kawarthaNOW | News, events, and community information for residents, visitors, and cottagers in Peterborough and The Kawarthas

The Peterborough Musicians Benevolent Association's monthly Deluxe Live music event on Saturday afternoon at The Social Pub in downtown Peterborough features Havelock bluesman Al Lerman, founder of the Juno award-winning band Fathead, performing with his longtime Fathead bandmate Bob "Omar" Tunnoch on bass along with Gary Peeples on guitar and Al Black on drums. Sam Allison aka Lotus Wight, who was nominated as Stan Rogers Traditional Singer of the Year at the 2026 Canadian Folk Music Awards, will open the show. (Photo via PMBA / Facebook)

nightlifeNOW – April 16 to 22

Featuring live music listings at pubs and restaurants in Peterborough and the greater Kawarthas region

kawarthaNOW - April 16, 2026

A protest in Toronto on April 14, 2026 against changes to the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) that would require refugees to begin paying fees for some healthcare services starting May 1. (kawarthaNOW screenshot of CBC video)

Peterborough Family Health Team and New Canadians Centre oppose refugee healthcare cuts

A Peterborough police car with lights flashing at night. (Photo: Peterborough Police Service)

42-year-old man killed in hit-and-run incident in Peterborough early Thursday morning

Increasing water levels of the Gull River, which runs through the Township of Minden Hills including the community of Minden, resulted in the township declaring a state of emergency on April 14, 2026. (Photo: Haliburton County OPP / Facebook)

Minden Hills continues flood response as Gull River levels rise, including setting up an evacuation centre

A previous iteration of The Children's Garden at Ecology. Although the activities shown no longer exist due to the outdoor elements and use over time, GreenUP is fundraising toward new features that will attract more children and families to the park to engage in nature-based play. (Photo: GreenUP)

Help GreenUP reimagine child’s play at Ecology Park in Peterborough and inspire a new generation of nature lovers

$25,000 fundraising goal will support new activity centres and revive interactive outdoor learning for children and families

GreenUP - April 16, 2026

Local performers and New Stages Theatre veterans Kerry Griffin, Megan Murphy, Kate Suhr, and Linda Kash star in a staged reading of Jane Cooper Ford's comedy "Paul and Linda Plan a Threesome" on May 2 and 3, 2026 at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough. Directed by Mark Wallace, the hilarious and heartfelt comedy tells the story of a serious and successful couple who decided to spice up their marriage. (kawarthaNOW collage of supplied photos)

Peterborough talent to star in New Stages Theatre’s hilarious and heartfelt ‘Paul and Linda Plan a Threesome’

Special weather statement in effect for the Kawarthas region for more rain Wednesday and Thursday

The beach at Turkey Point Provincial Park on the shores of Lake Erie. (Photo: Ontario Parks)

Ford government relaxes alcohol rules across Ontario provincial parks

Veronica Nelson, president and CEO of Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay, will be leading four community town halls in Coboconk, Bobcaygeon, Omemee, and Lindsay in late April and early May on the future of healthcare in Kawartha Lakes. (Photo: Ross Memorial Hospital)

Ross Memorial Hospital hosting town halls in April and May about future of healthcare in Kawartha Lakes

Coboconk, Bobcaygeon, Omemee, and Lindsay events will feature hospital president and CEO Veronica Nelson and presentations from partner healthcare organizations

kawarthaNOW - April 15, 2026

Alicia Doris and Sam Turner stand in the new Living Local Marketplace storefront, which has permanently relocated to Horlings Garden Centre in Selwyn. Doris, who founded Living Local Marketplace with the mission to support local and regional artisans and small businesses, says the move is the response to positive community feedback following the store's temporary pop-up at Horlings during the holidays. Horlings co-owner Turner says the move also benefits the garden centre by bringing in more customers for its services. (Photo: Kayla LeFranc)

Know Your Locals: Living Local Marketplace opens new permanent home at Horlings Garden Centre in Selwyn

A Cobourg police vehicle. (Photo: Cobourg Police Service)

Cobourg police link two school lockdowns this week to suspected ‘swatting’ incidents

Sir Sandford Fleming College, Sutherland Campus. (Photo: NGA Architects)

Union leaders raise concerns about cuts after Fleming College and St. Lawrence College announce merger

Peterborough Family Health Team and New Canadians Centre oppose refugee healthcare cuts

Bethan Bates - April 16, 2026

Advocates say new federal co-payment fees will force newcomers to choose between healthcare and basic needs and result in higher downstream costs.

42-year-old man killed in hit-and-run incident in Peterborough early Thursday morning

April 16, 2026

Minden Hills continues flood response as Gull River levels rise, including setting up an evacuation centre

April 16, 2026

Special weather statement in effect for the Kawarthas region for more rain Wednesday and Thursday

April 15, 2026

Ford government relaxes alcohol rules across Ontario provincial parks

April 15, 2026

Know Your Locals: Living Local Marketplace opens new permanent home at Horlings Garden Centre in Selwyn

Megan Gallant - April 14, 2026

Owners Alicia Doris and Sam Turner continued their partnership in response to community feedback following a successful holiday pop-up shop.

Millbrook Orchards is an organic family farm in Cavan Monaghan Township specializing in certified organic haskaps, which produce a fruit described as a sweet and tangy blend of blueberries and raspberries. The farm also grows strawberries and other fruits and vegetables which it sells through an on-site market and at the Millbrook Farmers' Market. By getting involved in the Kawartha Local Food Wholesale program supported by Peterborough County, Millbrook Orchards will strengthen their connection with wholesale buyers of their products. (Photo courtesy of Millbrook Orchards)

The Local Advantage with Peterborough County: Millbrook Orchards is one of only a few Ontario farms specializing in organic haskaps

April 14, 2026

Tourism-related busineses based in and around Peterborough County are invited to Kollab in The Kawarthas, a full-day interactive event designed to encourage partnerships that will grow businesses and promote The Kawarthas as a tourist destination. Held during National Tourism Week on April 21, 2026 at Elmhirst's Resort in Keene, the event will include a keynote speaker, panel discussions, interactive activities, tools and resources, and a speed networking session. (Photo: The Kawarthas Tourism)

Know Your Locals: Peterborough County hosting a day of collaboration and connection for local tourism-related businesses

April 7, 2026

Located in the Township of Cavan Monaghan, Woodleigh Farms uses sustainable and regenerative practices to farm corn, wheat, soy, and oat, produce maple syrup, and operate a passive greenhouse and market garden. The sixth-generation family farm is piloting an innovative project that converts unmarketable forest biomass into compost and organic soil amendments to improve the health of soil for generations to come. To connect with local buyers, Woodleigh Farms will be participating in the Kawartha Local Food Wholesale program supported by Peterborough County. (Photo courtesy of Woodleigh Farms)

The Local Advantage with Peterborough County: Woodleigh Farms is sowing the seeds for a sustainable and prosperous agricultural future

April 7, 2026

Registration is now open for spring and summer programs led by the Peterborough Canoe & Kayak Club on Little Lake. Guided by competitive sprint canoeist and head coach Zoe Bergeron, the youth programs include full-day sprint camps, high-performance training, and a new youth dragon boat team. Registration is also open for master's programs for adults, which include community, competitive, and dragon boat programs. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Canoe & Kayak Club)

Know Your Locals: Learn to paddle on Little Lake this summer with new programs led by Peterborough Canoe & Kayak Club

April 3, 2026

nightlifeNOW – April 16 to 22

kawarthaNOW - April 16, 2026

Featuring live music listings at pubs and restaurants in Peterborough and the greater Kawarthas region.

Peterborough talent to star in New Stages Theatre’s hilarious and heartfelt ‘Paul and Linda Plan a Threesome’

April 15, 2026

4th Line Theatre originally staged Leanna Brodie's play "Schoolhouse" at the Winslow Farm in Millbrook in 2007 and 2008. The play returns to the Winslow Farm from June 30 to July 25, 2026, followed by a restaging of Megan Murphy's "Wild Irish Geese" from August 4 to 29. (Photo: 4th Line Theatre)

4th Line Theatre in Millbrook announces casting for its 34th summer season

April 13, 2026

From April 18 to June 28, 2026, the Art Gallery of Peterborough will present Cavan artist JoEllen Brydon's multi-media exhibition "Elizabeth Thompson Advises" featuring letters written by her mother Jean Armstrong Brydon when she was a pseudonymous advice columnist for The Globe and Mail from 1966 and 1978. JoEllen has created paintings to depict some of the stories and is bringing them to life through audio recordings and short films. An opening reception is being held on Saturday, April 18 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. (Photo courtesy of Art Gallery of Peterborough)

JoEllen Brydon explores her late mother’s work as an advice columnist in Art Gallery of Peterborough exhibition

April 12, 2026

Beau Dixon will be performing with his band (Marcus Browne, Ryan Browne, and Sam Weber) Sunday night at the final show of Jethro's Bar + Stage in downtown Peterborough before the venue closes after four years. He will also be performing on Saturday evening with Sam Weber, part of a full line-up of performances from Thursday until Sunday, including the final blues jam on Sunday afternoon. (Photo: Andy Carroll)

Northumberland Central Chamber of Commerce announces winners of 23rd annual Business Achievement Awards

kawarthaNOW - March 30, 2026

This year's awards featured nine updated and new categories, with winners announced March 27 in Cobourg.

Lisa Couture of Couture Candy PTBO has transitioned her small business at 386 George Street North in downtown Peterborough from a traditional storefront into a full-time live selling model, whereby she hosts a livestream on social media to present products that viewers can purchase online. Couture says the increasingly popular marketing strategy could be the "resurgence" that small businesses need, and is hosting consultations to help other small business owners use and benefit from the new trend. (Photo: Couture Candy PTBO / Instagram)

‘The resurgence that small businesses need right now’: two Peterborough retailers who have embraced live selling

March 24, 2026

Rhonda Keenan, General Manager of Peterborough County Economic Development, stands between Lori Alexander and Ryan Taylor, two of the six graduates of the first cohort of Community Futures Peterborough's free NEXT (New Entrepreneurial eXploration Training) program for displaced workers. Funded in part by Peterborough County, the NEXT program was originally intended to provide on-site training at local companies that had announced layoffs but was redesigned after other displaced workers reached out to Community Futures Peterborough to ask if they could participate in the program. (Photo courtesy of Community Futures Peterborough)

Community Futures Peterborough marks first graduating cohort of NEXT program for displaced workers

March 13, 2026

Donning hip waders and safety gear, staff from Engage Engineering collect garbage in and along the creek beside their downtown Peterborough office every spring, and plant native species along the banks of the creek. The efforts of the business are bringing wildlife back to the area. Pictured are Steven Dingman, Dominik Jedrzejewski, Logan Mattern, and Joshua Burke. (Photo courtesy of Engage Engineering)

Peterborough business makes caring for the local environment a team effort

March 12, 2026

Globus Theatre in Bobcaygeon is one of the three finalists for the Tourism Excellence Award for the Lindsay & District Chamber of Commerce's 2026 Awards of Excellence. The winners of 17 awards will be announced at the awards gala at the Victoria Park Armoury in Lindsay on Saturday, April 25, along with Business Person Of The Year, Legacy Leader Of The Year, and Citizen Of The Year. (Photo: Globus Theatre)

Lindsay & District Chamber of Commerce announces finalists for 2026 Awards of Excellence

March 4, 2026

Help GreenUP reimagine child’s play at Ecology Park in Peterborough and inspire a new generation of nature lovers

GreenUP - April 16, 2026

$25,000 fundraising goal will support new activity centres and revive interactive outdoor learning for children and families,

The Monarch Ultra committee, including Monarch Ultra co-founder Carlotta James (far right) at a previous Monarch Festival in Millennium Park in downtown Peterborough. The 2026 festival, which includes a 10-kilometre race and a one-kilometre kids' fun run, takes place on Saturday, September 19. (Photo: Kateryna Sysoieva)

Monarch Festival and Race returns to Peterborough this September for its fourth year

April 10, 2026

The new Peterborough dance studio PTBO Ballroom is not only teaching participants how to enjoy the benefits of ballroom and Latin dance but is also building a community around it. Founded by Courtney Carter, the studio leads private wedding dance lessons, as well as drop-in, series, and pop-up classes and events in a range of styles including salsa, bachata, merengue, swing, hustle, and more. (Photo: Mackenzie Everson Photography)

More than a dance studio, PTBO Ballroom brings community dance socials to Peterborough

April 9, 2026

The Japanese practice of forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku, offers simple but profound ways to connect to nature which benefits personal wellbeing through emotional awareness and self-regulation. It also enhances one's ability and commitment to promote environmental and climate justice and to show up in effective, realistic, collaborative, and creative ways. (Photo: Beth McKinlay)

Slow down and mindfully engage with nature with forest bathing

April 9, 2026

Standing in his yard backing onto a forest, Peterborough resident Lyn Jones assesses his property for fire risk. Climate events such as last spring's ice storm and summer drought have resulted in properties being littered with branches, brush, and other debris. These can create "fuel ladders," a pathway for wildfires to climb from the ground into the forest canopy. (Photo: Jackie Donaldson / GreenUP)

With climate change making wildfires worse, reducing risk starts close to home

April 2, 2026

Weather

For more local weather, environmental conditions, and travel resources, visit our Weather & Travel page.

Become a #kawarthaNOW fan

34,296FollowersLike

25,937FollowersFollow

17,455FollowersFollow

4,867FollowersFollow

4,071FollowersFollow

3,207FollowersFollow

Sign up for kawarthNOW's Enews

kawarthaNOW.com offers two enews options to help readers stay in the know. Our VIP enews is delivered weekly every Wednesday morning and includes exclusive giveaways, and our news digest is delivered daily every morning. You can subscribe to one or both.

First name

Last name

Choose your preferred email subscriptions

Weekly VIP Enews every Wednesday
Daily News Digest

Leave this field empty if you're human:

Submit your event for FREE!

Use our event submission form to post your event on our website — for free.

To submit editorial content or ideas, please contact us.

Weather

Become a #kawarthaNOW fan

Sign up for kawarthNOW's Enews

Submit your event for FREE!

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

SIGN UP FOR OUR ENEWS