On Saturday June 9, 2018, a good number of the people of Cobourg came downtown for the annual Busker Festival.  There were 9 official performers and a few others as well as many vendors.  At around 11:00, the annual “walk a mile in her shoes” fundraiser for Cornerstone also happened but since some of the advertising said a later time, I missed it.  I heard that it had more people than previous years.  A stroll along King Street around noon resulted in a good sample of what one would see at the event.  I caught Police Chief Kai Liu helping with a family photo and managed to see three separate “buskers” as well as the Premiere Dance group. Note that… Read complete articleBusker festival draws large crowd

In 2017, the Art Gallery of Northumberland (AGN) engaged Laridae Communications Inc. to conduct a community engagement project which concluded that the community clearly values the AGN and wishes to support it. However, Laridae concluded in July 2017 that the organization continues to face structural and chronic sustainability issues that must be addressed if the AGN is to remain viable over the long term. In November 14, 2017, Laridae led a discussion with the Board and two representatives of the Town of Cobourg regarding strategic themes and priorities. Twenty one priorities were developed that called for a review of how the organization was run, an assurance of sustainable funding, a reduction of costs where possible, an improvement of benefits to… Read complete articleAGN and Town to partner – at least for 2018

Under Spring sunshine, a ceremony at the Ecology Garden on May 24 thanked several donors of trees.  Deputy Mayor John Henderson with Councillors Debra McCarthy, Brian Darling, Suzanne Seguin and Aaron Burchat were there to see Ecology Garden Chair Dora Body and Roma Colbert accept the trees.  In some remarks to the crowd of about 40, John Henderson talked about how 6 years ago, his son got a job with the garden and with John helped create some of the paths now used.  John confirmed that the garden is now “part of our culture” so is assured of ongoing support from the Town.  Roma thanked Town Parks staff Rory Quigley and Jason Johns for their help and she thanked current… Read complete articleEcology Garden gets more Trees

Cobourg Police are continuing to expand their community work and they wanted a Pipe Band.  Who better than the Cobourg Legion Pipes and Drums?  At an awards dinner at the Lions centre last Wednesday, Chief Kai Liu announced the new partnership.  Police will provide the band with new kilts in the recently approved Cobourg Tartan (see link below) and will provide other ongoing assistance. The Band will retain their affiliation with the Legion but will have two official names: The Cobourg Legion Pipes and Drums (and as band member Lorrie Krebs put it) “but when needed, we are Cobourg Police Services Pipes and Drums”.  Apart from a new tartan, they will also use a newly labelled drum with the new name…. Read complete articlePolice to support Legion Pipe Band

The Friends of Music have announced that after their next concert on April 15, they will suspend operations.  Their announcement says that “There will not be a 2018-19 concert season. Instead, the FOM Board will seek a new direction for the organization.”  The problem was financial due to declining audiences and rising costs.  Their demise follows on the heels of the shutdown of the Shelter Valley Folk Festival and Port Hope Jazz Festivals last year – although neither of these were Cobourg based, their audiences included a large number of Cobourg people. (The Port Hope Jazz Festival may yet be resurrected).  To many, the thought that Friends of Music would shut down would be a shock since they have presented… Read complete articleAnother Cultural Icon Closes Shop

In October 2014, historian John Taylor announced that he would be creating a documentary film about the history of Victoria Hall (see links below).  He hoped to get a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts but it seemed they did not think a documentary film was art so his request was denied.  But now, he is planning a book and a 15 minute documentary and wants to use his own money plus raise $25,000 from donors. John currently lives in Vancouver and works in the film Industry but he previously lived in Cobourg and was Executive Director of the Society for the Restoration of Victoria Hall from 1971 to 1975.   At the Council’s Committee of the Whole meeting… Read complete articleFilm and Book about Victoria Hall