Dedicated community members are taking to the streets or lake, to run, bike, swim or paddle to participate in the Run4 Lighthouse, May 15 – June 15. The goal is to raise much needed funds for The Lighthouse for Grieving Children to help fund peer support groups for grieving children and their families.
“We run for all the families who have experienced loss and need Lighthouse to give them hope and healing” shared Team Lea’s Legacy Warriors.
Participants from across Canada are getting active to support grieving families, from 99-year-old Grandma Kay in Alberta, walking 100kms on her treadmill, to baby Cole in Burlington, clocking the kms from the comfort of his stroller to achieve his family goal.
At 99 years of age, Grandma Kay is Run4’s oldest participant.
For every $100 raised, participants are entered to win a $10,000 Alaskan Cruise, thanks to Expedia Cruises, Oakville South.
Adjusting to life after a death is hard to understand, impossible to imagine. For over 20 years, the Lighthouse for Grieving Children has been the only agency in the GTA offering open ended peer support groups to grieving children and their families at no cost.
We need your help to ensure no child grieves alone. Sign up today at www.run4lh.com to receive your run t-shirt and medal, or consider making a donation to Lighthouse.
Burlington resident Anne-Marie Tice has a long connection with John McDermott, one of Canada’s premier tenors who has recorded more than 25 albums. She tells us, “My connection with John was through my mother. Her love of his music – and his kindness to her, right to the very end of her life – touched our family deeply.”
Back in 2018, when Anne-Marie asked John if he would consider a private concert as a fundraiser, “he immediately said yes” and a wonderful ‘Concert Under the Stars’ event, at Anne-Marie’s home in Burlington, raised an amazing $28,000.
(From left to right) Kevin Tice, Anne-Marie Tice and John McDermott
Anne-Marie donated the proceeds of the concert to the Lighthouse for Grieving Children, “a charity that is very near and dear to my heart and for which I am proud to volunteer.” She explains her connection, telling us “having lost my father when I was 5 years old, my mother 15 years ago and my eldest brother in 2017, I have experienced how grief can affect children and adults throughout one’s life in different ways.”
Lighthouse runs peer support groups to children 3-18 who have lost a parent or sibling, offering them the chance to come together with others that have also lost a loved one. Echoing the sentiment of many, Anne-Marie says “when I was growing up, I knew of nobody else that shared my experience, which was isolating to say the least.”
This April 30th, Anne-Marie is organizing a virtual John McDermott concert, specially recorded for Lighthouse, which will conclude with an interactive conversation between John and his guests. A 3-course dinner from the renowned Spencer’s at the Waterfront, paired with a bottle of wine from Sandbanks Estate Winery will be hand delivered to each participant.
For your opportunity to join what promises to be an unforgettable evening, please register at www.supportlh.com (tickets priced at $200 for 2 people). For further information please send an email to: acollingridge@grievingchildrenlighthouse.org
There is no doubt that the hospitality industry has been hit hard during this pandemic and our restaurants and their staff have had to make many changes in the way they do business. This often means more work for the frontline staff, with extra cleaning and protocols in place, to help ensure customer and staff safety.
Taste of Burlington has received comments from several diners on the great service and protocols in place by our restaurants and how they felt safe while dining out or picking up their food. So they felt it was important that the servers, frontline staff and restaurants heard that feedback and were recognized for their efforts during these challenging times.
That’s why Taste of Burlington is launching the Wicked Awesome Server Recognition Program, in partnership with their friends at Nickel Brook Brewing Co and with sponsorship from PV&V Insurance.
They are asking the public and restaurant staff to nominate a server they feel is deserving of recognition for going above and beyond to ensure customer safety while dining. Each week Taste of Burlington will choose a winner from these nominations and they will be presented with a prize pack. Nominations can be sent toinfo@tourismburlington.comand should include the name of the server, the restaurant where they work and a brief explanation as to why they are deserving.
Taste of Burlington will post a list of servers who have been recognized on the Taste of Burlington website. Each server will receive a Wicked Awesome prize pack from Nickel Brook Brewing Co, a gift card for Mapleview Centre thanks to PV&V Insurance and a $25 gift card to the Downtown Burlington business of their choice thanks to that Burlington Downtown Business Association.
Kelly Harris, Marketing Specialist at Tourism Burlington and Coordinator of the Taste of Burlington program shares her excitement about this new initiative: “We are pleased to launch this new reward program and thankful for the partnership with Nickel Brook and PV&V Insurance. It’s been an extremely hard time for the hospitality industry and we are hopeful that this brings some positivity and smiles to an industry that needs it right now”.
Outdoor entertaining has become a growing trend over the past year—and with good reason! With more time spent with family at home, our patios, backyards, and balconies have become a wonderfully functional extension of our living space. Perfect for socially distanced visits, they are the ideal spot to gather with loved ones, while still conforming with our health guidelines.
We are almost through the worst of our frigid winter, and spring is just around the corner. Many of us will be looking forward to venturing outdoors again, and enjoying some limited social interactions with friends or family. By incorporating a few key design elements, you can create a patio or backyard that is both functional and cozy for outdoor entertaining all year round.
Warm and toasty
Perhaps the most important aspect of entertaining in cooler weather is keeping warm. While Canadians are no stranger to bundling up in winter, introducing a heat source to your space invites people to settle in for conversation and a visit.
Outdoor friendly fireplaces are the quintessential gathering place for cool-weather entertaining. If you don’t have the budget or you dislike the permanence of a built-in fireplace, there are stylish and portable options. Fire pits, chimineas, fire tables, and patio heaters are available in every size, style, and price point. At Oakville Home Leisure, Jeremy Kalapacz notes that this has been their busiest year-to-date. “The demand for fire pits and patio heaters has been incredible this year!” he says. “We are fully stocked for the upcoming season and expect to be just as busy, if not busier this year than last.”
Wood burning fire pits and chimineas are among the most popular, but there are loads of stylish gas-powered fire tables and pits that are convenient and easy to start.
Gathering with your friends and family around an open-air fire with a warm drink sounds pretty wonderful if you ask us!
Under Cover
With the heat source as your centerpiece, it’s still important that people are comfortable enough to stay for a while. Is there anything more bone-chilling than sitting for hours on a cold, hard chair? “The furniture we carry is all high end that can last for many years outdoors,” assures Jeremy. He also notes that a little maintenance goes a long way to preserving the look and longevity of your patio set. “Although you don’t have to tarp or cover your furniture, it is good housekeeping to do so.” Oakville Home Leisure has many options for protective patio coverings that will keep the snow and rain off.
Padded and weather-resistant furniture is a must, but if you prefer the rustic charm of a Muskoka chair, consider draping a sheepskin throw over the back to provide some stylish cushion and warmth.
Adding or adapting an outdoor structure like a pergola is a relatively small project but can provide protection and shelter from the elements by adding a roof. Retractable roofs, plexiglass, or canvas will keep the snow and rain off and also help keep the fire heat contained.
Accessorize!
Creating that cozy hygge atmosphere outdoors requires a little ingenious thinking.
Many plants do well outside in winter, and nurseries like Sheridan have the knowledge to help you choose the right ones. Planters with potted greens such as yew and rosemary, and larger trees like boxwood, cyprus, and evergreens are useful for privacy and blocking a sudden gust of winter wind.
Even with the glow of a fire, additional lighting will make your space feel magical. Strings of fairy lights or strips of solar lighting wrapped around planters immediately warm up the atmosphere. Finally, remember that this space is an extension of your home. Layer winter-friendly textiles the same as you would indoors: decorative pillows, rugs, and sheepskin throws. Having a pile of thick blankets on hand means that people are warm enough to settle in for a longer visit. Offer a warm drink and some s’mores and they might never leave!
It’s a way to introduce the community to some incredible artists. It’s a way to bring strong, innovative women together. It’s a way to raise money for those in need. It’s the United Way of Halton and Hamilton’s Annual Art Auction, and it’s a win-win for all.
Running from March 1st to the 12th, the art auction is a chance to introduce the community to some of the best female artists in the area, while at the same time raising funds to support important programs.
Organized by a group within the United Way known as Women United, this national program has become an integral part of the United Way and is made up of female leaders and community members.
Jassy Hundal, Director, Resource Development, United Way Halton and Hamilton, says the group’s role is to work on fundraising initiatives, help raise awareness of the needs in the community, and showcase what programs are available to help people. Jassy says it’s a win-win because the women who are members get a chance to use their talents and resources to empower girls and women in the community and, in doing so, they help create lasting change by improving their communities.
This year’s co-chairs of the Women United cabinet are Margaret Grice and Jennifer Cooke.
“It’s a way to get amazing female art pieces to people and a great way to raise funds for the community,” says Jassy. Part of their role is to connect with local female artists. This year’s goal is to have at least 20 pieces from a variety of female artists who will donate their art for free. Last year’s auction raised $45,000 through the works of Oakville painter Leslea Mehltretter, a self-taught award-winning portrait artist who donated 42 pieces for the event.
Was it a tough decision to go virtual this year? Jassy says “no”. “The United Way has been amazing at pivoting and becoming creative at raising funds. It’s another way we can do it that’s safe. We’re at the point with the pandemic where we’ve become innovative so it was a natural fit,” says Jassy.
The United Way of Halton and Hamilton supports Hamilton, Oakville, Burlington, Milton, and Halton Hills and, under the pillar of Women United, it invests $1.1 million annually into 12 agencies that fund 26 programs to support women and girls.
Those programs focus on intervention, mental health, girls’ empowerment programs, crisis, and prevention, including sex trafficking, abuse counselling, violence against women counselling, and programs for young girls to build self-esteem.
Members of Women United work together to raise awareness of the needs and to support the programs. Jassy says this year’s auction is especially important because of the challenges the pandemic has created for some people. “We know that there are so many people on the edge of crisis who are facing significant barriers. For example, gender-based violence has increased by 20 to 30 percent and there are a lot of single moms living with food insecurity who need support.”
Since the pandemic hit, there have been many signs that people are feeling stress. Almost 40 percent of non-profit groups in Ontario have seen increased demand for their services and many people, including families, are accessing United Way programs for the first time.
The demand at food banks and the need for income support have increased in Halton and Hamilton by 13 percent in the past year and 45 percent of Ontarians have reported that their mental health has deteriorated since COVID-19 began. As a result, distress centres have seen a 300 percent increase in the number of calls.
“It’s a tough time for everyone, so with this year’s auction we definitely wanted to come together to support United Way initiatives,” says Jassy.
Birthdays are special. And when it comes to celebrating a birthday, there isn’t a more monumental way than a birthday party. Over the last year, the traditional birthday has taken a creative twist. From decorated lawns, birthday car parades, and even Zoom parties – there have been plenty of original ideas to share the love with those we love on their big day. However, when it comes to the little ones in our lives, it’s not always easy for them to understand why they’re blowing out their candles in front of a computer rather than in a bowling alley.
But thanks to some clever and innovative businesses, virtual birthdays can be more fun than ever! Here are some of our favourite ways to celebrate:
Take-Home Activities from Chickadee Kids Co.
When Nathan turned 6 in January, there was only one thing he wanted – a dino-party – and mom, Lisa, knew just what to do. As the owner of Chickadee Kids Co., Burlington’s family toy store, she had access to a variety of toys and activities to help his dream come to life. Lisa created “birthday bags” for friends and family to pick-up and take home the day of the party. In the bags, she included a dig-it-up dino egg to excavate during the call and all of the ingredients to make dinosaur snot (aka slime). Lisa started the party with dinosaur trivia cards and walked the kids through each step of the party together. “When we excavated the eggs together, the kids got so excited to show each other the dinosaur they had found in their eggs. It was really fun and felt like we were all together.” Chickadee Kids Co. has everything from dolls and spaceships to books and loot bags – and Lisa is there to make recommendations and bring your party to fruition every step of the way.
Get Active with My Gym
My Gym LIVEbrings exciting, customized birthday parties to your home, living room, or backyard. Kids will have loads of fun as they dance, play games, party, and make memories together with LIVE entertainment delivered by an energetic My Gym Party Specialist! Depending on the age of your child, your party will feature captivating activities, games, puppets, songs, and more! Perfect for ages 1-10 years.
Lego Themed Birthday with Snapology
If you’re looking for a unique way to celebrate your child’s birthday, Snapology has a ton of options! This hands-on experience is great for kids who love to tinker and build. Perfect for ages 1 to 14, Snapology engages children using LEGO bricks, K’Nex, and technology. While kids are having fun building and chatting with their friends, Snapology sneaks in learning (shhh, don’t tell them it’s educational). Up to 20 kids can join the party via webcam and their Snapologist will lead a themed group activity of the birthday star’s choosing. Themes range from Hello Kitty and Paw Patrol to Star Wars and Fortnite. The options for fun are endless!
The Great Birthday Bake-Off
At this birthday party, you can have your cake and eat it too! MollyCake sells a variety of ready-to-scoop and bake cookie doughs (AND vanilla swiss buttercream icing)! Before the party, drop-off some pre-packaged cookie dough, icing, and sprinkles to your guests. When the party starts, have everyone bring out their baked cookies and decorate them together. Add some games and activities to make the day extra magical!
And there you have it! You might be home, but you can still have a memorable celebration.
The Oakville Symphony is thrilled to announce the names of the four guest conductors for the main concert series of the 2021-2022 season, to be held at the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts.
Each guest conductor is a short-listed candidate for the position of Oakville Symphony Music Director. Maestro Roberto De Clara will complete his immensely successful 24-year tenure with the Oakville Symphony in June 2021.
Oakville Symphony musicians and patrons are looking forward to the first concert in November 2021 with even greater than usual anticipation after the cancellations resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.
Opening with Mozart Piano Concert #25 and Dvorak Symphony #8, the season will continue with works by Haydn, Brahms, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Stamitz and Tchaikovsky.
The Oakville Symphony also looks forward to welcoming guest soloists Kara Huber (piano), Kendra Grittani (cello), Stephen Sitarski (violin) and Leslie Ashworth (viola).
The new Music Director/Conductor will take up their position with the Oakville Symphony at the start of the 2022-23 season.
Martin MacDonald:
Martin MacDonald will conduct the Oakville Symphony on November 6 & 7, 2021.
Martin MacDonald has served as Resident Conductor and Associate Conductor of Symphony Nova Scotia. He has guest-conducted extensively across Canada, and made recordings for the CBC.
He has been awarded both the Heinz Unger Award and the Jean-Marie Beaudet Award for orchestral conducting.
Martin MacDonald holds a M.Mus. in Orchestral Conducting from McGill University and a B.Mus. in Cello from Memorial University, Newfoundland.
Pratik Gandhi, Music Director of the Rouge River Winds and Resident Conductor of the Toy Piano Composers Ensemble, will conduct the orchestra on February 5 & 6, 2022.
Pratik Gandhi served as Assistant Conductor at Symphony on the Bay (now Burlington Symphony Orchestra), and has guest-conducted other orchestras throughout Ontario.
He serves as Vice-Chair of the Concert Band Division at MusicFest Canada, and is a three-time winner of the Ontario Band Association’s Conducting Excellence Award.
Pratik Gandhi holds a M.Mus. in Conducting and a B.Mus. in Music Education from Western University, and is pursuing a Doctorate degree at York University.
Lorenzo Guggenheim, Founder and Music Director of the University of Toronto Campus Philharmonic Orchestra, will conduct on April 2 & 3, 2022.
Lorenzo Guggenheim has experience guest-conducting and assisting performances of symphonic repertoire, opera and new music with orchestras in Canada, the United States, Argentina and Chile.
He is about to complete a Doctorate in Orchestral Conducting at the University of Toronto where he was awarded a full scholarship and teaching position.
Lorenzo Guggenheim holds a M.Mus. in Orchestra Conducting from the University of Washington, Seattle, and a bachelor’s from Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina, Buenos Aires, both in Orchestral Conducting.
Geneviève Leclair, Assistant Professor (Conducting) at Berklee College of Music in Boston, will conduct the orchestra on May 7 & 8, 2022.
Her conducting experience includes many years with the Boston Ballet and as a guest with The National Academy Orchestra of Canada, National Ballet of Canada and the Guelph Symphony Orchestra.
Geneviève Leclair was awarded the 2017 American Prize in Conducting (college/university), and received the Sir Ernest MacMillan Memorial Foundation Award in Orchestral Conducting in 2010.
She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Orchestral Conducting from Boston University, a M.Mus. and B.Mus. in Flute Performance from Université de Montréal.
We are happy to announce that Taste of Oakville will be returning this year with a new twist! From February 15 to March 6, 2021, participating restaurants in Bronte Village, Kerr Village, Downtown Oakville and across Oakville will be hosting prix fixe lunch and/or dinner menus available for takeout and delivery.
In the past, Taste of Oakville has solely been an in-room dining experience, but this year you will be able to enjoy a two- or three-course meal from the comfort of your own home.
Throughout last year, Oakville’s restaurants have adapted to the ever-changing circumstances by maintaining proper COVID-19 protocols, and will maintain their high safety standards during our Taste of Oakville event.
Keep your eyes peeled on Visit Oakville’s Instagram, as you could have a chance to win a gift card to a participating restaurant during our special prize giveaways leading up to and during the event.
Taste of Oakville is the perfect opportunity to explore some of Oakville’s wonderful restaurants and help support local businesses. Please visit our website atasteofoakville.com to see all participating restaurants and to find out more about our Taste of Oakville event.
Tourism Burlington is proud to announce that Taste of Burlington; presented by PV&V Insurance, is returning this winter as a Take Out program. Participating restaurants will be offering unique specials and promotions, all ready for you to take out and enjoy at home.
With 55 participating eateries and restaurants, you can guarantee you’ll be well-fed from February 18-March 21. For the prix-fixe lovers, some restaurants are still offering prix-fixe menus, but others will also have frozen options, soup bundles, family breakfast, date nights, make at home meal kits and more!
In order to make it easier to view menus, enter to win prizes and receive returning offers from restaurants, Taste of Burlington is once again using a free mobile passport that patrons can sign up for on the Taste of Burlington website. There’s no app to download, it’s a web-based program and you just sign up. When you use the passport to check in at restaurants you are entered to win weekly gift card giveaways as well as the grand prize draw of a $500 gift card to the Taste restaurant of your choice.
Taste of Burlington meals will not be available through 3rd party delivery services as we are making every effort to support our local restaurants. All specials and promotions can be ordered directly from the restaurant and picked up from them. Check in on the passport when picking up at the restaurant for your chance to win!
Kelly Harris, Marketing Specialist at Tourism Burlington and Coordinator of the Taste of Burlington program shares her excitement about the winter program: “It’s great to see so many businesses participating in the winter program, making it our biggest program to date. There is no doubt that the restaurants have been hit hard and still have a long road to recovery. This new format has allowed the restaurants to offer what they want and in doing so, diners are going to get to enjoy a great variety of culinary delights. We encourage everyone to #TakeOuttoHelpOut as often as they can.”
Taste of Burlington started with just 12 restaurants in 2008 and has steadily grown since. Burlington has been established as a dining destination in the GTA with the variety and uniqueness of a large city combined with the accessibility and service of a small town.
Burlington has something to offer every taste from casual fine dining and intimate bistros to pubs, fast food and specialty shops. The Taste of Burlington program encourages diners to try something new at one of our many dining establishments.
Oakville, ON – It’s official. Downtown Oakville’s vibrant core is bustling once again. And there’s not better time than now to explore all the enhancements of its recent construction project. With travel halted due to COVID-19, many are spending the holidays right here at home – in Oakville. This holiday season, take advantage of being home and become a tourist in Oakville’s downtown. Rediscover its historic charm and explore the revitalized core featuring new installments and classic charm.
To celebrate the 2020 holiday season, Downtown Oakville has created a heightened holiday experience, offering new sights and wonder.
Introducing Downtown Oakville’s Hometown Holiday. From new dazzling décor to holiday happy hours and virtual gift guides, the Downtown Oakville BIA has pulled out all the stops to bring this season to life.
On display from now until January 10th, 2021, there’s a must-see 30-foot Ribbon Tree of Lights and #DTOakville sign located in Towne Square. Centennial Square comes to life with a 3D illuminated ornament, matching archway, and beautifully decorated Christmas tree. Throughout the district, you’ll find spectacular lighting and décor, perfect for an evening stroll with family and photo-op.
Don’t miss out on the this week’s special offers from participating stores and restaurants during Holiday Happy Hour from 6 pm to 7 pm (Dec 17,18 from 6-7 p.m.) and you can also support local by shopping our Virtual Gift Guide featuring over 100 unique items from Downtown Oakville businesses – all of which can be purchased with the click of a button.
Lastly, everyone loves to give during the holidays. So, Downtown Oakville is giving you the chance to WIN (1) of (3) $500 gift cards to a Downtown Oakville business of your choice – truly a gift of shopping local. The contest ends Sunday December 20th, 2020 and you can enter here.
Parking is FREE on weekends (until Dec 31st, 2020), weekdays after 6 p.m. and on holidays. Learn more about the parking program here.
For updates on shopping experiences, visit and Instagram (@oakvilledowntown), Facebook (@downtownoakville) and Twitter (@oakvilledwntown).
Click here for a full list of Downtown Oakville businesses.
