(June 30, 2012)

For the last five years we’ve spent the Canada Day long weekend at Bikers Reunion in New Liskeard, Ontario. It’s our favourite bike rally, but this year, with all that has been happening following our recent return from wandering, we decided to stay home.

Home is Peterborough, Ontario – a great place to live and to vacation. This afternoon we enjoyed a swim in the pool and a BBQ with a couple of good friends. After they left, we were relaxing on the patio enjoying the breeze that was beginning to cool down  the hot temperature of the day, when we suddenly remembered that tonight was Opening Night at the Little Lake Musicfest and Jimmy Rankin was performing! We quickly changed our clothes, strapped two lawn chairs onto the back of the bike, and headed downtown.

Jimmy Rankin at Little Lake Musicfest, Peterborough, Ontario

Every Wednesday and Saturday night throughout the summer there is good music to be heard at Del Crary Park, situated in the heart of downtown and on the lake — Little Lake, and the best part of it, it’s always free! One of the fund raisers is a 50/50 draw and tonight the large crowd brought in $3,300 for the lucky winner.

The Musicfest is only one of many things to see and do in Peterborough. The number one tourist attraction, of course, is the Peterborough Lift Lock, the highest hydraulic lift n the world. From May to October many houseboats, yachts and even canoes pass through the numerous locks of the Trent Severn Waterway that passes through Peterborough, and get a chance to view the city from 65 feet up while waiting for the slow descent from the top to the bottom. After the lift lock, one more small lock will take them into Little Lake, where, if it’s a Wednesday or Saturday evening, they can moor off Del Crary Park and watch the show. If you don’t have your own boat, you can hop aboard one of the Lift Lock Cruise boats for a trip around the lake and over the lock and even have dinner if you’d like.

Boats lining up to go up through the Peterborough Lift Lock

Also on Little Lake, just below the Lift Lock, there is a great campground nestled among the trees with a creek running through. Beavermead Campground is easily accessible off of Hwy 115 at Ashburnham drive. It has 46 un-serviced sites and 52 serviced sites to accommodate RVs. It is between Peterborough’s Ecology Park, where organic gardening plants and materials are available, and Beavermead Park which boasts a large beach and play area. All of these beautiful spots are joined by the biking/walking trails that wind their way throughout the city.

Other events that happen in Peterborough during the summer are Ribfest, Wake board Festival, soccer tournament and fabulous Farmer’s Markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

During the winter you can skate on the Canal, weather permitting. 🙂

Now that I think of it, there are way too many attractions to cram into a single blog! I think my next blog will be a photo blog of Peterborough.