts news, send it to [email protected] by Tuesday at noon to be included.
