Drag queens sizzle, protesters fizzle
Roger Varley
A near capacity audience of kids and adults crammed into the story room at the Uxbridge Public Library on Saturday for a Drag Queen Storytime.
Many of the children sat on a rainbow of small felt circles on the floor, eating popcorn and candy floss as they listened attentively to stories being read to them by drag queens Lucinda Miu and Van Goth. While the exuberantly dressed Miu and Goth were entertaining inside, a small group of protesters gathered at the corner of the municipal parking lot behind the library. Displaying banners for GameOnCanada.org, the protesters set out shade umbrellas and blankets to provide an alternative attraction for children. No one was observed taking advantage of the offer.
One member of the GameOn group said they had come from Cobourg.
“We follow these events,” he said.
He said he would not call the gathering a protest, preferring instead to say it was “a family event with age appropriate stories.”
Two security guards were on watch at the library event and members of the Uxbridge by-law department kept an eye on the protesters, but chose not to remove them from municipal property. There were no incidents.
Miu and Goth said the stories they read are not about the LGBTQIA2S+ community. Saturday’s stories were I Like Myself, How Do You Love and All Are Welcome.
“They are stories about respect,” said Miu, who added that she first dressed in drag when she was cast in a role in a Shakespeare production. “It’s all theatrical.” She said performing as a drag queen and acting in theatre are her full time jobs.
Goth said small children view the drag queen the same way they do superheroes or cartoon characters.
After the stories, Miu and Goth both lip-synced to songs (Miu to a humourous aria from a Portugese opera, and Goth to Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off”) and then spent time posing for selfies with the children – and some of the adults.
Andrea Maenza, communications coordinator with Durham Children’s Aid Society, said the CAS started Drag Queen Storytime five years ago in cooperation with Youth Pride. She said the shows initially were aimed at teenagers “but young kids showed up.” She said the events fit well with the work the two organizations do with youth.
“It’s fun, promotes diversity, promotes reading and respect,” Maenza said. “LGBTQIA2S+ is part of it, but it’s about acceptance for all.”
USS celebrates 100 years of connections
Lisha Van Nieuwenhove
They came from as far away as Australia, the Northwest Territories, Boston, and British Columbia, all to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Uxbridge Secondary School. And what a celebration it was.
“We are super pleased with how it came together, and super pleased with the response,” said Kelly Boehm, chair of the planning committee for the 100th anniversary and reunion.
Although final numbers are not yet known, Boehm said that she figures at least 600 people were present for the official ceremony on Saturday morning. She also noted that the decade rooms (classrooms which were devoted to particular decades of the school’s history) were almost always busy.
“Sometimes the halls were crammed, sometimes they were a little light, but there was always something going on, always people there.”
One committee member noticed that one room stood out in particular.
“I know as a floater on the decade rooms, the 70s seemed to always be packed, except at one point on Saturday the 80s out numbered them!”
On a more serious note, the award-winning USS Third Avenue Jazz Band welcomed alumni and visitors to the officIal ceremony, which included addresses from Pickering-Uxbridge MPP Peter Bethlenfalvy and Uxbridge Mayor Dave Barton. Two former USS principals shared memories with the crowd – David Brown, who was principal from 1974 to 1986, and Steve David, who was principal from 2013-2015, as well as a teacher for many years before that.
“I was hired to work at USS four different times throughout my career, so I guess it was fitting I go out in the top job,” he jokingly told the audience.
The USS concert band performed “Eye of the Tiger” to close out the ceremony, fittingly conducted by the USS tiger mascot.
Another highlight of the anniversary reunion weekend was the Saturday Night Social at Slabtown Cider. Hundreds of alumni gathered to share stories and catch up with some whom they’d seen recently, others whom they hadn’t seen for years. There were many shouts of “Oh my gosh, how are you?” as old connections were re-established.
“When we were orignally planning this, COVID had us worried,” said Boehm. “We didn’t want a virtual anniversary, and I didn’t want to work with a committee virtually, so thankful that things opened up so that we could come together!”
Boehm said that the most important guiding principle for the entire event was to celebrate not just the school itself, but also the community in which it exists.
“The busking on Brock really showed this,” she explained. “There wasn’t any electricity for some of the performers to use, it only comes on in the evening for the twinkle lights. But the mayor got on the phone, and the businesses stepped up and shared their power – it was just another example of how Uxbridge always comes together as a community.”
The committee will continue to raise funds for the Legacy Award, which hopes to give an award to three students each year for the next 100 years. Donations to the award can be made at ddsb.schoolcashonline.com/Fee/Details/82797/102/false/true?school=610&initiative=27
Leaskdale Loop promises fun and festivals this season
Justyne Edgell
The popular Leaskdale Loop is kicking off its third season with a Spring Flower Festival on June 3.
The Leaskdale Loop is a diverse collection of businesses and artisans located just north of Uxbridge, with a what organizers say is a passion for building community ties and bringing people together. With a total of 14 businesses participating in the 2023 season, the Leaskdale Loop is now offering a series of seasonal, themed festivals where they all open their doors to welcome customers on select Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. The festivals will be interactive and completely family and dog friendly, perfect for a summer weekend outing.
Unlike other local festival tours, the Leaskdale Loop is not limited to one interest. Among the 14 businesses on Loop Day, “You can start by looking at historical sites, then go to an artisan, then get food and head over to Banjo for cider,” says Patricia Cherry, Leaskdale Loop member and owner of Greenmantle Pottery. “It’s the perfect self-guided day trip.”
All 14 of these businesses are located within a 10 minute drive of one another, making a convenient route to explore these destinations while admiring the Leaskdale countryside.
“We have farm markets where you can find flowers and local produce grown on site, cider and maple syrup right where they are made,” says Cherrie. “We have various artisans, historical sites, vintage barns, live music and more. And our customers get to meet the actual makers and growers in person and learn about their small businesses.”
The Leaskdale Loop isn’t only for out of town visitors, although Cherrie says that Uxbridge locals are often surprised by just how much they learn about the township by taking a trip on a Loop Day.
“Many of our visitors in the Uxbridge area are surprised to discover so many interesting small businesses that operate so close to them. And the Loopers, as we are affectionately known, are a terrific group of smart, hard working and incredibly creative business owners that will be ready to welcome you.”
This year’s festival line up includes: Spring Flower Fest – June 3; Strawberry Field Day – July 1; Music Hop – August 19; Harvest Celebration – October 14; and an Artisan Christmas Crawl – November 18.
For more information on the Leaskdale Loop and its Loopers, visit leaskdaleloop.ca
Springtide offering eco-friendly, sustainable options for experiencing the festival
Submitted by Fly Freeman
Springtide Music Festival returns in just a couple of weeks (June 9 to 11), and promises an exciting awesome line-up of live music in venues all over downtown Uxbridge. With an eye on doing their part to support the environment, and the long-term goal of reducing the festival’s carbon footprint from audience travel, the festival has introduced some new initiatives and invited some special guests to support the conversation.
Organizers are asking the question, “How do guests get here?”, and have come up with many ways to improve sustainability. They’re providing resources for alternative travel to the festival, and added some new measures to do some fun recycling as well.
Those of us who live right in town will no doubt be walking from venue to venue during the weekend-long festival. However, Uxbridge is a great biking town as well, and June is Bike Month in the region, so Springtide has gathered a few resources to get visitors from one side of town to another quickly in order to not miss a note. If residents have friends coming from out of town, bikes can be rented from Boyd’s Sports at 53 Toronto St. North.
If walking or biking to the various venues is not an option, the Town Trolley will be running a FREE hop on/hop off service around the main festival venues and additional locations, including the Uxbridge Arena, Uxbridge Secondary School, Herrema Fields (Barton Farms), Elgin Park, Walmart, and Kawartha Dairy. Guests from out of town can park at one of these spots, and pick up the Trolley to get to other venues. Details of the route can be found at springtidemusicfestival.com
Springtide is also partnering with local hotels in the nearby towns of Port Perry, Stouffville and Pickering, setting up hotel packages which include accommodation, festival wristbands and shuttle transport to and from Uxbridge. Hotels include Great Blue Heron Hotel and Casino, Pickering Casino & Resort, and The Days Inn in Stouffville. More information including booking details can be found on Springtide’s website.
Out-of-town visitors should also be encouraged to leave the car at home and take advantage of Springtide’s free shuttle bus service from central GO Transit stations in Port Perry, Brooklin, Whitby, Pickering, and Stouffville. There is no need to worry about driving, catching a cab, or staying late when Springtide can pick up and drop off after the show. Call 1-800-979-2913 for more info.
Transport is not the only focus of Springtide’s sustainability drive; they also have a great idea for a music festival staple – the T-shirt! This year’s T-shirt, which features a design by local artist Tracy Walker, can be purchased from the festival’s merch store online, but guests can also bring their own T-shirt or choose from the festival’s hand-picked selection of upcycled T-shirts for on-demand screen printing.
Finally, there are two workshops on the Sunday of the festival. One, at The Bridge Social, is an interactive musical workshop for families, with songs and stories, and resources for parents and caregivers to build knowledge around the power of singing to support children in a time of climate crisis. The other workshop, hosted at Fig Kitchen & Market, will discuss the role of music in the transition to a culture of care and sustainability, led by Music Declares Emergency, a planet-wide music industry organization calling for action on climate.
Springtide is encouraging attendees to share their answer to the question “How did you get here?” in considering alternative travel to the festival, through a quick online survey for a chance to win tickets to next year’s festival – running the second weekend of June 2024.
Hospital Auxiliary’s ‘Run for the Diamond’ looking for participants and pledges
The Uxbridge Hospital Auxiliary (UHA) is busy preparing for the 2023 edition of Run for the Diamond. The popular walk/run is scheduled for Sunday, June 25, starting and finishing at Elgin Park.
The UHA is a volunteer group of individuals who work diligently to support and fundraise to purchase new equipment for the Uxbridge Hospital. This year, the funds raised by the Run for the Diamond will be going towards the purchase of a Hamilton Ventilator.
For those not familiar with the Run for the Diamond, it is a five and ten kilometre walk/run and Kids Dash. The five kilometre run/walk route is all on the road and quite scenic. The 10 km run/walk route begins on the road and then cuts into one of the trails that Uxbridge is renowned for, eventually looping back to Elgin Park.
The kids have a fun “dash” that is approximately one kilometre long within Elgin Park.
Registration for Run for the Diamond includes a t-Shirt, medal, a timing bib, and a small bite to eat. Entrants who are 16 and older are entered into the draw for a real diamond.
Those interested in registering, pledging money to someone already signed up, or donating directly can do so through the Run for the Diamond website, Runuxbridge.com