Our favourite picks for summer 2013

Must cross

… the bridges at Island Lake Conservation Area. The grand opening of these bridges, which provide a vital link between the north and south sections of the Vicki Barron Lakeside Trail, starts at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 22, and celebrates the success of Bridge the Gap, a long-term fundraising and construction project spearheaded by Friends of Island Lake, a committee of the Credit Valley Conservation Foundation.

The ribbon cutting, scheduled for 11 a.m., takes place at the bridge entrance on the north side of the lake. Visitors, who are encouraged to walk, cycle or jog the wheelchair-accessible trail, can park at the Orangeville fairgrounds and walk from there.

Now that the bridges are in place, FOIL members will turn their attention to the western section of the trail, which will complete the circuit of the lake.

A map of the trails is available at creditvalleyca.ca. For news and updates, check out FOIL’s Facebook page at facebook.com/FriendsofIslandLake.

Must see

Three thought-provoking art exhibits launch this summer and, for a time, run simultaneously at the Dufferin County Museum and Archives. The first, which opened June 9, is Mulmur sculptor Ken Hall’s Legacy 1, an installation that features a life-sized orca skeleton fabricated from reclaimed cedar and inspired by the tragic story of Hope, an orca whose toxin-laced body washed up on the coast of Washington state.

On June 23, Hallie Watson’s Treasure Project 2 opens in the museum’s Silo Gallery. Watsons’ highly personal and evocative images of everyday “treasures” are accompanied by haunting narratives that explain how each became a touchstone for her and her family.

The same day, the Lodge Gallery hosts the launch of Familiar Landscapes 3, a retrospective of the works of Roy Austin, who grew up in Orangeville. This show, which marks the first time Austin’s works have been exhibited so close to his hometown, highlights his rural landscapes, many of them scenes inspired by his wanderings in these hills.

For detailed information, go to the DCMA website: www.dufferinmuseum.com

Must rock out

Okay, not that kind of rocking out. Instead, find out about how to work with rocks at the three-day Festival of Stone, which takes place in the Alton village square from Friday, June 28, to Sunday, June 30. Master dry stone wallers from the United Kingdom and the United States will join members of the Dry Stone Walling Association of Canada to demonstrate the ancient art and to build three stone structures to permanently grace the square, a community project that got under way with a workshop in 2012.

Those who wish to learn more about working with stone or to try their hand at creating their own walls can take a two-day, hands-on course on June 29 and 30. A special lecture is planned on Saturday evening, and the festival will feature music, entertainment, activities for children and a town crier. To find out more, go to www.dswa.ca/event/festival-of-stone.

Learn more about the Stone Houses of Shaw’s Creek and stone wall structures.

Must party hearty

It will be non-stop entertainment when Orangeville puts on its 150th Birthday Bash on Saturday, July 6.

Events kick off at 8 a.m. with a farmers’ market and a free pancake breakfast provided by Enbridge and the town. A re-enactment of the town’s naming is set to take place at the Opera House – and that’s just one of many events that will keep downtown hopping throughout the day and into the evening.

Other activities on tap include horse-drawn wagon rides, heritage walking tours, buskers, a juried art show at the Orangeville library, a display of historical artifacts at the county building, vendors and demonstrations. There will be activities for kids all day at Alexandra Park, and radio stations Jewel 88.5 and Z103.5 will also be on hand day with giveaways and promotions.

Perhaps most exciting, starting at 11:30 a.m., a truly fabulous lineup of local musicians takes to the stage. They include Riddim Forward, The Houseplants, Heather Katz, Skye Sweetnam, the Campfire Poets and Hannah Chapplain E, and offer something for every musical taste, from classic reggae to blues to pop and country rock.

You can catch the musical action during the day at two locations, the main stage on Second Street and the intersection of Broadway and Mill Street.

Come evening, the celebrations will be capped with a concert by rising stars DVBBS (pronounced “Duh-BS”). The concert marks something of a homecoming for brothers Alex and Chris Andre, who attended Orangeville District Secondary School and whose high-energy mix of electro, house, reggae, rap and pop sounds has been making waves on the international music scene.

Learn more about what’s happening on July 6, as well as the many other events and activities planned to mark the town’s year-long sesquicentennial celebration, at www.orangeville150.ca.