Eighteen years ago (1992), a group of film enthusiasts involved in the restoration of the Marie Dressler house had a wild idea. Why not hold a festival showing the films in which Marie Dressler had starred?

This seemingly fantastic idea grew into the present form, in which we show a variety of films generally made before 1945. One film always features Ms. Dressler, but others range from very old, silent films starring Mary Pickford, Erich von Stroheim or Douglas Fairbanks, to talkies and musicals. More on Marie Dressler. And here.

This year’s event for the Cobourg location will be Victoria Hall and the Port Hope location will be the Capitol Theatre.

With its attractive location in the rolling hills of Northumberland County where accommodation is varied and readily available, the Vintage Film Festival in historic Cobourg and Port Hope is an event not to be missed. Come for one film or for the whole weekend!

The 2010 Festival will be held October 29, 30, 31, 2010
Classic Films from the 1920’s to the 1940’s

Tickets may now be purchased online or by calling 905-372-2210 or 905-885-1071

For more information visit: www.vintagefilmfestival.ca

You are invited to celebrate Arts Month in Northumberland County in Canton at The Tate Gallery and Practically Potty Studio with special events every weekend in October starting on Thanksgiving weekend.

At The Tate Gallery: Oct 9 & 10 – Pam Tate, painting demo, 10-4; Scott Li, guitar and Tyson Galloway, bass 1-3

At Practically Potty Studio: Oct 9 & 10 – Susan McDonald and Susan Lago, pottery demo, 10-4, Raku firing 1:00pm, you can glaze and fire a piece yourself for $10!

Oct 16 & 17 – OFFICIAL GRAND OPENING OF THE TATE GALLERY with paintings by Pamela Tate, jewelry by Linda van der Beek, sculptural vessels by Monika Devine and fine woodwork by John M. Mills

Oct 16 & 17 – Susan McDonald, pottery demo 10-4 wheel throwing, Charles Funnell, silversmith, 10-4

Oct. 23 & 24 – Pamela Tate, painting demo, 10-4, Cindy Osland, hand spinner, 10-1 (Oct 24 only), Jeanette Froncz Winslow, singer/songwriter, 1-3

Oct 30-31 – Pamela Tate, painting demo, 10-4, Phil and Sandra Boyco, wood turning demo, 10-4 Oct 30 and 12-4 Oct 31.

Oct 30 & 31 – Susan McDonald, abstract work in clay, slip decoration, 10-4, student demos. Directions – take 401 exit for Port Hope/ Welcome, come north to Welcome and follow our signs!

The Northumberland Mall is proud to host the Community Safety Show, which takes place on the 19^th to the 22^nd of May. The show features amazing displays and a number of local groups coming together to make their presence felt. The Cobourg Fire Department, Emergency Management Services, and Crime Stoppers of Peterborough are among the groups who’ve come to participate in the 4-day event which highlights the importance of safety.

Some of the popular items and equipment put on display include ambulances, police vehicles, fire trucks, and a whole lot more.

One of the show’s biggest highlights took place on the 20^th, with the unveiling of a cutting-edge impaired driving simulator car, designed and put together by the whiz kids of Port Hope High School. Using the simulator vehicle might have been easy for those who came to the event, but building it was a totally different story.

The vehicle was apparently put together by taking a Sony Playstation (we assume it’s a PS3) and placing it in underneath the hood of the car, which had its “innards” taken out. A video game steering wheel was then outfitted into the car, which was complimented by a pair of specialized goggles that gave the “driver” a simulated feel as to what it’s like to drive drunk.

Unfortunately, the simulator was only available yesterday, but there are plenty of other activities to check out before the show ends this Saturday.

Last Saturday morning, the Port Hope Figure Skating Club had it its third annual CanSkate Provincial Olympic celebration, which took place at the Jack Burger Sports Complex in the Municipality of Port Hope.

The young skaters were separated into teams named after the different provinces in Canada. Aside from being grouped, they were also tested and evaluated by Sylvia Cappler on specific components with regards to their level of skill.

All of the skaters received a medal on the 6^th, Saturday.

Among those who scored the most points during the evaluation process for individual components include Devon Burli, wining Gold with 11 points; Doriann Blue, who won Silver after getting 10 points; and Nicole Burli, securing a Bronze medal for 9 points.

For team prizes, “Quebec” won the gold medal thanks to performances by its skaters Eva Ritchie, Rachel Madgett, Devon Burli and Caitlin Davies, Jacob Mahaffy and Grace Jenkins.

Team “Ontario” secured silver or second-place with its members Keegan Gunn- Lewis, Carlyle Ouellet, Nikki Bradshaw, Reghan Chadwick, Scout Young and Sein Kim.

Everyone went home a winner though, each taking home a special Bronze medal.

Indeed, these kids proved that they “CanSkate”. One can only imagine the future they will have. Who knows, they might go pro someday.

If you want to pay Mother Nature back a favor, then why not join a free workshop in Port Hope that educates residents and landowners on the benefits and incentives they can have if they plant trees on their own properties?

The workshop, which is organized by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Trees Ontario, the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority, the Ontario Forestry Association, and the Northumberland Stewardship Council, will be held on Tuesday, February 23, 2010. The event starts at 7 to 9 in the evening and will be held at the Millennium Building in Port Hope.

Those who get to attend the workshop will be taught how to correctly plant trees, as well as other techniques they can use to make tree planting more effective. Financial incentives for those who plant trees will also be discussed. Planned incentives will be similar to those of Ontario’s 50 Million Tree Program and the Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program. Under the programs, those who plant trees on their properties can avail of significant property tax cuts.

But more importantly, planting trees is an effective way of reducing their carbon footprint on the environment.

So don’t forget to mark your calendars, and get your seats reserved. Space is limited so register now.

The winter season may be a dull time for gardeners in the Port Hope area, but that isn’t stopping Northumberland Big Sisters Big Brothers (BSBB) from putting together a venture aimed at giving people with green thumbs a worthwhile activity to work on.

Heart of Northumberland BSBB is launching a new fundraising activity dubbed as the ‘Spring into the Garden Speaker Series’. The venture is comprised of a series of four symposiums taking place each Thursday of the month beginning on the 4^th of March, 2010. Participants get to enjoy hearing 4 local speakers talk about their gardening secrets. Liz Primeau, Frank Kershaw, Marion Jarvie and Paul Zammitt – all from the Northumberland area are widely considered as gardening “masters”.

Indeed, it’s a golden opportunity for those who want to learn more about the craft. The speakers will also answer questions about gardening from the audience.

The series of symposiums will be held at Calvary Pentecostal Church in Port Hope at 7:30 in the evening.

Tickets are priced at only $35 and can be purchased at Second Helpings Store, also in Port Hope.

Don’t forget to mark your calendars! Spring is just around the corner, so greet it with new gardening tips and techniques in your arsenal!

Foodies listen up! If you’re in the Port Hope area next month and happen to be looking for something to ease your food craving, then we’ve got an event for you that’s sure to pique your interest. And if you like hot pancakes, you’ll love it even more.

Happening on the 16th of February, 2010, the Tower of Port Hope Retirement Residence will be hosting a special Pancake Tuesday Luncheon, which begins at exactly 12 noon.

As the event’s name suggests, the luncheon will feature hot and delicious pancakes, sizzling sausages, and fresh fruit juice. The best part? Everyone is invited, so bring everyone you love and those you want to have a good time with. Believe us when we say that the event’s organizers want you to bring company.

So what’re you waiting for? Mark your calendars and don’t forget to come on over to the Tower of Port Hope Retirement Residence for a hearty lunch with family and friends. The Tower of Port Hope is located along 164 Peter Street, Port Hope. For reservations, contact Melinda ASAP to get your seats reserved at 905-885-7261. For more information, you can logon to their website at www.chartwellreit.ca

8-year old Maci Robinson and Kayla Baggalay may be very young, but that tender age isn’t stopping them from pitching in to help those in Haiti.

The best friends, who live in the Town of Port Hope, are working together with town officials to host the event ‘Northumberland Helps Haiti Family Dance’, which will be held at the Town Park Recreation Centre, on Friday, February 12, from 6 to 9 in the evening.

Among the night’s activities include dancing, games & prizes, food & drinks, and a whole lot more. Admission for the dance—which is open to people of all ages—is pegged at only $2 per head. Those below 12-years old will have to be accompanied by an adult.

Maci, a 3^rd grade student at Beatrice Strong Public School in Port Hope, was inspired to continue the strong turnout at the school’s recent bake sale, which was also aimed at helping victims in Haiti. After seeing the effects of the earthquake that struck the Caribbean country, she then went to her mother with the idea of holding a dance.

Her best friend Kayla also wanted to help in her own way, and is excited to have the opportunity of helping those in need.

Proceeds of the event will be donated to the Canadian Red Cross for the country’s nationwide relief effort for Haiti.

With the crazy flooding that hit some parts of town, it’s no wonder that some of Port Hope’s residents are looking for a much-needed break. If you’re one of those looking for a place or event to de-stress with your partner or friends, then here’s something you should definitely check out.

Happening on the 2^nd of February at the Port Hope Public Library located along 31 Queen Street, is a classic movie film showing, kicking off at 2 in the afternoon. The special screening will feature the classic horror/Sci-Fi film, The Invisible Man, based on the book of the same name by H.G. Wells.

The screening is aimed at giving Port Hope residents the opportunity to enjoy the film in the best way possible – on the Big Screen.

The movie, starring Claude Rains and Gloria Stewart, and directed by James White, was widely regarded as one of the 30’s best movies, and went on to be selected for preservation in the National Film Registry of America by the United States Library of Congress, as one of the most culturally and aesthetically significant movies of all time.

The best part? Admission is free, but seats are limited, so coming in early would be a wise move.

The cut-off time for nominations for the Port Hope Civic Awards is almost up and yet only a few people have sent in their picks.

For committee chairman Bill Hubbs, this development is a little worrisome, especially after doing everything in his power to promote Port Hope’s 2009 Civic Awards. Over the past weeks, Hubbs has been busy sending letters to various groups, churches, and schools to raise awareness. He’s also held a luncheon attended by previous Outstanding Citizens and Outstanding Youth of the town.

They even went for a media roadblock by doing an interview for a local TV station, plugging the event on radio, and buying ad spaces from the local papers.

The month of December was even declared as a special Civic Awards Month to focus attention at the awards ceremony. The town went as far as erecting a big banner on Walton Street to encourage residents in the area to submit their nominations.

And yet despite all the hype to pique the interest of Port Hope’s townspeople, only 14 nominations have been passed as of Tuesday, with none for Outstanding Youth.

The annual Civic Awards is the town’s way of recognizing the contributions made for the community by Port Hope’s youth and citizens.

Hubbs remains positive however, as he expects nominations to pour in on the last few hours of January 8 – the deadline for submissions. The Awards night will be on January 11.