January 01, 2011

It Was Happy Hogmanay at Hutchison House!

January 01, 2011/ PTBOCANADA

Hutchison House rolled in the New Year in Scottish fashion today by celebrating Hogmanay.

Hogmanay is the Scottish word for the last day of the year, where the festivities usually last well into the first day of the New Year.

Today from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., the community was invited to share in this celebration by sampling traditional Scottish eats including the Scotch Black Bun, Clooty dumplings, Scotch eggs, oatcakes, and haggis.

It was truly wonderful to have the opportunity to wander through the Hutchison House museum, one of the many places throughout the city that have been on my bucket list to visit. I enjoy so much learning more about the history of the former residents and families of our community.

Great conversations and New Year's greetings were shared amongst the visitors as fiddle and bagpipe music played throughout.

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris - Pictures by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

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December 23, 2010

Some of the Stuff PtboCanada Has Covered This Year

December 23, 2010/ PTBOCANADA

So we started this blog all about Peterborough in May. And it's been fun. Really fun. Peterborough, you rock. In one long run-on sentence, here's some of the stuff we've covered since we launched about 8 months ago:

We've covered the life of a Peterborough ER doctor, Jake's closure, The International Dragon Boat Festival, Reggie's HotGrill, a smoking dude on a bike during the gas leak, Have You Seen Video..., a rock star of posters, a guy who draws, a mural man, the Christmas Parade, the Canada Day Parade, the Arkells at the Red Dog, happy people, people lying down, an anti-bullying event, a breakfast program, a zombie crawl, a yarn shop, a snow sculpture, an email that was the talk of the mayoral race, the YWCA shelter, a cheesy store, a book store, a person who misses Peterborough, the CIBC Run for the Cure, a dude who called on a wrestler in the Memorial Centre parking lot, awesome bands, the Peterborough Folk Festival, Focus Fair, 3 Loonie event, the Old Stone Symphony, Dean Del Mastro yearbook pics, Jay Scotland and Lois Tuffin taking a dip, beaches, bars & restaurants, Peterborough Square in 1987, Sarah Harmer at the Gordon Best, Twitterborough, and a BIG garage sale.

Thanks to all our contributors and readers, and all those who have been tipping us and following us on Twitter. Please continue to spread the word about PtboCanada.

[Related: Video: Peterborough Year in Review]

December 21, 2010

VIDEO: Peterborough Year in Review

December 21, 2010/ PTBOCANADA

2010 has been quite the eventful year in the Patch. Here's a sampling—in video—of some of the stuff that went down here this year. In no particular order (by date or ranking), here it goes:

The gas leak...

Flash mob at Fleming College...

Jay Scotland busted on "COPS Peterborough" for a good cause...

Jeff Martin covering "Love Will Tear Us Apart" at The Red Dog...

Coach Greg Walsh stands up for his player against racism...

Showdown at City Council between Paul Ayotte & Patti Peeters...

3 Loonies event for Kawartha Food Share...

The Terry Fox Run at Nicholls Oval ...

New YWCA shelter opens...

The Silver Hearts perform on Hunter Street after last call...

The Olde Stone Symphony...

Sebastian Bach arrested at Riley's...

Tim Horton's commercial that was filmed in East City...

Blue Rodeo at Showplace...

What do you think the most important moments/events were in Peterborough this year?

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December 06, 2010

Great Reasons To Shop Downtown This Christmas

December 06, 2010/ PTBOCANADA

There is free 2-hour parking downtown over the Xmas season and any money deposited in the meters will go toward the Kawartha Food ShareShop downtown Peterborough and support local when looking for a unique Christmas gift this year. There are extended hours in December at participating stores, and parking is free downtown.

Santa himself will be walking around downtown to check if you are naughty or nice from noon to 3 on December 11th and 18th. If you are nice, he just might give you a candy cane.

As added incentive to shop downtown, you will receive a Downtown Holiday Shopping Passport when you spend $10 at a participating DBIA store. When your passport is full ($200 in purchases), it will be deposited into a ballot box.

There are early bird prize draws from the ballot box on December 6th, 13th and 20th. Prizes range from a $500 DBIA Gift Certificate to the Grand Prize of a $1,000 DBIA Gift Certificate (the draw date for that is on January 4, 2011).

[Words & pictures by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

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December 03, 2010

Video: The Venue's Grand Opening Was Last Night

December 03, 2010/ PTBOCANADA

[YouTube]

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November 29, 2010

What About A Designated "Entertainment District" for Peterborough?

November 29, 2010/ PTBOCANADA

There has been talk around the Patch about creating a designated "Entertainment District" down around Showplace, Market Hall and The Venue in the hopes of drawing even more townsfolk—and tourists—downtown. Optics mean a lot, and a branded "Entertainment District" might help.

We asked our new Mayor Daryl Bennett what he has to say about this. "There will be a focus on the need to cultivate the entertainment district," Bennett tells us, adding that he will be gathering more intel on the Municipal Cultural Plan that is already underway, as well as attending its visioning forum and public open house (which is happening today, November 29th). "The information gathered through this process will assist as we move ahead with the central core of our city," he adds.

The Venue's manager Christian Tanna told the Examiner recently that "Within a few years I think you are going to see this block have a bit of a renaissance from a business standpoint. It kind of in a way becomes Peterborough's new entertainment district."

Downtown stores have been branding this "Fashion District", so why not a create a "Entertainment District"? Go downtown and shop, eat and then take in a show.

Thoughts?

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November 25, 2010

The Peterborough Festival Of Trees Gets Set Up In One Minute And 59 Seconds...

November 25, 2010/ PTBOCANADA

...thanks to the wonders of time-lapse photography used in this video below. (It actually took four days to set up.) But dig it. And go see the Peterborough Festival of Trees at the Memorial Centre. It's on!

[YouTube; PFOT]

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November 15, 2010

Sebastian Bach's Peterborough Homecoming Gone Terribly Wrong Is Making World Headlines

November 15, 2010/ PTBOCANADA

So by now, you have probably heard rocker Sebastian Bach was arrested here in the Patch after a bite at Riley's. Below are some of the headlines on this story today from around the web: