Tag: Culture

Changes Recommended for Christmas Lights

John Draper

In 1995, Cobourg started to light up Victoria Park at Christmas time.  However, in 2015, the DBIA thought that it did nothing to get people into the Downtown area so they were moved to Rotary Park and the Esplanade.  It was also said that the lights were damaging the trees although they were added to a few trees in Rotary Park.  On the Esplanade, there were no large trees so trees were brought in.  But many citizens thought the lights had been better in Victoria Park so in January 2019, a citizen Ad Hoc committee was formed to recommend what should be done.  Called The Christmas Magic Ad Hoc Committee (CMAHC), the committee is composed of Bruce Moore, Ron Hyatt,… Read complete articleChanges Recommended for Christmas Lights

Dressler House to get Expanded Museum

John Draper

At Monday’s Committee of the Whole Council meeting, Marie Dressler Foundation (MDF) chair Rick Miller presented plans to expand the existing Museum at Dressler house to include two other Canadian female Oscar winners: Mary Pickford and Norma Shearer.  Rick said that he had firm commitments from partners in the Venture who would supply material for the museum and assist with marketing.  To proceed, Rick wanted the Town to revise the existing lease from just a part of Dressler House to include the entire building.  Some councillors were concerned that the Cultural Plan was not yet complete but Nicole and Adam asked whether there could be any better use than the museum proposed. Background Dressler House was built around 1840 and… Read complete articleDressler House to get Expanded Museum

Marie Dressler Foundation Awards Four $1000 Bursaries

John Draper

Once again, the Marie Dressler Foundation (MDF) has awarded bursaries to four outstanding students in Northumberland who are planning tertiary studies in the performing arts. On Saturday, 6 July 2019, awards of $1000 each were presented at Marie Dressler House which houses the amazing Museum dedicated to the memory of Marie Dressler – one of the three Canadian actresses to win an Academy award (the others were Mary Pickford and Norma Shearer). One of the four winners was honoured with the 2019 Bill Patchett Devotion to Community Award for exceptional community service. Many will know that Bill Patchett left us recently after a long life of working for many causes, big and small, including the restoration of Dressler house after… Read complete articleMarie Dressler Foundation Awards Four $1000 Bursaries

Piping at Sunset Continues into Fourth year

John Draper

The Cobourg Legion Pipes and Drum Band are continuing their tradition of piping the sun down.  Once again this year in July and August, a lone piper will be piping at sunset on the East pier on Thursdays through Sunday.  They avoid Tuesdays and Wednesdays when there are concerts in the nearby Victoria Park.   The video below shows highlights of piper Ross McKie’s performance tonight from about 8:35 pm to around 9:00 pm when the sun went down although clouds covered it so Ross relied on the scheduled time and the fact that it was getting dark.  As the days progress, the time of sunset will be earlier.  Although there were few people watching, those that were there seemed to… Read complete articlePiping at Sunset Continues into Fourth year

Cobourg Appoints Fourth Poet Laureate

John Draper

At a special meeting today, Cobourg Council appointed a new Poet Laureate, Jessica Outram.  The appointment is effective immediately and expires 30 November 2022.  The first poet to hold this post was Eric Winter (1997 to 2009); he was followed by Jill Battson (2010 – 2011) with Ted Amsden the most recent “Official Town Poet” (2011 – 2018). Adam Bureau is the coordinator for Arts, Culture and Tourism so he moved the motion to appoint her based on the work done by the Poet Laureate Nominating Ad Hoc Committee: In addition to Adam, committee members were Tammy Robinson, CEO of the Cobourg Public Library; Olinda Casimiro, Executive Director of the Art Gallery of Northumberland, Marta Cooper Burt and James Pickersgill…. Read complete articleCobourg Appoints Fourth Poet Laureate

Busker Festival 2019

John Draper

Finally, the weather was perfect on Saturday – we needed it for the annual Busker Festival held Downtown Cobourg.  And the crowds did come so the King Street businesses should be happy – at least those between Division and Hibernia where the event was held.  There were 11 different performers although some did 2 or 3 performances resulting in a total of 22 acts.  They included dancers, jugglers, magicians, singers – and a special feature, an axe throwing venue.  You could try your luck throwing an axe and if you knew how, you could make it bite into a wooden wall (see video below).  There were also lots of vendors or people promoting their cause.  And of course the Farmer’s… Read complete articleBusker Festival 2019

Town Crier Championship

John Draper

On Saturday June first, Cobourg hosted the “Ontario Guild of Town Criers Provincial Championship” – held on the Esplanade.  Eleven Town criers from all over Southern Ontario competed in a three part event: the first was a cry where the subject was their “Home Town”, then a second round was about “Victoria Hall” with a third in Grafton about “Inns & Taverns or Heritage Architecture”.  There was a panel of judges who looked at various aspects such as keeping within the 100 – 125 word limit, exactly following their submitted script, keeping to the theme and no doubt overall effect.  Some chose to start their Oyez sounding more like a song, many included humour and others used rhymes.  Many were… Read complete articleTown Crier Championship

Cobourg Hires Antonio Sarmiento

John Draper

Antonio has resided in Cobourg for 10 years and until the end of 2018 was the Artistic Director and General Manager for Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre.  He has now been hired as Artistic and Creative Consultant by the Town of Cobourg.  His role over the next year will be to “develop a strategic and operational plan for the Concert Hall at Victoria Hall”.  In the Town’s announcement, Director of Community Services Dean Hustwick said: “Together, along with our Community Services Division staff, we will position the Concert Hall for even greater success as a cultural anchor in this community.”  This comes part way through the work of a consultant to develop a Cultural Plan for the Town.  The public was… Read complete articleCobourg Hires Antonio Sarmiento