Our Favourite Picks for Winter 2014
Must shop, deck the halls, cheer and boo!
5,600-hectare Luther Marsh. Photo by Carl Hiebert, grca.com.
Must learn
Today, the 5,600-hectare Luther Marsh is regarded as one of Ontario’s most significant wetlands, home to a wide diversity of wildlife and the headwaters of the Grand River watershed. But it was not always so.
On January 27, Wayne Townsend, recently retired curator of Dufferin County Museum & Archives, will speak about the checkered history of the area once known best as Luther Swamp – and its transformation from inhospitable farmland and bootleggers’ paradise to ecological treasure.
The talk, one in a monthly series presented by the Upper Credit Field Naturalists, takes place from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the Orangeville Seniors’ Centre, 26 Bythia Street. Though admission is free, donations are welcomed. For information about this and other talks, go to uppercreditfieldnaturalists.org.
Must celebrate
As the holiday season approaches, members of the Achill Choral Society are tuning up their vocal cords again to present The Glory of Christmas, the annual concert series that has delighted audiences for years. In addition to carols and seasonal favourites, this year’s program includes Puccini’s soaring Messa di Gloria.
The first concert takes place at 4 p.m. on Sunday, November 23 at St. Timothy Church in Orangeville. At 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 29 the choir sings at Christ Church in Bolton, and for the series’ finale, choir members will raise their voices in song at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 30 at St. James Church in the village of Colgan.
Tickets are $25 for adults ($10 for youth, $5 for children 12 and younger) and can be purchased at the door or in advance at various retail stores, as well as from choir members. Call 705-435-1091 or see achill.ca.
A. Dale Wood conducts the Achill Choral Society.
Must shop happy
Fed up with the shopping malls?
Give them a pass, and get into the community spirit of the season at some of the many Christmas fairs, bazaars, and art and craft sales that are a seasonal tradition in these hills.
From Friday, November 21 to Sunday, December 7, Dufferin County Museum & Archives hosts Holiday Treasures, its annual juried arts and crafts show and sale (holidaytreasures.ca). And at the Alton Mill Arts Centre, artists and artisans are celebrating the season with a variety of shows geared to gift givers (altonmill.ca).
You can also stock up on all kinds of homemade Christmas goodies, preserves and handmade crafts at holiday fairs in local halls, churches and schools. On Saturday, November 22, for example, the Horning’s Mills Community Hall hosts the Christmas Market in the Mills, and on Saturday, December 6 the Caledon Agricultural Society’s Christmas Craft Show and Sale takes place at two locations in Caledon Village. To find out more about these events and many others, turn to the listings in “What’s On” our online community calendar.
Must deck the halls
If decorating your home in seasonal splendour is on your Christmas to-do list, you’ll find plenty of inspiration on Saturday, November 29 at the Creemore Holiday House Tour. Attend a breakfast seminar on holiday decorating, tour six houses fitted out for Christmas by local designers and decorators, and browse the holiday marketplace at Station on the Green, as well as the shops of the village’s historic downtown.
The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $25, available from local retailers and online at creemoreholidayhousetour.com. A portion of the proceeds will go to local charities.
Must cheer and boo
Traditional Christmas pantomimes are raucous affairs, and Snow White and the Famous Seven is no exception. Written and directed by Jo Phenix of the Century Church Theatre Guild, this rollicking musical comedy brims with songs, dance, romance, laughter –
and plenty of opportunities for audiences of all ages to channel
their inner rowdy by cheering the heroes and booing the villains.
The fun starts at Hillsburgh’s Century Church Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, November 21. Additional evening performances take place on Saturday, November 22, and Friday and Saturday, November 28 and 29. Matinées start at 2 p.m. on November 22 and 23 and November 29 and 30. Tickets are $12. For information, go to centurychurchtheatre.com or call 519-855-4586.
