COLUMN: Summer heating up with art, concerts and fun events

Well, I hate to say it, but we are at the midpoint of the summer. If you have been on the fence about enjoying some of the great events going on in and around our area this summer, hop off! There are so many fun things to see and do, get seeing and doing.

First of all, See You on the Patio continues this Friday and Saturday evening, with every restaurant in the downtown expanding its patio, and some fun live music and entertainment to boot. It’s a chance to pretend you are in Europe, stroll the streets, and sip on a beverage or have a full course meal al fresco. Check it out!

To coincide with See You on the Patio, Orillia Museum of Art and History (OMAH) is hosting a Historical Walking Tour of downtown this Friday night at 7 p.m. Join Lindsay Earle for an hour-and-a-half as she tours you all around downtown and tells you historical secrets of Orillia of the past. Cost is only $10 per person, $7.50 for OMAH members. To register, click here.

Friday night at 5 p.m., OMAH is hosting an opening reception for artist Ted Fullerton’s exhibit, The Serpent’s Egg. Ted is a retired professor and head of the Fine Art Program at Georgian College, School of Design and Visual Art Barrie. The show will feature drawings, paintings, mixed media, and a sculpture. Come see the work, meet Ted, and enjoy some refreshments. The show will run until Oct. 7.

Don’t forget about the Seven Grandfather Teaching’s presentation, this Saturday from 1 to 4:30 p.m. at Creative Nomad Studios. Four artists: Julie Tan, Ted Fullerton, Xavier Fernandes, and Paul Shilling, have been taking the last year to design pieces reflecting their views of the Seven Grandfather Teachings. There have been six presentations, and this is the final one, reflecting Wisdom. This is also a chance to see all seven of each artist’s works in one place. 

There will be a presentation from each artist beginning shortly after 1 p.m., and then audience members will have a chance to mingle, enjoy refreshments, look at the works up close, and talk to each artist. Admission is free. This project is conceived and sponsored by the Orillia District Arts Council. 

This Saturday night, the event you have all been waiting for! Back to the ’90s Video Dance Party is this Saturday at ODAS Park. Huge video screens, refreshments, cash bar, a chance to dress up in your 90s clothing and party like it’s 1999. What are you waiting for? Grab your tickets for this fundraising event for The Sharing Place here www.thebigevent.ca. 

There are only three more dates left for the ODAC-sponsored events, Summer in the Parks. Mark your calendar with the following, now:

All evenings run from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and are absolutely free.

There has been a flurry of announcements for amazing fall shows coming up, so I am going to throw some of them down here so you can grab your tickets now, before you are disappointed. I hope not too many of you missed out on the Danny Michel/Steve Poltz November show, I did tell you it would sell out. Now do you believe me? Here are some more sure to be amazing shows, coming up this fall:

The Sadies with Jerry Leger and the Situation and Ronnie Douglas, Saturday Sept. 23 at Fern Resort. This will be an amazing show, and it’s a fundraiser for the Orillia Youth Centre. Tickets here.

Roger Harvey is in Orillia Friday, Sept. 29, also for the Youth Centre, tickets same place. Roger is amazing, just go.

Roots North Music Festival’s fan favourites, Tommy Youngsteen, are coming back to St. Paul’s Centre Oct. 13 performing Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours and all their greatest hits. Come check it out, tickets here.

Mariposa Folk Foundation’s An Autumn Mariposa III, featuring Aysanabee, My Son the Hurricane, Aleksi Campagne, and Angelique Francis, on October 14 from 1 to 5 p.m. at ODAS Park. Again, this will be amazing, and likely will sell out, like it did last year. So, just go. Tickets www.mariposafolk.com. 

Mariposa is also bringing back a new and expanded version of Lance Anderson’s 60 In 60 show from the 60^th anniversary. This was incredible at Mariposa, so expanded and with the same great musicians, at the Orillia Opera House … it will be more than incredible. It’s happening Nov. 18 and you can get your tickets here.

More great shows, continuing the Thursday night music series at St. Paul’s Centre: Mathew Good, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m.; and Chris Murphy from Sloan, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. Tickets for both shows at www.insidethemusic.ca. Grab yours today and support live music in O-Town.

Speaking of live music, this week at the bars…Thursday, Stephan Bernard, Friday, Charlotte and The Dirty Cowboys, Saturday Tamica Herod, Sunday afternoon, Jazz in the Afternoon with Will Davis and ChristRobinson, all at Couchiching Craft Brewery. 

Have a great week, if you have arts news, send it to [email protected] by Tuesday at noon to be included.