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

An arsonist spreads gasoline around DashVapes in Mapleridge Plaza at 1840 Lansdowne Street West in Peterborough in the early morning hours of February 5, 2026 before exiting through a broken storefront window and setting the gasoline on fire. (kawarthaNOW screenshots of Facebook video)

‘Not isolated incidents’: Peterborough vape shop owner calls for government action after Thursday arson incidents

DashVapes owner Shai Bekman warns of 'a growing pattern' of violence linked to illicit market in vape products

Bruce Head - February 6, 2026

The City of Kawartha Lakes unveiled a sign on November 18, 2025 to mark the site of the new $50-million Kawartha Lakes Paramedic Headquarters at 230 Angeline Street South in Lindsay. (Photo: City of Kawartha Lakes)

Trade contractors invited to apply for new $50-million Kawartha Lakes Paramedic Headquarters in Lindsay

Thermometer on snow showing extreme cold temperature of more than -30C. (Stock photo)

Another cold warning in effect for the Kawarthas region for this weekend

Indie pop and alt-country singer-songwriter Lauryn Macfarlane, the Peterborough Folk Festival's 2021 Emerging Artist, will be performing her first hometown show since 2019 at Sadleir House on Thursday night, with Kawartha Lakes singer-songwriter Gamekeeper (aka Warren Frank) opening. (Photo via laurynmacfarlane.com)

nightlifeNOW – February 5 to 11

Two of the many cross-country skiers who participated in the Kawartha Nordic ComPassion Relay at Kawartha Nordic Ski Club in North Kawartha Township on January 31, 2026, raising just over $18,000 for the ComPassion Project supporting six local organizations. (Photo: Kawartha Nordic / Instagram)

Kawartha Nordic ComPassion Relay raises over $18,000 for environmental and social causes in Peterborough

Funds raised by the annual cross-country ski relay held at Kawartha Nordic Ski Club on January 31 will support six local organizations through the ComPassion Project

Bruce Head - February 5, 2026

Allowing children to engage in play is an important way kids make sense of the world and understand their own boundaries. Climbing a snow pile (in a safe location) during a winter walk to school is a great example of letting kids take reasonable risks and gain confidence through play. (Photo: Clara Blakelock / GreenUP)

How a winter walk to school is both beneficial and fun for kids

Students in the 2025 cohort of the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board's Youth Leadership in Sustainability (YLS) program plant native pawpaw trees in Peterborough's Ecology Park with the help of GreenUP. Applications are now open for the fall 2026 class of the one-semester four-credit program which helps high school students learn about being a leader for sustainability through experiential learning opportunities and field trips led by local community organizations. (Photo courtesy of YLS)

Youth Leadership in Sustainability prepares students to be leaders in the fight against climate change

The City of Peterborough's new interactive snowplowing update map shows the location of snowplows every five minutes, with colour-coding of streets representing when a road was last serviced. (kawarthaNOW screenshot)

City of Peterborough launches new snowplow tracker map for winter road updates

Eddy Sweeney as Wesley and Carling Dulder as Anna during a rehearsal of the Peterborough Theatre Guild's production of "Midnight Madness" by award-winning Peterborough-born playwright Dave Carley. Directed by Jane Werger, the fast-paced comedy runs for 10 performances from February 27 to March 14. (Photo: Jordan Lyall Photography)

Peterborough native Dave Carley’s ‘Midnight Madness’ coming to the Peterborough Theatre Guild

The award-winning playwright's fast-paced comedy will run for 10 performances from February 27 to March 14

Bruce Head - February 3, 2026

An Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) police car. (Photo: OPP)

Paramedic suffers life-threatening injuries in collision between ambulance and transport truck in Madoc

A hacker with a laptop and a secondary monitor showing data. (Stock photo)

Lakelands Public Health investigating cybersecurity incident that disrupted internal systems

Former mayor Diane Therrien-Hale addresses Peterborough city council on February 2, 2026 during a delegation on the new procedure by-law. Council adopted her suggestion that the by-law allow a small number of public delegations for each item on a council agenda, rather than a total of 10 delegations per agenda as proposed in the by-law. (kawarthaNOW screenshot of City of Peterborough video)

Peterborough city council upholds councillor phone ban in new procedure by-law but reverses course on delegation limit

‘Not isolated incidents’: Peterborough vape shop owner calls for government action after Thursday arson incidents

Bruce Head - February 6, 2026

DashVapes owner Shai Bekman warns of 'a growing pattern' of violence linked to illicit market in vape products.

Another cold warning in effect for the Kawarthas region for this weekend

February 6, 2026

Kawartha Nordic ComPassion Relay raises over $18,000 for environmental and social causes in Peterborough

February 5, 2026

Youth Leadership in Sustainability prepares students to be leaders in the fight against climate change

February 4, 2026

City of Peterborough launches new snowplow tracker map for winter road updates

February 4, 2026

Katy Shufelt wins Peterborough DBIA’s Holiday Shopping Passport grand prize draw

kawarthaNOW - January 12, 2026

Shufelt is donating a portion of her $1,500 prize of Boro gift cards to Wild Rock's ComPassion Project.

Boardwalk Board Game Lounge in downtown Peterborough first opened its doors on November 29, 2018. Opened and operated by brothers Dylan and Connor Reinhart, over the past seven years the small business has more than doubled its board game collection, greatly expanded its food and drink menu, and welcomed thousands of visitors to connect and experience the nostalgia of playing board games. (Photo courtesy of Boardwalk Board Game Lounge)

Boardwalk Board Game Lounge celebrates seven years of bringing ‘nostalgic’ fun to downtown Peterborough

December 7, 2025

From locally made gifts to holiday décor to hosting festive gatherings, locally owned independent small businesses on Water Street between Hunter and Simcoe streets in downtown Peterborough have you covered this holiday season, including Needles in the Hay, Watson & Lou, The Neighbourhood Vintage, Sweet Fern Floral Studio, and St Veronus and Bijoux Bar. (kawarthaNOW collage)

Shop the Boro: Find one-of-a-kind gifts and celebrate the holidays at the eclectic businesses of Water Street in downtown Peterborough

December 13, 2025

Give the gift of fresh cut flowers this holiday season by shopping at Sweet Fern Floral Studio on Water Street in downtown Peterborough. Owner and lead designer Angela McDonald offers stunning pre-made and custom floral arrangements and wrapped bouquets, including customizable holiday arrangements and centrepieces, as well as home décor, locally made art, and sweet treats to add to your gift or enhance your holiday celebration. (Photos courtesy of Sweet Fern Floral Studio)

Shop the Boro: Decorate your home with fresh cut flowers at Sweet Fern Floral Studio in downtown Peterborough

December 9, 2025

Alicia Doris, owner of the award-winning Living Local Marketplace in Peterborough, has set up a Christmas Marketplace at Horlings Garden Centre in Selwyn until December 22, 2025. The boutique shop's home for the holidays offers a wide range of products from Canadian artisans and small businesses while crafting a holiday experience that includes beautiful Christmas displays, hot cider and cookies while you shop, and gift wrapping services, with both customizable and ready-made gift boxes available, including for corporate gifting. (Photo: Amy Zand / Elmwood & Baker)

Know Your Locals: Living Local Marketplace’s new home for the holidays offers a one-of-a-kind Christmas shopping experience

December 6, 2025

nightlifeNOW – February 5 to 11

kawarthaNOW - February 5, 2026

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

Peterborough native Dave Carley’s ‘Midnight Madness’ coming to the Peterborough Theatre Guild

February 3, 2026

Trent Valley Archives Theatre's latest history play, "The Kid from Simcoe Street" tells the story of retired Ontario Superior Court Justice and poet James Clarke, who grew up in poverty in downtown Peterborough in the 1940s. The play is written by Ed Schroeter and Gerry McBride along with David Frances Clarke, based on his grandfather's memoir of the same name. Auditions take place on February 23 and 24, 2026 for the production, which will have its world premiere at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in June. (Photo courtesy of the Clarke family)

Trent Valley Archives Theatre holding auditions for its third history play, ‘The Kid from Simcoe Street’

February 2, 2026

Walton Wood Farm founder Leslie Bradford-Scott, now living in Roseneath, has written a memoir based on an investigation of a manuscript her late criminal father wrote in prison. 'The Liar's Playbook: A Memoir of Family and Crime', to be released by Simon & Schuster on May 5, 2026, recounts her journey to discover the truth about her father and her efforts to overcome intergenerational trauma. (Photos courtesy of Leslie Bradford-Scott)

Roseneath writer Leslie Bradford-Scott seeks to uncover the truth of her father’s criminal past in debut memoir

February 1, 2026

Peterborough band Rocky Islander brings Newfoundland kitchen party energy and a mix of traditional and modern Irish/Newfoundland music to the Black Horse Pub on Sunday afternoon. (Photo: Rocky Islander / Facebook)

nightlifeNOW – January 29 to February 4

January 29, 2026

Trade contractors invited to apply for new $50-million Kawartha Lakes Paramedic Headquarters in Lindsay

kawarthaNOW - February 6, 2026

Ball Construction is seeking pre-qualification submissions by March 6, with construction expected to begin in the summer.

‘Much more than a machine’: Peterborough manufacturer Quickmill competes globally in large-scale CNC machining

January 23, 2026

A sold-out crowd of 200 people attended the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce's inaugural Luminary Awards celebration at the Great Hall of Trent University's Champlain College on May 8, 2025, which saw awards in five categories that recognize women at all stages of their careers presented to Sheena Howard, Jenisha Sanjit Arora, Rachel Stark, Tiffany Arcari, and Jeannine Taylor. (Photo: Jordan Lyall Photography)

You still have time to nominate an inspiring woman in business for the second annual Luminary Awards

January 20, 2026

Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith with Cheesy Fromage owner Tanya Bailey and her Rural Entrepreneur award from Ontario's Ministry of Rural Affairs. The Lakefield business owner was formally presented with the inaugural award as part of the first Rural Inspiration Awards event at the Rural Ontario Municipalities Association (ROMA) conference in Toronto on January 19, 2026. (Photo: Office of Dave Smith)

Lakefield’s Tanya Bailey receives Ontario’s first-ever Rural Entrepreneur award

January 19, 2026

Junior Achievement of Northern and Eastern Ontario (JA-NEO) announced the nine inductees of the 2026 Business Hall of Fame in the lobby of the Venture North building in downtown Peterborough on January 14, 2026. Pictured left to right, front to back: Vance Robbins, Brenda Ibey, Jason and Niki Pulchinski, Peter Blodgett, Jim Bailey, and Chuck White. Not pictured: Dave Bucholtz and Martha Sullivan. (Photo: JA-NEO)

Junior Achievement of Northern and Eastern Ontario announces 2026 Business Hall of Fame inductees

January 14, 2026

How a winter walk to school is both beneficial and fun for kids

GreenUP - February 5, 2026

Active School Travel Peterborough encourages winter walking to boost children's physical, social, and emotional health.

GreenUP energy advisor Bryn Magee points to an electrical outlet on an exterior wall in the GreenUP office. In many older buildings, electrical outlets are sources of air leakage. Foam gaskets and plug protectors can help to staunch the flow of cold air. (Photo: Clara Blakelock / GreenUP)

Lower your heating bills and stay warm by sealing air leaks in your home

January 29, 2026

Through its new "Rethink Therapy" awareness campaign, Five Counties Children's Centre is encouraging families to see that therapy happens everywhere, not just at Five Counties Children’s Centre with a clinician or staff member. Small everyday actions help children build connection, confidence, and their abilities for life. (Photo courtesy of Five Counties Children’s Centre)

Therapy for children with special needs happens everywhere, not just at Five Counties Children’s Centre

January 26, 2026

A woman checking on an elderly female neighbour. (Stock photo)

Community looking after community: inside Peterborough’s NORC Ambassador Program

January 25, 2026

Some of North America's top snowshoe athletes are expected to compete in the inaugural Kawartha Lakes Winter Festival at Eganridge Resort, Golf Club & Spa in Fenelon Falls on February 1, 2026. (Photo: Spafford Health and Adventure)

Inaugural Kawartha Lakes Winter Festival will see some of North America’s top snowshoe runners coming to Fenelon Falls

January 18, 2026

Weather

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

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