At 8 a.m. on August 26, Barrie’s phones and browsers will light up—not for a sale or a storm warning, but for a tradition that pulses at the heart of local life: fall recreation program registration. For residents, this year’s sign-up brings more than a new swimming schedule or a chance to dust off the […]
Barrie’s fall recreation: Registration opens August 26 Read More »
On a Monday that should have seen families splashing at Barrie’s beloved Centennial Beach, the city’s heart was instead marked by caution tape and yellow warning signs—each a silent testament to the power of invisible threats lurking just below the water’s surface. Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit officials triggered a swim advisory for Centennial Beach
Barrie’s Centennial Beach Faces Swim Advisory After Health Warning Read More »
Under the bright lights of Boots & Hearts Barn Burner, a symbolic cheque changed hands—and with it, the future of healthcare in Barrie. On August 8, 2025, the crowd at the annual hockey game witnessed more than friendly rivalry. CanadaOne Auto delivered the first installment of a $1 million pledge to Royal Victoria Regional Health
CanadaOne Auto’s $1M lifts RVH mental health care Read More »
Against the odds, Barrie’s night sky is drawing eyes northward as a rare aurora forecast promises a show not seen in southern Ontario for years. On the evenings of August 7 and 8, the aurora borealis is expected to make a rare southern appearance, with Barrie and surrounding towns falling within the coveted view line.
Seeing the northern lights in Barrie is rarer: here’s how Read More »
Monday in downtown Barrie thrums with anticipation as the Civic Holiday and Kempenfest’s final curtain converge, shaping how locals and visitors experience the city’s vibrant public spaces and essential services. The Civic Holiday marks a distinctive pause across Canada, but in Barrie, it carries the added weight of Kempenfest’s last day—a tradition that draws tens
Last Hurrah at Kempenfest Brings Barrie Together Read More »
The Barrie Beer Store’s familiar neon will flicker out come September 28, marking not just another closure, but a shift in how this community unwinds, celebrates, and shares a pint. For Barrie residents, the loss lands with a particular sting. This isn’t just a storefront shuttering; it’s the erasure of a local staple that’s weathered
September closures shake up Barrie’s beverage scene Read More »
The air shimmers above Barrie’s waterfront, the sun determined to bake every inch of southern Ontario. Yet, along the sandy curve of Cherry Beach, crowds gather with a singular purpose: escape. The beaches offer sweet relief, not just from the thermometer’s relentless climb, but from the oppressive weight of a heatwave that refuses to loosen
Southern Ontario sizzles as beaches become the city’s cooling rooms Read More »
Shade from a single umbrella pole and the promise of summer sun: that’s what awaits the prepared at Centennial Beach this year. Those who come equipped with more than just sunscreen will find Barrie’s rules as watchful as any lifeguard’s gaze. For the unprepared, surprises—some pleasant, others less so—are all but guaranteed. As summer settles
Think you know Barrie’s beach rules? A few surprises await Read More »
For many in Orillia, the first notes of a bagpipe signal more than just music—they announce a gathering where tradition and togetherness take centre stage. The Orillia Scottish Festival, now in its forty-seventh year, stands as the city’s oldest uninterrupted celebration, weaving the sounds of Scotland through the Sunshine City each summer. At heart, this
Orillia Scottish Festival Delivers a Day of Heritage and Fun Read More »
Golden sunlight streams across Dunlop Street as the gentle hum of conversation rises above the festival stalls. Sweet, buttery aromas drift on the breeze, coaxing families and friends into the heart of downtown Barrie, where the annual Butter Tart Festival has returned with an irresistible promise: taste, tradition, and togetherness. The city’s main thoroughfare transforms
Butter tarts and community spirit fill Barrie’s streets Read More »
