By Joanne Rodgers, Bruce Peninsula Press
Music, Food, Dancing, Sandcastles and More
Northern Bruce Peninsula celebrates Homecoming Weekend on the Civic Holiday weekend starting July 29 with fabulous music, good food, and events for all ages.
Friday night Harbourside Music
Start off your weekend by heading down to the beach grounds in front of the Lion’s Head Beach Motel for the regular Friday night Harbourside Music. Bring a chair and/or blanket and spend the evening listening to great music. Playing at Harbourside on the 29 July, at 7 p.m. are the McLaren Pipeband, Ayoyo (Brazilian music), and ND3 (Dan Corcoran, Doug Isman, Nick Ferrence and Dominik Franken).
Saturday Morning Farmers’ Market
The Lion’s Head Farmers’ Market is a good place to look for breakfast or brunch and for locally sourced food and hand crafted delectables.
Held all summer long at the Lion’s Head Beach Pavilion, the Civic Holiday weekend Market will showcase over 40 vendors selling locally sourced food, meats and vegetables for bbqs and a ranges of sauces, seasonings and beer to compliment your BBQs, home-made treats and bakery fresh bread, as well as flowers, seedlings, artwork, woodturning items, jewelry, alpaca wear, soaps, local soy candles and other locally sourced items. On Saturday, July 30 the Farmers’ Market is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Booth Food Truck sells its famous Breakfast On A Bun using locally sourced bacon, eggs and produce purchased from other vendors. Good Acres Meats serves BBQ lamb burgers and sausages and pork sausages, all non-GMO and from all grass fed animals. Marni Zatzman of The Chocolate Garden is your source for freshly brewed coffee. Also available are artisan breads and homemade sweet treats.
Enjoy your meal at the picnic tables or relaxing on the Muskoka Chairs while listening to the Market Band. Be sure to drop by and obtain a copy of the newly released CD “Songs From the Market”. All proceeds go to local charities.
Hospital Auxiliary Bookstore
Looking for a good book to read at the beach or cottage? Check out the Hospital Auxiliary Bookstore located on the lower level of Christ Church Anglican Church on 55 Main Street, Lion’s Head. The bookstore will be open on the Civic Holiday Weekend on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Available at the bookstore are science fiction, thrillers, fantasy and adventure in paperback and hardcover for both adults and children. There are a variety of non-fiction books ranging in topics such as history, politics, gardening, cooking, biographies, health and self-help. A selection of music CDs and Movie DVDs are also available. Proceeds of the sales go to support the Lion’s Head Hospital and healthcare on the Bruce.
Memorial Scattering Garden
Looking for an affordable way to stay on the Bruce forever? Stop by the Open House for the Memorial Scattering Garden. The Trustees for the Garden will hold an Open House on July 30 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to showcase the Garden and provide information on scattering ashes of loved ones.
The Garden is located behind Christ Church, 55 Main Street, Lion’s Head. Enjoy a glass of lemonade and visit this oasis in the midst of Lion’s Head.
Homecoming Street Dance is Back!
Designated as a Municipally Significant Event, the Lion’s Head Annual Homecoming Street Dance returns to Main Street Lion’s Head after a two-year break due to the pandemic. This event is a major fundraiser for the Bruce Peninsula Family Centre.
Admission is $10 for everyone and all ages are welcomed. The Street Dance starts at 8 p.m.
Kathryn Vogan, organizer and Vice President of the Bruce Peninsula Family Centre Board says “We are expecting around 600 people at the event with the outdoor space having occupancy of 900.”
The Opening Act is Adam Hellyer with the Headliner being The Roadshow. Roadshow is a compilation of various acts such as Horseshoes and Hand Grenades and Midnight Blue. Music will be a mixture of Country, and Rock and Roll.
This is another chance to enjoy the tasty food from The Booth Food Truck. The Food truck will be on hand with offerings of beef on a bun, pulled pork on a bun, burgers, hotdogs, sausages and chips.
Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks will be on sale at the event.
Rotary Pancake Breakfast
After a night of dancing, no need to prepare breakfast, but come out on Sunday morning and support another worthy cause. All monies raised supports charitable causes on the Bruce.
The Rotary Club’s Pancake Breakfast will be available Sunday, 31 July, from 8:30 a.m to 11 a.m at the Rotary Pavilion next to the Lion’s Head Beach. Enjoy pancakes with real maple syrup, sausages, hash brown, scrambled eggs, coffee and/or juice. The cost is $15 for adults, children aged 12 years and under are $7. Please note it is ‘cash only’ since there is poor wifi connectivity at the beach for e-transfers.
Local Musicians will entertain you while you enjoy breakfast, yet another chance to listen to great music in a beautiful setting.
Sandcastle Competition
The ever popular Sandcastle Competition is back, and with the lower water levels this year, there is more beach available for the sand sculptures. This year the event is being sponsored by The Shops at 84 Main and the Community Bottle Drive.
Bring your shovels and creative skills and come out to the Lion’s Head Beach on Sunday, 31 July. Families and individuals of all ages are invited to participate. Registration is between 11 a.m. and noon. Judging will be at 2 p.m.
Annual Lions Horseshoe Tournament
The Lions Club will host their Annual Lions Horseshoe Tournament on Sunday, 31 July at the Lion’s Head Beach. Registration is open until 11 a.m. All ages are invited to participate.
Winners will be awarded for all levels of game skills in various categories of competition. Grilled burgers and hotdogs with all the fixins’ and ice cold beers, coolers and soft drinks are offered for purchase. Yet again, another worthy charitable cause to support while having fun and enjoying great food!
Cabot Head Model
Disappointed that the Cabot Head Lighthouse is closed to visitors yet again this year? You can see a model of the Meneray Fishery and the mouth of Wingfield Basin as it looked circa 1950.
Built by The “Diorama Group of Seven” comprising of Stan McClellan, Wayne Beutel, Mike Marshall, Clive Morgan, Brian Swanton, Jim White and Doug Ludwig , the model is available for viewing at the Lion’s Head Marina Office.
Downtown Lion’s Head Restaurants and Shops
Take the opportunity to check out the Shops and Restaurants of downtown Lion’s Head. Enjoy more local foods and find unique items for the whole family.
Stokes Bay Summerfest
Stokes Bay will hold their annual Summerfest on Saturday, 30 July from 2 p.m to 7 p.m. The event is at the Stokes Bay Community Centre (240 Tamarac Rd, Stokes Bay, ON N0H 2M0) and admission is free, all ages are welcomed.
There will be a Silent Auction from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Kids Activities include crafts, games, face painting and a Magic Show starting at 4:30 p.m. BBQ is available from 2:30 pm. Free hotdogs for kids after 4 p.m.
