Mid-July and Ontario is gradually and safely reopening, with our area moving to Stage 3 this Friday. This means most businesses can reopen although not all will, right away. And yes, folks, masks are mandatory in Simcoe Muskoka, indoors in public spaces and on public transit.
The Orillia Museum of Art and History (OMAH) has reopened, gradually, with many safety protocols in place. Currently you can visit the museum’s main floor gallery from Thursday to Saturday, from noon to 3 p.m., by appointment only.
The exhibition there is called Hunter Games, and features work by Sadko Hadzihasanovic. For more information and to book your appointment, check out the OMAH’s website, here.
Also, a reminder that the OMAH’s online art sale fundraiser, Quarartine, is still going strong, with lots of great art to chose from and more being added. Twenty new pieces are added every 20 days, and currently there is no end date to this fun online art auction. To view the pieces and to bid, click here.
With lots of Ontario moving to Stage 3 on Friday, people are wondering when live music and theatre will start up again. There is no clear answer, sadly.
Both live music and theatre involve a lot of spit talking/singing or “speaking moistly.” And if the audience is masked but the performers aren’t, that doesn’t keep everyone safe….in an enclosed room.
Plus, indoor maximum numbers are capped at 50 and physical distancing still applies. If you have a big hall and only put 50 people in it, you can’t afford to run the show. And if you have a small hall, you can’t even put 50 people in it, with physical distancing…so you still can’t afford to run the show. And singing into a mask turns it into a soggy mess…so, lots of challenges.
The Orillia Youth Centre is overcoming this challenge with its yearly Roots North Revisited Fundraiser, by moving the show to the Sunset Drive-In, on Line 4 in Oro-Medonte. The date is Sept. 26 and it is always a really fun night and of course a chance to support an amazing local organization. Musicians are yet to be announced, but you can grab tickets now here.
The first Friday Night Summer Outdoor Artwalk was a success, with lots of happy folks downtown strolling the streets and checking out the art. No artwalk this Friday, but streets will be closed again for safe restaurant patio eating and other downtown store shopping. The artwalk is back the next Friday, July 24.
The Essential Concert Series will be moving to a once-a-month format, and deets are upcoming. Check out the Facebook page to stay up-to-date. This series has been ongoing since the beginning of the pandemic here, raising money for Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital Foundation. Way to go, all the organizers and musicians involved!
Thursday, July 16 at 8 p.m. The Mariposa Virtual Stage Presents: An Intimate Session with Serena Ryder. There will be some archival footage of her at the 50th anniversary festival, plus a three-song exclusive set she filmed at her cabin just for Mariposa fans.
Serena Ryder first played the Mariposa Folk Festival in 2002, which was her first major festival performance. Since then she has gone on to garner multiple Juno awards, critical acclaim and a rabid fan following. Serena has played the Mariposa Folk Festival on five occasions, including headlining the 50th anniversary edition in 2010.
The video will be hosted by long-time friend of Mariposa, David Newland. Newland is a writer, musician, and speaker. His latest album, Northbound, based on his adventures in the Arctic was released in 2019 and was nominated for Album of the Year by BluesAndRootsRadio.com.
Check out this special half-hour video here.
Enjoy the upcoming hot summer weekend and don’t forget to send me your arts news, to [email protected], by Tuesday at noon to be included!
