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Welcome to North Bay! This city is the first stop on your guide to exploring truly northern experiences. For Ontario Culture Days we had the chance to see breathtaking dances, colourful performances, and fantastic workshops on the shores of Lake Nippissing. Take a look at some of their snapshots.
Ontario Culture Days in North Bay is a chance for locals to celebrate the diversity of their evolving cultural landscape. Many in Nipissing can trace their roots to immigrants who moved here 3 generations ago, but are closely linked to Anishnaabe neighbours who have lived here since time immemorial.
This heritage is celebrated during Voyageur Days in Mattawa. Each summer, generations have learned the skills of canoeing, ice fishing, snow-shoeing, and skiing. There are strong and lively Francophone communities all around the area, and each year Bon Homme comes to celebrate Francophone holidays in town.
More recently, international students have joined Canadore College and Nipissing University bringing new food and celebrations that are appreciated. This season we spotted mask-making and puppets from the Phillippines as well as African-Canadian newcomers that share drumming traditions with local Nipissing First Nations.
Ontario Culture Days is a perfect time for the whole community to appreciate local artists and performers with the many opportunities to share the talents that bring people together.
Ontario Culture Days Programming:
If you haven’t had the chance to tune into all the arts and culture activities that North Bay has to offer this festival season, you can still check out;
- Benjamin Chee Chee, was a Canadian artist of Ojibwa descent, born in Temagami, who lived until 1977 and is widely known for his line drawing of wild geese. On Oct 19 at 5 PM join curator Dermot Wilson and the Nipissing Region Curatorial Collective for a walkthrough of the Chee Chee art on display at 176 Lakeshore. Click here to learn more.
- Stock you pantry, grab your apron, and turn on the heat because on Wednesday, Oct 21, we are taking a trip to the Ivory Coast, West Africa. Join Chef Justine for the final live stream cooking episode as part of the North Bay International Food Festival. Click here to learn more.
- For their final 2020 Culture Days celebrations, Nipissing Culture Days and RFP Media will be hosting the Back to the Beginning virtual closing ceremony and concert. It will feature local talented performers including Lady Rae-Vyn, Hyperboreal, Samanta Izquierdo and Sebastien Gabela of Medussah (formerly Quito, Ecuador). Don’t miss out, tune in on October 24 at 7 PM here.
Throughout the entire Ontario Culture Days festival, we’ll be dropping in on many different communities across the province. Hit the button below to check out the growing roster of these featured communities.
Photo 1: Healing Drum Circle event on September 19 courtesy of Dermot Wilson. Photos 2 and 3: International Food Festival Virtual Édition Dima cooking Syrian Food by Chantal Phillips. Photos 4 and 5: Colours of the Wind Outdoor Exhibition on Sep 26 featuring Cesar Forero, Meg Paulin, Melanie Alkins, Reinalie Jorolan, Alex Boureault, Hassan El Ghayesh and Dermot Wilson. Photo 6: Giant Puppets courtesy of Dermot Wilson