On the farm, summer living isn’t always as easy as many songs suggest, however life is definitely easier without having to blow snow, thaw frozen water and equipment, and reschedule around snowstorms and closed roads. A lot of our life revolves around making sure we are ready before the next freeze comes – growing, harvesting, and preserving. But we usually can find some time for fun in the summer – and there is no shortage of it close to home.
No matter what your particular interest – there is so much to choose from, it is difficult to keep up! From car shows and demolition derbies, to music festivals tailored to all tastes, sports tournaments, rodeos and fairs, cultural events, and, of course, enjoying our beautiful natural resources and delicious fresh food, we really have something for everyone. Summer gives us a chance to showcase many of the things we love about living here and learn about our history, natural resources, and current issues.
As I write this, we are just a couple of weeks into summer, but already I feel like I have packed a lot in. The Canada Day parade in Goderich is one event that I recently discovered and has quickly become a favourite. It is such a fun way to gather, break out your best red and white clothes, and witness displays of what people love and care about. I let it wash over me as several different bands, sports teams, restored cars, local businesses, horses, and firetrucks paraded past, polished and prepared for the celebration.
Some participants had more serious issues in mind. The Friends of Balls Bridge and Little Lakes group (www.littlelakesroad.org) took the opportunity to show off the amazing creations they had made celebrating our natural environment. But they were focused on raising awareness as our community grapples with finding a balance between preserving nature with economic development in the form of gravel extraction. The Butterflyway Project is led by citizens focused on growing pollinator habitat across Canada and the Goderich chapter was present with their beautiful costumes. The Goderich Collegiate Institute also took the opportunity to remind people of the support needed to rebuild their track.
The Blyth Festival Theatre is another favourite of mine. Celebrating original Canadian theatre, the Festival provides a great way to be entertained but also learn about our history and heritage. I have seen a variety of plays over the years and have been struck many times at the ability of the stories to relate to our current moment in time. The tragedies and triumphs from the past provide lessons and inspiration in a way that is difficult to achieve in other ways.
The Wind Coming Over the Sea is a new play written by Emma Donoghue that tells the story of emigrants from Ireland who arrived in southwestern Ontario in the mid-1800s, which is the same time that my ancestors arrived here. Based on actual letters that were preserved from the time, the story makes real the enormity of the decisions people faced when preparing to try to find a better life by leaving their homes and loved ones. While global travel and communication are much different today, leaving home for something unknown is a risk people still take every day, dreaming of a better life for themselves and their children.
Written by Anne Chislett, Quiet in the Land premiered in Blyth in 1981 and won a Governor General’s award in 1983, but the conflict of values represented in the play has a timeless quality. Set in Huron County during WWI, Quiet in the Land explores tough questions that can arise within families and communities. At the heart of it all is determining how humans communicate and get along together, while ghosts of the past continue to haunt the present and the future. While technology and values change, human nature has recurring themes that continue to influence how we behave and treat one another.
With two stages – one in the historic Memorial Hall on the Margaret Stephens Stage, and the other outdoors on the Harvest Stage, the Blyth Festival has been showcasing our stories since 1975. Other plays this summer include Sir John A: Acts of a Gentrified Ojibway Rebellion, Keith Roulston’s Powers and Gloria, and Radio Town: The Doc Cruikshank Story.
Enjoying a summer afternoon at the beach after a bike ride on the G2G trail, or a hike on one of the many local trails is another favourite activity. If you have any energy left after all that, the summer concerts in Harbour Park are a great way to end the weekend. Organized by the Goderich Laketown Band, the open-air concerts feature a different group from across the region each Sunday night throughout the summer.
Farmers markets, music festivals, fairs, and rodeos are happening throughout southwestern Ontario, and the variety is endless. It is also a showcase of all the people who passionately volunteer, donate, and contribute in other ways to make our community a special place to live. I hope everyone has the chance to experience some of our great activities and natural environment. ◊