Hi folks! Welcome to the August long weekend edition of your arts and culture column. Hope everyone got out to some of the great events last weekend and trust you are enjoying the summertime.
This Civic Holiday Weekend, the big event is the Rotary and Lions Funfest, from Aug. 2 to 5 down at Couchiching Beach Park. Yes, there will be a midway as well as a beer tent, games of chance and live music. Should be lots of fun for the whole family. Take a picnic, go for a swim and do all that wonderful summertime stuff at the same time in our spectacular waterfront park.
Don’t forget the Sunday evening band concerts at the Aquatheatre in the park each Sunday. This Sunday at 6:30 p.m. the music will be provided by the Muskoka Concert Band. Next Sunday, it’s the Mississaga Pops Concert Band; same time same place.
Speaking of concerts in the park, don’t miss Charlotte and the Dirty Cowboys in the bandstand in the park, next Wednesday, Aug. 7 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. This will be followed by Movies in the Park at the Aquatheatre, at dusk. August 7’s feature movie is the original A Star is Born with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. Don’t miss it! All this good stuff is free of charge so bring your lawn chair and come on down.
There are a couple of art openings in the next little while. Lee Contemporary Art at 5 Peter St. S. upstairs presents Echo, a solo show of artist Patti Agapi’s works, which runs Aug. 8 to 31 with opening reception Aug. 10 from 1 to 3 p.m. Come check out Patti’s unique multimedia pieces.
Peter Street Fine Arts’ guest artists for the month of August are the Bayside Artists with their show, Into the Light. All works are oil and acrylic paintings, so do come down to 23 Peter St. S. to check out this group’s work out. Opening reception TBA, keep an eye out for that through your social media channels.
Next weekend, it’s the Port of Orillia Waterfront Festival, down at the water from Friday to Sunday. This event features lots of booths and vendors but also Art Under the Pavilion where you can see great art from local artists safely under the weather in the waterfront pavilion in the park. Do come say hi to the artists and buy some gorgeous local art as well.
Music in the bars this weekend? For sure. In the Brownstone café Saturday Sleep Until It Hurts, Aug. 8 Don River. In the Hog ‘n’ Penny, Aug. 2 Paul Brooks, Aug. 9 Jazz Trio. Aug. 3, Shane Cloutier at Fioon MacCool’s. Aug. 4 Optical Deluzion at the Army Navy and Air Force Veterans club. Aug. 1, Jamie Drake live on the patio at Boston Pizza, 7 p.m. At the casino, Aug. 2 Chris Wong, Aug. 3 The Music of Abba, Aug. 10 Tesla.
Have a great long weekend everyone and grab hold of the last month of summer! Send your arts news to me at [email protected]
