Peterborough Curling Club to Host 'Community Open House and Try Curling Event' to Celebrate 150th Anniversary

On Oct. 17, the Peterborough Curling Club invites the public to help celebrate its 150-year milestone with a Community Open House and Try Curling Event.

Photo courtesy of Peterborough Curling Club.

The event runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., as visitors can tour the club, explore displays highlighting  Peterborough Curling Club's 150-year history and try curling for themselves at no cost.

Experienced club curlers are on hand to provide instruction with all curling equipment provided.

Participants just need to bring:

• Clean indoor running shoes

• Warm, layered clothing

• A helmet (optional) - helmets are mandatory for anyone 18 years of age or younger

No registration is required as it is tailored for drop-ins; first-come, first-served.

The club's bar will also be open, offering an opportunity to relax, socialize, and enjoy the afternoon with friends, family, and members of the curling community.

“Celebrating 150 years is a tremendous milestone for our club, and we want to celebrate it with the entire Peterborough community,” said Soeun Khuth, Peterborough Curling Club member and event organizer. “Our Open House is a chance for people to come through our doors, discover the history of the club, meet our members and, most importantly, give curling a try.”

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Head of the Trent 2026 Features New Riverside Experience While Faryon Bridge Undergoes Revitalization

One of Trent University’s signature weekends, Head of the Trent (HOTT), runs Friday to Sunday and features a new riverside experience for this year’s homecoming while the Faryon Bridge undergoes revitalization.

Trent faculty, staff and athletes join the Peterborough Police Service and the Peterborough DBIA to help launch the 2026 HOTT. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The event brings athletes, alumni, families and community members to enjoy rowing races, varsity games and family-friendly programming. 

“Head of the Trent is a weekend people look forward to year after year, reconnecting them with Trent and the Peterborough region,” said Julie Davis, Trent vice president of external relations, marketing and communications. “This year’s new riverside viewing experience offers visitors a fresh way to be part of this longstanding tradition, whether they are discovering Head of the Trent for the first time or returning year after year.” 

The Faryon Bridge under constuction and revitalization to preserve its structural integrity, support safe daily use and protect its defining architectural features. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The HOTT Regatta is the heart of the event, hosted by the Peterborough Rowing Club. Over 1,400 rowers from across Ontario, Quebec, Western Canada, and the northern United States will compete in one of North America’s premier head races on the Otonabee River running through Trent’s Symons Campus.

Because of the Faryon Bridge revitalization, spectators can watch the regatta along the Otonabee, including Trent’s Founders Walk on the West Bank of Symons Campus. The Student Centre riverside is a primary hub of activity, including the Kids’ Zone. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., families can enjoy free activities including inflatables, lawn games, face painting and visits with animals. Kids can also meet Bluey and Bingo from the hit Australian-based TV show ‘Bluey’ from 11 a.m. to noon and Paw Patrol’s Chase and Marshall from 1 to 2 p.m. 

Kids enjoying HoTT with Bluey and Bingo in a past event. Photo courtesy of Trent University.

Beyond rowing, Trent Excalibur athletes are competing this weekend, with women’s and men’s rugby, soccer, and volleyball in action. 

Food and drink options include a free pancake breakfast, along with health and wellness educational opportunities on the Upper Bata Podium on Saturday. Food trucks are stationed near Bata Library and the campus pub, the Ceilie, is open during the festivities.

Alumni celebrations kick off Friday evening with the Trent Alumni Rowing & Rugby Social at Justin Chiu Stadium. Alumni from two of Trent’s longest-standing varsity programs will cheer on the Excalibur women’s rugby team alongside students and community members. Former Excalibur soccer players return to the field Saturday morning for the alumni soccer game.

Champlain College marks its 60th anniversary during Head of the Trent, with an anniversary brunch, guided college tours and a special Great Hall display featuring photographs, artifacts and stories spanning six decades of college life.

Increased Peterborough Police Service presence will be throughout HOTT and the City. This includes specialized units, such as the Police’s crowd management team, on hand during the festivities.

They will be assisting at any capacity or any location where they're required,” said Staff Sgt. Mark Reesor of the Peterborough Police Service. “We also have an additional (close to) 50 paid-duty officers that are in various points throughout the weekend to also increase our presence and our ability to respond to various locations and various situations that should arrive.”

Reesor assures the public that the additional focus on HOTT will not take away from the station’s regular police duties.

“We're doing this strategically without pulling officers away from their regular shift,” he explains. “The officers scheduled to be on shift aren't being depleted by having these additional officers available.”

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Public Invited to Grand Reopening of Ennismore Community Centre Arena This Thursday

The public is invited to join Selwyn Township for the grand reopening of the Ennismore Community Centre Arena this Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Selwyn Township.

Until 6 p.m., visitors can enjoy refreshments, view project photos, connect with neighbours and celebrate the arena’s reopening.

A free public skate is running from 5 to 6 p.m.

This important project was supported through the Province of Ontario’s Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund (CSRIF) and Hydro One’s Community Investment Program.

In late July last year, the Ontario Government invested $931,750 for renovations that included replacing the 54-year-old, 180-foot by 80-foot concrete slab floor, refrigeration piping and ice rink chiller.

This investment is part of the province’s $200 million Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund (CSRIF), a provincewide initiative that helps communities revitalize local facilities, grow the economy and promote active, healthy living across Ontario. The funding was also supported through Hydro One’s Community Investment Program.

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Peterborough's 46th Annual Terry Fox Run Hits Nicholls Oval This Sunday

To honour a Canadian icon, Peterborough’s 46th-annual Terry Fox Run in support of cancer research is being held this Sunday at Nicholls Oval Park.

Photo courtesy of the Terry Fox Foundation.

Participants are encouraged to walk, run, or ride (bicycles, rollerblades, wheelchairs, and more) at their own pace.

Registration begins at 8 a.m., with the event running from 9 a.m. to noon. Participants can run any distance in the park or along the Rotary Trail.

Admission is free; however, organizers ask that every participant fundraise or make a personal donation, as this is not an awareness event but a fundraiser. Those who cannot attend but wish to donate can do so online.

Peterborough’s fundraising goal is $31,900, with $26,121 already raised at the time of publication.

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Public Invited to Grand Reopening of Ennismore Community Centre Arena On Sept. 24

The public is invited to join Selwyn Township for the grand reopening of the Ennismore Community Centre Arena on Sept. 24 at 4:30 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Selwyn Township.

Until 6 p.m., visitors can enjoy refreshments, view project photos, connect with neighbours and celebrate the arena’s reopening.

A free public skate is running from 5 to 6 p.m.

This important project was supported through the Province of Ontario’s Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund (CSRIF) and Hydro One’s Community Investment Program.

In late July last year, the Ontario Government invested $931,750 for renovations that included replacing the 54-year-old, 180-foot by 80-foot concrete slab floor, refrigeration piping and ice rink chiller.

This investment is part of the province’s $200 million Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund (CSRIF), a provincewide initiative that helps communities revitalize local facilities, grow the economy and promote active, healthy living across Ontario. The funding was also supported through Hydro One’s Community Investment Program.

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2026 Peterborough-Nogojiwanong Pride Week Runs Sept. 18 to 27

Peterborough-Nogojiwanong Pride Week returns Sept. 18 to 27 with events, activities and celebrations taking place throughout the community in recognition of the region’s 2SLGBTQIA+ community. 

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The City of Peterborough will help mark the beginning of Pride Week with a flag-raising ceremony at City Hall, 500 George St. N., on Friday at 12:15 p.m.

“Peterborough-Nogojiwanong Pride Week is an opportunity to celebrate the 2SLGBTQIA+ community,” said Mayor Jeff Leal. “This year’s theme, ‘Woven Together,’ speaks to the connections we share and the importance of supporting one another. Pride Week is also a reminder that discrimination, including homophobia and transphobia, continues to affect people in our community. By working together, we can make Peterborough a place where everyone is treated with respect and acceptance.” 

The annual Peterborough-Nogojiwanong Pride Parade will take place on Sept. 26. The parade will begin at approximately 1 p.m., departing from City Hall and travelling down George Street to Millennium Park, 130 King St., where Pride in the Park will continue until 5:30 p.m. 

Events at City facilities include: 

• PTBO-NOGO Pride Special Family Sunday, Art Gallery of Peterborough, 250 Crescent St., Sunday, September 20, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Celebrate Pride through colour, creativity and community with free, drop-in art-making activities suitable for all ages. No registration is required. 
   

• ReFrame PRIDE Screening at the Peterborough Public Library, 345 Aylmer St. N., Friday, September 18 at 7 p.m. The event features screenings of two films: The Queen and I Like Girls, followed by a Q&A with Sahira the Djinn. Admission is pay-what-you-can. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. 

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PHOTOS: A Taste of the East Coast Hits Chemong Lodge For Conman's Fifth Annual Lobsterfest to Support Oceans Initiative

Fresh Maritime crustaceans were grilled up and the drinks were free-flowing at Chemong Lodge for its Conman’s Fifth Annual Lobsterfest to Support Oceans Initiative on Sunday.

All photos by David Tuan Bui.

The event featured live music, a live pipe band from the Hastings & Prince Edward Regimental Association Pipe Band, alcohol tents, an ice cream station, a bouncy castle, fresh Maritime lobsters, a fireworks show and a silent auction in support of Oceans Initiative.

The event honours the late Connor Brown, brother of Chemong Lodge owners Adam and Addison Brown. In 2018, Connor lost his life in a commercial diving accident. Chemong Lodge chose to support Oceans Initiative as a meaningful way to honour his memory and continue his legacy of connection to the sea.

The initiative's mission is to protect marine life and the ecosystems they depend on, and to share innovative science to guide conservation action, according to their website.

@ptbo_canada Fresh Maritime crustaceans were grilled up and the drinks were free-flowing at Chemong Lodge for its Conman’s fifth annual Lobsterfest to support Oceans Initiative on Sunday. ##fyp##news##ptbocanada##journalism##lobsterfest ♬ Tropical C - Worldwide Beatsnation

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PHOTOS: Kawartha Ribfest Brings the Heat and the Meat For Three Days at Healthy Planet Arena

Kawartha Ribfest fired up its grills, poured its drinks and got loud for Peterborough over three days for the first time at Healthy Planet Arena this past Friday through Sunday.

Oscar Pensa, Jack the Ribber manager, slathers some sauce over pork ribs on Ribfest's opening day. All photos by David Tuan Bui.

The event featured four companies in Oak 87, Fat Boys Barbeque, Boss Hog’s and Jack the Ribber Barbeque firing up the grills and serving customers a variety of foods. The menu included pulled pork, ribs (pork and beef), beans, salad, chicken, and more.

Oscar Pensa, Jack the Ribber manager, said he looks forward to working Ribfest and being a part of a positive atmosphere.

“I just love seeing the smile on everyone's faces, I love hearing people come back and tell me how amazing the food is,” he explained. “It feels great to be able to provide some good food that isn't so easy to come by; it's nice to let everyone else experience what I get to experience every weekend.”

Pensa says he prepares his trailer two months in advance, working every day leading up to the Ribfest season. There is a lot of work and effort put into each event but he wouldn’t want it any other way.

“We set up on the Thursday and we're here for 17-18 days cooking food, making sure everything comes out amazing so it pretty much seven days a week for six months of a year,” said Pensa. “It's so fun, we love to do it.”

In addition to the rib stations, Ribfest also had a vendor village, other food and drink kiosks, live music, beer gardens and more.

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Peterborough + Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce Unveil Nominees For 2026 Business Excellence Awards

The Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce has released its nominees for the 2026 Business Excellence Awards which recognize outstanding achievement, innovation, leadership, resilience and community impact across the region's business community.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.

This year's awards feature 137 unique nominees receiving 235 nominations across 18 award categories.

The 2026 Business Excellence Awards Gala is on Oct. 22 at Kawartha Downs, where award winners will be announced.

“This year we eliminated the self-nomination process, and we have been truly inspired by the way our community embraced the opportunity to recognize local businesses,” said Brenda Whitehead, Chamber President and CEO. “The response speaks volumes about the incredible work being done throughout our region. We now look forward to receiving the nominees' submissions, which will allow our volunteer judges to learn more about each organization's story, accomplishments, and impact. It is inspiring to see this level of engagement, and we can't wait to celebrate these outstanding businesses and individuals in October.”

“The Business Excellence Awards are about more than recognizing success—they celebrate the entrepreneurs, businesses, non-profit organizations, and leaders whose passion, innovation, and dedication strengthen our communities every day,” said Susan Dunkley, Chamber Board Chair. “The number of nominations received this year demonstrates just how proud our region is of its business community. On behalf of the Board of Directors, congratulations to every nominee. We look forward to celebrating your achievements and the positive impact you continue to make across Peterborough City and County.”

The following are this year’s nominees:

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Hiroshima and Nagasaki Commemoration Lantern Ceremony At Little Lake Being Held On Aug. 6

The Peterborough Quakers invite the public to a Floating Lantern Commemoration of the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on Aug. 6, at 7:45 p.m. at the T-Wharf on Little Lake.

File Photo.

The commemoration includes brief reflections on war and on the need to constantly work for peace, interspersed with music and peaceful reflection, followed by the floating of the lanterns on the waters of Little Lake according to a press release.

On August 6th and 9th, 1945, during the final stage of the Second World War, the United States dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The two bombings, which killed at least 200,000 people, remain the only use of nuclear weapons to this day.

Participants are invited to bring their own reflections to share or honour those who have died and continue to die in war. 

“The Floating Lanterns commemoration is a gentle and beautiful grassroots way of helping us remember the many things we can do to bring about a more peaceful world,” said Pat Gere, organizing committee member.

Lanterns are being assembled by teen volunteers from St. Peter’s High School. Participants can bring their own chair or blanket.

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