Victoria Hall Week, from May 25 to 29, 2010 is a landmark week for Cobourg as its town hall celebrates 150 years. Built by Toronto architect Kivas Tully and opened by the Prince of Wales at a lavish ball in 1860, Victoria Hall is a designated National Historic Site overlooking the shore of Lake Ontario. The hall is a town centrepiece with Grecian columns, stone-cut symbols of the British Isles and a clock tower on the roof’s peak. Now beautifully restored, the building is home to a concert hall, art gallery, town offices and deep-well courtroom fashioned after the Old Bailey in London. The week will feature tours, music and pioneer games and costumes, along with an official opening lunch. All history enthusiasts and friends are welcome.
A busker festival with magicians and acrobats, a doggie fashion parade in the midst of a sidewalk sale, a traditional Scottish pipe band marching along the main street – Cobourg certainly likes a party with plenty of friends, old and new. If you’re looking for something fun to do in the countryside, come for the day or spend the weekend at all sorts of special festivals throughout the year. http://www.downtowncobourg.ca/filemgmt/2010%20Busker%20Poster.pdf
A traditional Highland Games comes to town in June with Highland dancers, pipe and drum bands, haggis and chips and strongman competitions – can you heft a wooden pole the size of a telephone pole end-over-end? It’s not easy. Neither is dancing over swords, for that matter. http://www.cobourghighlandgames.ca/schedule.html
The Canada Day weekend is a whirlwind of activity in town with the annual Waterfront Festival. Huge tents erected along the lakeshore house Canadian arts, crafts and entertainers. There’s a carnival midway with games and rides on the pier, and an old-fashioned Canada Day parade marches through town with floats, bands and firetrucks on the main street. Don’t miss the spectacular fireworks over the harbour at dusk. http://www.waterfrontfestival.ca/
Join us on July 31st & August 1st and head down to Victoria Park Beach for the annual Cobourg Sandcastle Festival - a great day of sandcastle building full of fun and prizes! Voted one of the top 100 events to visit this summer by Festival & Events Ontario, you won't want to miss it! sandcastle.html
Cobourg takes a cue from Hollywood North during its Vintage Film Festival in late October. The town is the birthplace of 1920s silent film star and Oscar winner, Marie Dressler. Her former home, Marie Dressler House, is now a King Street museum of artifacts about her life.
The holiday season glitters in a big way with Cobourg’s Christmas Magic where thousands of Christmas lights decorate Victoria Park from mid-November to January. Bundle up and join the carolling for the opening walk from Victoria Hall to Victoria Park to officially flick the switch.
February blues? The Cobourg Winter Festival will warm you up with a frosty celebration. Ice sculpture demonstrations, games and outdoor skating make winter playtime fun.
