Everyone romaine calm; it’s the very first market day of the season! It’s always so much fun to see all the vendors and the goods they have for sale. Did you hear that one of the most popular market vendors left last year mid-summer to attend mime school? We haven’t heard from him since. He always had the best root vegetables, so we hope he will turnip at the market today. For those visiting from overseas, just remember that at the market, haggling is generally frowned upon. In Canada we don’t negotiate with tourists.
Grab your reusable tote bags - it’s the day you’ve all been waiting for! Today (June 26th) is the first of the weekly Kagawong summer markets. Be sure to stop in to the largest market on the island for some great finds and support local artisans and bakers. There will be lots to explore between vendors in the covered rink, in the colourful cabanas, and in pop-up stores in the parking lot, as well as many local shops in the village.
Thank you to everyone who came out to enjoy local music at the Manitoulin Choirs benefit concert last Saturday at Manitoulin Secondary. All proceeds went directly to Manitoulin Family Resources and we’re still humming our favourite tunes from the night.
It must really be summer now, because the Manitoulin Tennis Club is meeting twice a week! Come on out Sunday mornings at 10am and/or Wednesday evenings at 6:30pm, both at the Manitoulin Secondary School courts. Players of all abilities are welcome, with lessons available in the near future.
Happy birthday wishes go out to Stephanie M and Abbie N. When we were kids, birthdays were all about the cake and presents. Now, well, it’s still all about cake and presents. Here’s hoping you get lots of both!
This Saturday! The annual Anglican church yard sale and bbq will be Saturday, June 29th from 10-2pm at the pavilion. You are sure to find something (perhaps several somethings) you didn’t know you can’t live without!
During the first weekend of July, come and spin a yarn with the Jabbawong Storytelling Festival! This festival is part of the ARTINFUSION weekend (July 5-7) which includes a vendor market, a BBQ lunch on the Saturday, an exhibition of the Manitoulin Island Artists Guild, art workshops on the Sunday, and an evening with author Waubgeshig Rice on the Friday night. Check out the Jabbawong Storytelling Festival on Facebook for more information!
No sitting on your summer laurels, the very next Saturday (July 13th), join classic car enthusiasts for the Kagawong Show and Shine car show! The cars will be at Dig and Doug’s Cedar Furniture on Main Street from 10am - 3pm. There will be lots of great vehicles on display for all to admire. Then, it’s time to hit the beach that evening for the library’s annual open air movie night!
Be sure to sneak in some rest, and drink lots of water because things REALLY take off the weekend of July 20th! The Billings Library is hosting their annual book sale and a local author showcase on Saturday (11-3pm) - local authors interested in participating should reach out to the Billings Library (billingsreads@gmail.com) to be included. Also that weekend, the Manitoulin Art Tour will spotlight a number of Billings artists in the region over the course of the entire weekend.
And don’t forget about the island-wide Household Hazardous Waste Day, also on July 20th! Not as summer-y, we know. But an important part of helping the environment by keeping hazardous things out of our community landfill. Save up your batteries, old electronics, paints, and chemicals - residents of Billings can drop off items at the Mindemoya Roads Building that Saturday from 1pm-4pm.
Given that the opening for this column was about the market, it is just so frustrating that we couldn’t think of a single synonym for it. Talk about bazaar. Have a great week!
