MUST TASTE
Be sure to take in a cooking demo, stomp your feet to some live blues and country, or get artsy and try your hand at a new craft.
Campbellford and the surrounding farms of Northumberland proudly offer up a bounty of organic fruit, vegetables, free-range chickens and grass-fed beef. Take a deep-dive into the local terroir at the Incredible Edibles Festival on July 9. Downtown Campbellford becomes a foodie’s dream day with hors d’oeuvres, fingerlickin’ slow-smoked barbecue and all kinds of fresh-picked and freshly prepared goodness from local food producers, chefs, cideries and brewers. Dip, sip and mingle!
Incredible Edibles Festival
10am-10pm Sat. July 9, Downtown Campbellford
incredibleediblesfestival.com
MUST ROCK OUT
After two years or more of silence, live concerts, jamborees and festivals are back, baby! Grab those dancing shoes or go barefoot – it is summer after all! There’s some awesome talent headlining live music venues across the region. A few highlights:
June 16: Canadian country rock superstars Blue Rodeo make a return to Cobourg at the Cobourg Community Centre.
July 10: Westben’s Concerts at the Barn welcomes the Queer Songbook Orchestra, a 13-piece chamber pop ensemble with a goal to elevate the LGBTQ+ experience through storytelling and song.
July 14-31: The Shape of Home is at the Eddie Hotel in Bloomfield. The show is a musical re-imagining of the life and work of beloved County poet Al Purdy.
August 18-21: Canada’s largest (and most fun) country music and camping festival, the Havelock Country Jamboree, is on again! Past festivals have included country luminaries like Clint Black, LeAnn Rimes and Travis Tritt.
MUST SHOWCASE
Hundreds of artists call the County home for the creative vibe and wide open skies. Some of their finest work will be showcased in the Armoury Building in downtown Picton during Art in The County, which runs between June 17 and July 4 this summer.
The 29th edition of Eastern Ontario’s premier juried art exhibit returns to an in-person event while continuing its online platform, with more than 100 pieces on display. You’ll discover take-your-breath-away paintings, photography, sculpture and fibre arts that affirm the artistic depth and diversity of the artists. Cool add: The new Carson Arthur Award for evoking nature in an innovative and original way.
Art in The County
June 17 – July 4
Armoury Building, Picton
artinthecounty.com
MUST CAST OFF
Northumberland and Prince Edward Counties are graced with seemingly endless kilometres of Lake Ontario shoreline – and if the wind is right, you can head out over the waves for a long summer evening in a sailboat. Want to learn how? Adults and kids can find tranquility and master all the techniques at one of the local clubs.
Cobourg Yacht Club, Bay of Quinte Yacht Club and Prince Edward Yacht Club all offer learn to- sail programs with both in-class and on-the-water lessons. Experienced yacht club skippers teach boat handling, sailing skills, water safety, knot tying, rigging and terminology. Ahoy!
MUST LISTEN
There’s no denying that social media and instant communications can be stressors that dial up teen angst and vulnerability. Need a little support? Check out the online KBI Inspire magazine and its companion youth mental health podcast, Life Outside the Box, a locally produced resource supported by Cameco where no topic is off limits. The aim is to start conversations and help teens navigate the complexities of friendship and dating, and open up about tricky subjects like body awareness and domestic abuse.
MUST POP & SHOP
Head to the Quinte West Pop-Ups outdoor food and art market that runs from June to September at Centennial Park in Trenton. This is where food truckers, crafters and entertainers set up shop along the waterfront path, tickling your fancy. Who won’t go just about anywhere for amazing poutine at Herbert’s Fries? What about S’mores-inspired brownies by the Food Network-featured Wannamaker’s Bakeshop? Yum and yum. Ooh and ahh over handcrafted toddler toys from Sweet Burrow Co., like the adorable forage basket with felt berries and river rocks, and the boho wall art by Lida’s Designs – and how about a little illumination with a tarot card reading? Something for everybody!
June through September
Quinte West Pop Ups, Centennial Park, Trenton
Instagram: @qwpopups
