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

Souvankham Thammavongsa won the Giller Prize on November 17, 2025 for her debut novel "Pick a Colour." She previously won in 2020 for her short story collection "How to Pronounce Knife." (Photo: The Canadian Press / Chris Young)

Two-time Giller Prize winner Souvankham Thammavongsa one of seven authors participating in this year’s Lakefield Literary Festival

July 17 and 18 event also features Kate Cayley, Plum Johnson, Merilyn Simonds, Loretta Garbutt, Marcus Cutler, Terry Fallis, and Rod Carley

Bruce Head - May 5, 2026

At Peterborough city council's general committee meeting on May 4, 2026, a motion to defer Mayor Leal's motion to commit the city to financing $57 million of the cost of a proposed $170-million sport and event centre in downtown Peterborough failed 6-4, with councillor Alex Bierk absent from the meeting. Councillors later approved the mayor's motion. (kawarthaNOW screenshot of City of Peterborough video)

Peterborough city council endorses $57 million for $170-million downtown sport and event centre

Peterborough resident Brooke Roberts holding a photo of her late daughter Sofie while standing outside Peterborough City Hall on May 2, 2026, when it was lit up in grey, yellow, and teal in honour of Brain Cancer Awareness Month. Brooke is an ambassador for Brain Cancer Canada, a national charity that works to raise awareness and bridge the gap in funding for brain cancer research and access. (Photo courtesy of the Roberts family)

For Brain Cancer Awareness Month, a Peterborough mom is advocating for awareness and funding in honour of her late daughter Sofie

encoreNOW for May 4, 2026 features (from left to right, top and bottom) Tommy Youngsteen at Bancroft Village Playhouse and Peterborough's Market Hall, Public Energy's presentation of "Finding Home" at the Peterborough Theatre Guild, Ian Thomas at Lindsay's Academy Theatre, the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra with the Peterborough Singers at Emmanuel United Church, "Quiet in the Land" at the Peterborough Theatre Guild, and "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" at Port Hope's Capitol Theatre. (kawarthaNOW collage)

Mayor advocates for $170-million event centre in downtown Peterborough just hours before council debates the project

Proposed 5,800-seat venue is backed by business leaders, but how the city would pay for it is still unresolved

Bruce Head - May 4, 2026

Lifelong entrepreneur Neil Morton is running for Peterborough mayor in the 2026 municipal election. The first-time candidate, who says Peterborough "has the potential to be one of the great Canadian cities to live in, to work in, and to visit," intends to focus on economic prosperity to create a "Peterborough for all." (Photo courtesy of Neil Morton)

Mayoral candidate Neil Morton says Peterborough can become ‘one of the great Canadian cities’

Tyrone Flowers, owner of The Vine pescetarian restaurant in Peterborough, made the difficult decision to launch a GoFundMe campaign after dealing with health challenges that have resulted in the indefinite closure of dine-in and take-out service. Flowers and his partner Lauren Mortlock assures The Vine will still be showing up for community events they have committed this spring and summer, as well as visits to the Peterborough Farmers' Market on Saturday morning. (Photo courtesy of The Vine)

Peterborough rallies around The Vine as owner Tyrone Flowers navigates complex health challenges

Peterborough's Dragon Boat Festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2026, with this year's fundraising event taking place on Saturday, June 13 at Del Crary Park in Peterborough. More than 50 teams and over 500 participants will take to the water on Little Lake to support this year's goal of raising $325,018.01 for cancer care at Peterborough Regional Health Centre, taking the 25-year fundraising total to well over $5 million. (Photo: Peterborough Regional Health Centre Foundation)

Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival paddling toward $5 million fundraising milestone for cancer care

The top three spellers of the intermediate division (grades 7 and 8) at the Rotary Club of Peterborough's 12th annual spelling bee on May 2, 2026 at Whetung Theatre at Fleming College: Henry Sharpe from Adam Scott Intermediate Public School, Hudson Inglis of Kawartha Classical Christian School, and Tyler Phillips of St. Teresa Catholic Elementary School. Along with the top three spellers from the junior division (grades 4 to 6), the students won prizes including bikes from Canadian Tire. (Photo courtesy of Rotary Club of Peterborough)

Elementary school students spell their way to prizes at Peterborough Rotary’s 12th annual spelling bee

From a field of 120 students, the top three spellers from both grades 4 to 6 and grades 7 and 8 earned prizes for themselves and their schools

kawarthaNOW - May 3, 2026

Rebecca Schillemat, former executive officer of the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Home Builders' Association, is running for Peterborough mayor in the 2026 municipal election. The first-time candidate says she wants Peterborough to be a 'thriving community' for her children and future generations. (Photo: Jordan Lyall Photography)

Rebecca Schillemat enters Peterborough mayoral race with focus on affordability, housing, and jobs

East City resident Keith Riel, who has been elected four times to Peterborough city council as one of two Ashburnham Ward representatives, is running for mayor in the 2026 municipal election. (Photo: Jordan Lyall Photography)

Longtime Peterborough city councillor Keith Riel makes his run for mayor official

Rising Canadian country music artist Tyler Joe Miller performs a free-admission concert at Peterborough Musicfest in Del Crary Park on July 15, 2026. (Photo: Matthew Miller)

Rising Canadian country music artist Tyler Joe Miller makes his Peterborough Musicfest debut on July 15

Peterborough city council endorses $57 million for $170-million downtown sport and event centre

Bruce Head - May 5, 2026

Four of 10 members of council voted to defer Mayor Jeff Leal's motion, citing lack of due diligence and impact of debt financing on other future capital projects.

For Brain Cancer Awareness Month, a Peterborough mom is advocating for awareness and funding in honour of her late daughter Sofie

May 4, 2026

Peterborough mayor Jeff Leal, Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Brenda Whitehead, Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) board chair Deanna Guttman, and Paul Harris-Lowe of the city's economic development working group during a media conference at the Chamber's office on May 4, 2026 where the mayor advocated for a new event centre in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW)

Mayor advocates for $170-million event centre in downtown Peterborough just hours before council debates the project

May 4, 2026

Mayoral candidate Neil Morton says Peterborough can become ‘one of the great Canadian cities’

May 4, 2026

Peterborough rallies around The Vine as owner Tyrone Flowers navigates complex health challenges

May 3, 2026

The Local Advantage with Peterborough County: Burleigh Falls Inn expanding locally sourced ingredients in its popular restaurant and cafe

Megan Gallant - April 28, 2026

The historic Stoney Lake resort is participating in the Green Circle Food Hub of the Kawartha Local Food Wholesale project.

Know Your Locals: Peterborough’s DJC Modern Apparel helps women find confidence through style with a new 18+ Collection

April 21, 2026

Located just north of Keene in the Township of Otonabee South Monaghan, Harley Farms is a busy family farm that produces humanely and sustainably raised beef, pork, lamb, chicken, and eggs. To help reach local consumers and wholesale food buyers, the farm is participating in the Kawartha Choice FarmFresh and Kawartha Local Food Wholesale programs delivered in part by Peterborough County. (Photo courtesy of Harley Farms)

The Local Advantage with Peterborough County: Harley Farms grows as a sustainable and humane farm and agritourism destination

April 21, 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

April 14, 2026

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

Two-time Giller Prize winner Souvankham Thammavongsa one of seven authors participating in this year’s Lakefield Literary Festival

Bruce Head - May 5, 2026

July 17 and 18 event also features Kate Cayley, Plum Johnson, Merilyn Simonds, Loretta Garbutt, Marcus Cutler, Terry Fallis, and Rod Carley.

Rising Canadian country music artist Tyler Joe Miller makes his Peterborough Musicfest debut on July 15

May 1, 2026

Adoniram (aka Trevor James), an emerging Canadiana folk-blues artist based in Peterborough who released his debut album "Rougarou" last year, is performing at the Black Horse in downtown Peterborough on Sunday afternoon. (Photo: Samantha Moss

nightlifeNOW – April 30 to May 6

April 30, 2026

Wrapping up their respective 2025-26 seasons, the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra (PSO) and the Peterborough Singers will be coming together for a rare collaboration on the Mother's Day weekend to perform "The Creation" by Austrian composer Joseph Haydn at Emmanuel United Church in Peterborough, with concerts at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 9 and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 10. (Photos: PSO and Peterborough Singers)

Peterborough Symphony Orchestra and Peterborough Singers come together for season-ending performances of Haydn’s ‘The Creation’

April 29, 2026

From entrepreneurs to employees, the 60 Luminary Award nominees represent vast impact of Peterborough’s women in business

Megan Gallant - April 22, 2026

Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce to announce seven award finalists at sold-out May 7 luncheon at Trent University.

All Creatures Great and Small in Cobourg was the recipient of the inaugural Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) Award at the Northumberland Central Chamber of Commerce's 23rd annual Business Achievement Awards in partnership with the Town of Cobourg. One of nine awards presented on March 27, 2026, the IDEA Award recognizes businesses that have taken proactive steps to raise awareness about the importance of welcoming and accommodating all. (Photo courtesy of Northumberland Central Chamber of Commerce)

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

March 30, 2026

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

Why more Peterborough homeowners should consider installing a rain barrel

GreenUP - April 30, 2026

From lowering water bills to reducing polluted runoff, rain barrels are an easy and effective tool for managing stormwater runoff,

Five Counties Children's Centre occupational therapist Jess hands an ornament to two-year-old Arthur during a recent treatment session. With the help of Five Counties staff, Arthur has taken a significant course correction after a rare form of childhood cancer left him paralyzed from the waist down, including with a mini stand-up wheelchair known as a mobile stander. (Photo courtesy of Five Counties Children's Centre)

‘Arthur is proof that big happiness really does come in the tiniest packages’

April 24, 2026

Sue Throop didn't believe she could make it to work on her bike. Her son Brett, GreenUP's new active transportation program coordinator, convinced her to ride with him one day in 2009 and she's been pedalling ever since. (Photo courtesy of Sue Throop)

‘Big transportation shifts start with small changes – ask my mom’

April 23, 2026

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

April 16, 2026

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

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