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Fall exploding with activities in Peter Street Arts District

Geneva, Opera House, Leacock Museum and OMAH all have events on the calendar in the coming days, says arts and entertainment columnist

Welcome to October!

This weekend in arts and culture, Peter Street Fine Arts and Gallery at 22 Peter St. S. has a new guest artist and an opening for said artist, Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m.

The artist is Roger Pocket and he creates incredible landscapes in oils. Do come out and meet the artist and see the other artists’ work at PSFA, you will be surprised at the diversity and talent in even this one small gallery.

Speaking of galleries, there are several along that stretch of Peter Street, who also have guests and great art. So why not check them all out and enjoy your Saturday supporting local artists right here in O-Town?

Many of these galleries also host workshops in different art media, including Tango Artspace which is hosting a creative adventure abstract art workshop, near the end of October. The work will be a collage in mixed media and sounds like a lot of fun. Cost is only $45 and you can find out more and register by emailing [email protected].

There are lots of workshops at the Orillia Museum of Art and History (OMAH), too, as well as Lunch ‘n’ Learns and History Speakers events. The October history speaker at the OMAH will be on Oct. 16 and features Orillia Secondary School students speaking about their trip to Juno Beach last year, and the historical events there. History Speakers at OMAH is once a month, and runs from 7:30 to 9 p.m. They are free although donations are welcome, and take place at OMAH, on Peter Street South.

A different kind of workshop is hosted by Urban Sketchers Orillia each month. This month, you are invited to sketch Regan House in Scout Valley on Saturday at 1 p.m. You can make your own way there, or if it’s raining, meet at Shine Juice Bar and Café for the alternate plan.

The Geneva is hosting another comedy tour, this one entitled We Own the North, featuring Keith Pedro, Jarrett Campbell, Arianna Pile, and Marc Trinidad. You can get $15 tickets ahead of time here or at the door for $20.

Friday, the Orillia Opera House brings Green River Revival to Orillia. For fans of Creedence Clearwater Revival, this will be a fun journey through the music, complete with costume changes. Tickets are $45 and are available here.

The Leacock Museum is hosting two spooky events Oct. 25 and 26. Oct. 25 is Night of the Vampire, an evening of trivia, contests, reading and games around all things vampirical and bloody. A bloody mocktail is included in the $30 plus tax ticket price, and there will be other food and beverages available for purchase. The evening will end with a visit from The Vampyre Tales author, Wayne Mallows. Tickets are available by calling the museum at 705-329-1908.

Oct.26, it’s Graveyard ExtravaGOONza at the museum for the kiddies! Bring the kids in costume to play games, carve pumpkins, make crafts and lots more. This is a by-donation event, do come on out. The fun gets under way at 1 p.m. 

And a quick note, local musician Zain Campbell, Alphabreff, has made a new song/video about good old O-Town, his home town. It’s called #ORI and you can see and hear it here. I gotta say, I love it, there’s a lot of love in there for the great things and people here in town. Zain isn’t afraid of getting involved and volunteering here and won the Emerging Artist Award last year at our arts awards!

Speaking of arts awards, don’t forget to nominate your favourite artist, historian, event, what-have-you, this year! The deadline for the newly combined Orillia regional arts and history awards is October 25 and you can find all the information right here.

Please get nominating!

Music in the bars this weekend, there is lots. At the Brownstone Café, Thursday Klarka Weinwurm, Terry Savage, Lester Slade; Friday The Hillbirds, Saturday Adrian Chalifour. At the Hog ‘n’ Penny, music Friday Saturday and Sunday, Saturday is Paul Brooks. At Casino Rama, Saturday Jeremy Hotz.

Have a great week and weekend, and get your events in this column by emailing me at [email protected], by Tuesdays at noon.


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