Online Articles - theHumm
Anne Forsythe — A Recipe for Joy - theHumm April 2025
By Sally Hansen
Art… and Soul
About twelve years ago, a cluster of life events propelled chef Anne Forsythe into an exciting new calling as an artist. Since the age of thirteen, Anne had been working as a chef and baker in the kitchens of a variety of organizations. Coping with a family tragedy expanded her creative horizons in a new direction. She discovered she was an artist.
Today Forsythe’s home in Carleton Place reverberates with the intensity of her passion for her current joyful se......
Celebrate Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie and Smokey Robinson at Studio TheatreThe Undercovers Come to Perth - theHumm April 2025
The Undercovers are making classics cool again with new music releases and their incredible live concert event, Rogers Richie & Robinson — the songs of Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie & Smokey Robinson. This dynamic new show is coming to Studio Theatre Perth in Ontario on April 12. Tickets are available now at Tickets Please (TicketsPlease.ca, 485–6434).
On their new tour, fans will hear the brilliance of iconic songs that have become the soundtrack for our lives, reimagined in......
Save the Grove … Again? A Community Advocacy Group Battles Public Apathy - theHumm April 2025
By Jess Hallam
There’s a group of Arnprior residents who have been raising the alarm about development planned beside Gillies Grove for months—but they’re not having an easy go of it.
“Many people think the battle was won when the Nature Conservancy of Canada bought the land in 2001,” explains Lacey Smith, founder of citizens group Save the Grove Again. “But the bordering property, being sold to a developer, contains integral parts of this sensitive ecosystem.”
The forest that makes up Gillies Grove i......
The Parade You Have Been Waiting For! - theHumm April 2025
By Jane Stott
In John Murrell’s Waiting for the Parade, the events of the Second World War are dramatized through the eyes of five very different women who gather to work for the war effort in Calgary, Alberta. With humour and comradeship, the women, portrayed by Lindsay Williams, Courtney Mason, Janice Reid, Lara Klymko and Mary Ann McKiver, attempt to survive until armistice is finally announced.
Veteran director Carolee Mason is the driving force behind Studio Theatre Perth bri......
The Ten Collective Fifth Exhibit of Paintings in Almonte on April 26 & 27 - theHumm April 2025
By Eileen Hennemann
The 2025 Ten Collective artists are looking forward to their fifth show together. This year the artists are Amelia Ah You, Bhat Boy, Jill Halliday, Eileen Hennemann, Katherine McNenly, Maria Moldovan, Jennifer Noxon, Kaija Savinainen, Charles Spratt, Lily Swain, plus guest artist Allan Stanley.
This show and sale has become so popular that collectors know to arrive when the doors open on Saturday. The Ten Collective artists have been honoured over the past four shows to have much of thei......
MMLT’s Birdhouse Auction Soars Again! - theHumm April 2025
By MMLT’s Birdhouse Auction Team
The Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust (MMLT) is excited to announce the return of its birdhouse fundraiser auction. This year’s event, titled Birds of a Feather Auction Together, runs from April 15 to 30 and invites the community to bid on beautifully handcrafted birdhouses and avian-related art. All proceeds will support MMLT’s mission to protect nature reserves and foster engagement with nature.
Following the success of past fundraisers—Birdhouse Blowout (2021), Birdhouse Bonanza (2022), and......
An Interview with Poet Dagne Forrest Part of the Inaugural Lanark Lit Festival of Writing - theHumm April 2025
By John Pigeau
April is National Poetry Month in Canada, and rather appropriately, a group of gifted poets will be visiting and reading in Almonte this month. These readings and talks will kick off the inaugural Lanark Lit Festival of Writing, presented by the ambitious crew at Almonte Readers & Writers, which will take place over the next three months, from April through June, in venues in both Almonte and Perth.
The focus of the festival is to celebrate local literary artists and support skills-shar......
ADHS’s Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - theHumm April 2025
By —Jack Lockhart is a senior student at ADHS
Taking place 19 years after the events of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (High School Edition) follows the story of Harry’s son Albus Potter as he tries to live up to his father’s legacy. During his time at Hogwarts, Albus is sorted into Slytherin and is bullied by his peers. While there, he makes one friend—Scorpius Malfoy. Together, the two embark on a journey with the potential to change the past, present and future forever. Almonte & District ......
Basic Income A Pathway to Help End the Cycle of Intimate Partner Violence - theHumm April 2025
After 40 years as a Crisis Counsellor in the Residential Program at Lanark County Interval House, one gains profound insight into the factors compelling women to seek refuge. Intimate partner violence manifests in various forms—physical, emotional, and financial abuse. Economic hardships directly exacerbate the severity of such violence, creating devastating and uncertain futures for affected women and children. The challenges are immense, especially when social assistance applications, if ap......
Celebration of Indigenous Cultural Fourth Annual Fair and Fundraiser for Art for Aid - theHumm April 2025
Based in Carleton Place, Art for Aid is a non-profit, volunteer-run project that provides art supplies to remote First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities to enable youth to connect to their culture through art artforaid.ca .
Art is a powerful tool that breaks isolation, invites the creative thought process, and facilitates healing. It also supports positive mental health and provides a healthy outlet for emotions. But cre......
Groundhog Day Comes to Carleton Place A Must-See Musical by the Mississippi MUDDS - theHumm April 2025
The Mississippi MUDDS are bringing the beloved musical Groundhog Day to the Carleton Place Town Hall this May, with performances on May 1–3 and 8–10 at 7:30pm, and a special matinée on May 4 at 2pm. Tickets are now available at Tickets Please (TicketsPlease.ca, 485–6434). This exciting production promises to bring the charm, humour, and heart of the hit 1993 film starring Bill Murray to the stage in a delightful new way.
Based on the classic comedy film, Groundhog Day follows Phil Connors, a cynic......
Join MMLT at Its AGM Be Part of the Solution for Nature Conservation, Protecting Local Lands and Wildlife Habitats - theHumm April 2025
The direct protection of land is one of the most important tools we have to help conserve biodiversity and reduce climate change, locally and globally. Come out to the Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust (MMLT) Annual General Meeting of members on May 8, at the MMLT Offices (MVCA Boardroom) located at 10970 Highway 7 in Carleton Place.
Guest presenter John Lounds will share his stories and knowledge about land protection as a critical tool for conservation, and discuss how MMLT’s work is part of the solution. For over 20 years, John was the president and CEO of the Nature Conservancy of ......
Third Annual EarthFEST in Carleton Place - theHumm April 2025
Come on out to the Market Square Pavillion and the Grand Hotel in Carleton Place on Saturday, May 3 from 11am to 3pm for the third annual EarthFEST! Presented by the Carleton Place Environmental Advisory Committee (CPEAC), this free event celebrates our beautiful world with many fun, sustainable things to do and learn about for the whole family. This year’s event features an expanded range of workshops, presentations, activities, and entertainment for all ages, as well as food and other vendors.
......
Get What You Need Fundraising at Its Funniest! - theHumm April 2025
By Glenda Jones
From bake sales to barbeques, church groups will try every angle to raise funds to fix the roof. However, none are as ambitious as what playwright Jackie Bennett suggests in her play Get What You Need.
The Friends of the Mississippi Mills Public Library are presenting Ms. Bennett’s play as a staged reading on April 26, in two performances (2pm and 7pm) at St. Andrew’s United Church in Pakenham. With a lively cast of twelve local people, this event promises not only a fun-filled theatrical producti......
Brooks and Bowskill - theHumm April 2025
Brooks & Bowskill is the collaboration of Canadian wife-and-husband musicians Brittany Brooks and Jimmy Bowskill. Their genre-bending sound journeys between folk, country-rock, pop and rock and roll.
Jim Bowskill, a multi-talented instrumentalist, songwriter, producer and recording engineer, has established himself as one of the most influential musicians and music producers in the industry. He is a member of Blue Rodeo, and previously spent seven years as lead guitar......
Angelica Jones to Play ABC Hall - theHumm April 2025
Angelica Jones has arrived—new name, same unstoppable energy. Formerly known as the Angelina Hunter Trio, this powerhouse band delivers the raw and electrifying sound fans know and love, now with a fresh identity. From gritty guitar riffs to soulful vocals, Angelica Jones is here to redefine blues for a new generation, all while staying true to the heart of their music. On Saturday, April 26, you can catch this 2024 Maple Blues Awards “Best New Group” nominee at the ABC Hall in Maberly.
Com......
She Won’t Come In from the Fields A One-Woman Play About Regenerative Food Growing and Climate Solutions - theHumm April 2025
A feisty farm woman is fed up with the conventional way her son is farming the family land. That’s why she’s staging a one-woman protest, chaining herself to a fence post and refusing to come in from the fields until he agrees to try farming regeneratively. In the process, it hits home to both of them that working together is the best way to regenerate their farm and help reverse climate change.
Written and performed by Dale Colleen Hamilton, She Won’t Come in from the Fields will be......
The Return of the Victory Garden - theHumm April 2025
By David Hinks
Many concerned folks in Canada believe it is time to resurrect Victory Gardens. These gardens were ubiquitous during the First and Second World Wars as ordinary citizens did their bit to support the war effort. They dug up their yards, parkland, vacant lots, playing fields, and anywhere that root vegetables such as potatoes and carrots would grow. It appears to many that we are currently facing existential threats to the Canadian economy and indeed to Canadian independence, and we need to do anything......
Jonas and Barry Come to The Station Theatre - theHumm April 2025
By the Smiths Falls Community Theatre
The Smiths Falls Community Theatre is celebrating a milestone, and we hope you can join us. It is the 15th anniversary of our beautiful theatre opening its doors for the first time on April 24, 2010, and we will kick off the second of six plays for the 2025 season the following evening, 15 years later. Jonas and Barry in the Home comes from Canadian playwright Norm Foster—a master of comedy, but even more so a master of the roller coaster comedy, which alternates between laugh out loud moments......
Restore Wetland Protections! - theHumm April 2025
Wetlands mitigate flooding, store carbon and provide habitat for a diverse range of species, making them significant nature-based climate solution powerhouses.
Lanark County has significant areas of wetlands, so many of us may not feel that there is a shortage. Since the planning of the Caivan development on the Perth golf course lands started, our community has discovered how easily development can impact these sensitive lands. These powerhouses need our help more than ever!
The CFUW E......
Soul Search Solo Show by Suzette MacSkimming at MERA - theHumm April 2025
The front cover of theHumm for January, 2008 displayed a vibrantly coloured monoprint by Perth artist Suzette MacSkimming. It evoked the beauty of decaying plant life entwined with mysterious, rune-like letters. An article by arts reporter Sally Hansen introduced the reader to “MacSkimming’s complex, multi-layered, deeply textured, richly hued compositions,” describing them as “visually fascinating and psychologically compelling.”
In the years since then, Suzette’s artistic vi......
The Other Hand Approach to Tarot - theHumm April 2025
By Snorri*
“I know you hate woo-woo,” my friend said, “but I know you love mythology.” Intrigued, I opened the gift: my first deck of tarot cards. It was The Mythic Tarot, which traces a different legend from classical mythology through each of the four suits. As a doctoral candidate in early literatures, I was lured by the interplay of these stories, and I have been reading tarot ever since.
Still a skeptic, I don’t believe in fortune telling, but it has been my experience that the cards are a device for co......
There Is a Placefor Me Here - theHumm April 2025
Lanark County Voices… There is a Place for Me Here is a short documentary centering on the experiences and perspectives of local queer folks. Featuring interviews with multiple 2SLGBTQIA+ residents from around Lanark County, this film highlights coming out stories, hopes for the future, the unique challenges of living in a small-town world, and heart-felt affirmations for the power and joy of queerness.
A production of Queer Connections Lanark, this is a bold contribution to t......
Spring into Music with Almonte in Concert Fierbois Closes Out a Successful 2024–25 Season - theHumm April 2025
By —Maureen Nevins is the Artistic Director of Almonte in Concert
Treat yourself to an exciting musical evening on April 12 with oboist Caitlin Broms-Jacobs and pianist Madeline Hildebrand. These two consummate musicians, who enjoy very active careers as soloists and chamber musicians, have been collaborating as a duo since 2014 and more recently under the name Fierbois, which means “proud wood” in Old French, and was the name of the sword of Joan of Arc.
Caitlin Broms-Jacobs has held the position of principal oboist of the Manitoba Chamber Orc......
Better Than Bowling! An Evening with Comedian Derek Seguin - theHumm April 2025
By Kris Riendeau
Derek Seguin is one of Canada’s most sought-after stand-up comedians, with a career that has taken him to stages across the globe. A favourite at the prestigious Just For Laughs festival, Seguin has appeared there 11 times, often stealing the show with his unique brand of humour. In addition to his numerous festival appearances, he is well known for his frequent appearances on CBC Radio’s The Debaters, where he has become a fan favourite. In advance of his upcoming show in Smiths Falls, theHumm c......
Why Don’t We Ask for Help? - theHumm April 2025
By Glenda Jones
Does a love-struck young couple standing at the altar wonder where they’ll be sixty years hence? Caught up in the moment of tulle and wedding cake, do they know what lies ahead, the good and the not-so good? They’ll get on with day-to-day living, making plans but not too far ahead, thinking they are immune to the inevitable march of time.
They’ve got each other, and with their youthful exuberance nothing seems impossible. What more could they possibly need?
......
Jenny’s House of Joy TNIM Brings Saucy New Characters to a Cat House Near You - theHumm April 2025
The sweetest brothel in all of Kansas is set to take over Merrickville’s Community Centre this spring—a move that is already the talk of the town.
Theatre Night in Merrickville (TNIM) presents Jenny’s House of Joy by Norm Foster, from May 1–4. The cast and crew will bring you back to the 1870s when the west was wild and Jenny and her ladies of the night could melt any cowboy’s heart with their humour in the fictional town of Baxter Springs.
“Be prepared to fall in love with these ......
Summer Art Camp at MERA - theHumm April 2025
MERA is once again offering their popular Summer Art Camp for children ages 5 to 12. There will be two sessions offered: July 7–11 and August 4–8. Camp will run from 9am to 3pm each day.
MERA Summer Art Camp offers a dynamic environment where young artists are encouraged to explore their unique voices through a variety of media and techniques. Over the course of the camp, each child will have the opportunity to experiment with different materials such as watercolours, acrylic, collage, sculpture and mixed media, allowing them to discover which tools best express their personal creativ......
Tay Valley Community Choir - theHumm April 2025
In 2004, Susan Freeman, a Tay Valley Township councillor, knew that there was something about singing with others that just made you feel good. She imagined an inter-generational choir with adults and children singing together. Freeman approached well-known local musical leader Nicola Oddy to direct the new Tay Valley Community Choir, and the rest is history. Twenty years of history!
To celebrate, a grand 20th Anniversary Spring Concert is being planned for Friday......
Gear Takes Up Camp at the MVTM - theHumm April 2025
We live in a region with beautiful outdoor trails, parks and campgrounds—but how do we reconcile the often synthetic gear we use to enjoy these spaces with our responsibility to preserve and protect the environment? Exploring this question, Bettina Matzkuhn’s Gear will be on exhibit at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum (MVTM) from May 3 to July 19. The vernissage will take place from 2–4pm on Saturday, May 3.
Matzkuhn examines human presence in the backcountry by deconstructin......
Spring Band Concert - theHumm April 2025
The Perth Citizens’ Band, Canada’s oldest continuing town band, will be holding its annual spring concert titled “Pop & Rock Legends” on Sunday, April 27 at 2pm at the Perth Legion Hall, located at 26 Beckwith Street Perth. The concert will feature well-known songs from the early days of rock and roll through to the late 1970s, including songs from Elvis Presley, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Mamas and the Papas, Led Zeppelin, Elton John, Queen and many more, certainly k......
A Walk to Honour Almonte’s Dr. Sean Egan Local Youth Walking Group Invites You to Join! - theHumm April 2025
Residents of Almonte and history buffs are familiar with the well-documented legacy of wellness advocates R. Tait Mackenzie and James Naismith. Their influence and impact have been celebrated—not just locally but internationally—since the early 1900s. More recently, another Almonte native, the late Dr. Sean Egan, created an impactful legacy as a proponent of healthy, active living.
Sean became a respected professor at the University of Ottawa, where his research and teaching focused on human performa......
A Feast of Foraged Flavours Indigenous Chefs to Create a Delectable 4-Course Dinner at Farmgate Cider - theHumm April 2025
On May 8, come to Farmgate Cider for The Blossom Banquet—an unforgettable dining experience where the fresh flavours of the season and an orchard in bloom will be on display. Farmgate is thrilled to present a one-of-a-kind four-course dinner expertly paired with their sparkling ciders.
Farmgate Cider has partnered with three remarkable women: local Dakota chef and Indigenous food sovereignty educator Caitlin Noel-Drews, Oji-Cree pastry chef Dominique Lalonde, and local Arnprior chef and ice cream mave......
Introducing The LAM Calling all artists and writers of Lanark County! - theHumm April 2025
By Elysia Rourke and Marianne Jeffery
The LAM, a new Literary Arts Magazine, is officially open for our first round of submissions. Founded by three local writers and artists, we are dedicated to publishing prose, poetry, and art by authors and artists in Lanark County.
A grassroots-style publication, The LAM will be funded by community donations and support. Every single penny raised will go into print quality and distribution to ensure the absolute best for our writers and artists. Our goal is to give those who have never been......
Spring Concert Blooms with Musical Talent An Afternoon of Unforgettable Performances by the Goulbourn Male Chorus - theHumm April 2025
Get ready to immerse yourself in the vibrant energy of spring as one of the most anticipated musical events of the season unfolds from the community-based Goulbourn Male Chorus (GMC). “This year’s Spring Concert promises to be an unforgettable afternoon filled with powerful performances, beautiful melodies, and a celebration of the season’s most inspiring music,” enthuses musical director Scott Auchinleck.
On Sunday, May 4 at 3pm, Trinity Presbyterian Church will come alive with the ......
Fine Art Exhibition Arts Carleton Place Celebrates 20 Years - theHumm April 2025
Arts Carleton Place (ACP) is celebrating its 20th anniversary during the first weekend of May with a community tour spotlighting the creative voices and perspectives of talented local artists and artisans, and you are cordially invited to participate in the festivities!
The 20th Anniversary Fine Art Exhibition is a three-day event, featuring all forms of art works from 65 talented local juried artists. It takes place at the Carleton Place Arena (75 Neelin St.) and Art Hub Gallery (50 Be......
Old Jesse’s Flask - theHumm April 2025
This spring, the newly-formed Rideau Players will be performing an original play with all proceeds going to local charities. The play, a comedy titled Old Jesse’s Flask, was written by the entire troupe based on an original concept suggested by their director, Chris Whitty. Last fall, over many evenings around a dining room table with lots of snacks and an abundance of enthusiasm, the story was fleshed out. Over the Christmas holidays, Chris took everyone’s ideas and completed ......
Two Shows at Sivarulrasa Gallery - theHumm April 2025
Sivarulrasa Gallery will present two new exhibitions in April, each exploring the Canadian landscape both in time and place. They run from April 5 to May 9, and there will be a combined Vernissage/Artists Reception on Saturday, April 5 from 2–4pm.
Landmarks, a duo exhibition featuring works by artists Wendy Robertson and Jane Irwin, will run in Gallery I. Wendy Robertson’s work is inspired by the natural environment and her intimate observations of nature. Her preferred ......
Meet Michelle Foxton Liberal Candidate for Lanark-Frontenac - theHumm April 2025
These are unprecedented times. With a federal election coming soon, there is a sense of urgency to determine who can best lead Canada at this critical point and who can best represent the evolving concerns of Lanark-Frontenac. It is important to rise above the noise of misinformation. Get to know your candidates. Do your own research. And, most importantly, exercise your right—and responsibility—to vote.
You are encouraged—whatever your political affiliation has been in the past—to come an......
Calling All Artiststo the Dumoine River! - theHumm April 2025
After a long cold and snowy winter, it is time to start planning for summer! If you are an artist in search of a unique opportunity to be inspired—and to give back to nature—please consider applying for a spot in the annual artists residency on the Pontiac’s Dumoine River.
Running from July 29 to August 5, Dumoine River Art for Wilderness (DRAW) is a one-of-a-kind experience available in the Ottawa Valley. As one of approximately 15 artists, you will be treated to an all-inclusive residency on the shores of the iconic Dumoine River where you will be free to be inspired, create, learn ......
The Tartan Takeover! 1500 Runners Expected in the 11th Edition of the Perth Kilt Run - theHumm April 2025
Registration is well underway for the 11th edition of the Perth Kilt Run this summer! Since the start of January, over 1200 runners have registered for the Classic 5-Mile race, with very strong numbers in the other three races as well. The big event takes place on June 21 at 6pm, and participants will be treated to a fun post-race festival with live music, snacks and refreshments.
“We are blown away by the immense interest in the return of the Perth Kilt Run,” says Terry Stewart, the Perth Kilt Run......
What Does it Mean to Be Canadian? Learning Again in Almonte Invites Conversation - theHumm April 2025
In this era of doom scrolling and anxiety, Learning Again in Almonte offers two last sessions for the spring 2025 season to distract and entertain—and also to enliven the current conversation about what it means to be Canadian.
Heritage Matters
Our sense of who we are lives in our unique history, and the gateway to that history is embedded in and made more accessible by the buildings in which it played out. Those buildings of our past are powerful symbols that provide insights into our traditions and stories. By valuing and maintaining these structures, w......
Know What to Look For April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month - theHumm April 2025
By Dale Horeczy
James Parkinson was a British neurologist, geologist, scientist and activist born on April 11, 1755. We celebrate World Parkinson’s Day each year on his birthday, and we focus our attention on Parkinson’s awareness in April in honour of him and his discoveries.
In 1817, Parkinson published “An Essay on the Shaking Palsy.” It set out a closely observed clinical account of a progressive, disabling condition which was swiftly recognized as an important description that has since att......
The Benefits of Sending Kids to Camp - theHumm April 2025
By Submitted Camp LauRen
In today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, many children struggle with rising levels of anxiety and stress. As outlined by author Jonathon Haidt in his book The Anxious Generation, fostering resilience, independence and social-emotional skills in children is critical to countering these challenges. Camp Lau-Ren, a beautiful Christian summer camp nestled along the Ottawa River, provides the perfect environment for nurturing these principles in young campers.
One of the key messa......
Playing May Fourth with the Force - theHumm April 2025
The Carleton Place and District Community Band (CP Band) is launching into their 2025 season with a spring concert entitled “Playing May Fourth with the Force.” Troop Alert! Members of the Capital City Garrison—501st Legion and Rebel Legion have been invited. You will have an opportunity to snap a selfie with these special guests.
Consisting of fifty musicians, ranging in age and experience from high school students to retired career professionals, the CP Band is excited to bring to lif......
Apr 25 Tay Valley Community Choir 20th Anniversary Concert
Apr 26 Festival of the Maples
Apr 26 Walk to Honour Dr. Sean Egan
Apr 26 - 27 Ten Collective Art Show
May 1 Ron Leary
May 2 Fine Art Exhibition
May 3 - 4 Fine Art Exhibition
May 3 Tracy O'Flaherty Psychic Medium
May 4 LAM Literary Arts Mag Fundraiser
May 8 Garrett Mason
- Anne Forsythe — A Recipe for Joy
- Celebrate Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie and Smokey Robinson at Studio TheatreThe Undercovers Come to Perth
- Save the Grove … Again? A Community Advocacy Group Battles Public Apathy
- The Parade You Have Been Waiting For!
- The Ten Collective Fifth Exhibit of Paintings in Almonte on April 26 & 27
- MMLT’s Birdhouse Auction Soars Again!
- An Interview with Poet Dagne Forrest Part of the Inaugural Lanark Lit Festival of Writing
- ADHS’s Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
- Basic Income A Pathway to Help End the Cycle of Intimate Partner Violence
- Celebration of Indigenous Cultural Fourth Annual Fair and Fundraiser for Art for Aid
