Minden gets outdoor ed centre

February 5, 2026

Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB) has announced a new $1.2 million outdoor education and Indigenous centre will be built in Minden, with an opening planned for spring 2027.

Director of Education Wes Hahn said the 3,000 sq. ft. facility will be constructed on a 90-acre parcel the school board owns connecting to Archie Stouffer Elementary School (ASES). The build has been approved by the Ministry of Education, though Hahn confirmed TLDSB is footing the bill.

“We’ve got a capital reserve close to $1.2 million and that’s what we’ve budgeted to build this facility,” Hahn said. “We’ve managed our money really well recently and are in a great financial position to do this… this money is not coming from the classroom side, we couldn’t tap into this to buy more textbooks, it’s strictly to build new things or put additions onto existing buildings.”

Hahn said Minden was the “perfect” spotgiven its central location in the district, the availability and suitability of the land, and prominence of several outdoor-type educational programs and businesses in the County.

School board to open facility for spring 2027

Plans for the facility have been in place for about a year, though Hahn said its origins date back to 2020 when he joined TLDSB. “This project has been driven by our [board of] trustees. They have wanted to build an outdoor education centre for some time,” Hahn said.

TLDSB is proposing a 2,000 sq. ft. main structure with a wraparound porch and deck, to be used for large gatherings, presentations and Indigenous circles. There will be a kitchenette, washroom facilities and other educational spaces for instruction.

Outside, Hahn said there will be a fire pit with a gazebo, several kilometres of trails and space for overnight camping. He confirmed the facility would operate as a day program, with teachers board-wide able to book excursions for students from kindergarten to Grade 12. He said this is considered an enhancement to TLDSB and will not replace existing outdoors programming, such as the annual Grade 6 overnight trip to Camp Muskoka.

Hahn estimates the building will create six-to-10 jobs in the community, from custodians, to consultants, outdoor educators and program developers. Hahn said the board already has leads on instructional hires, with programming centering on leadership and team building, environmental learning, physical education, and unique regional activities, such as collecting maple sap, studying animal tracks and exploring the Canadian Shield.

“This is going to be a great way for our students to learn – we’ve seen firsthand how some kids who don’t necessarily gravitate
to everything we do in a classroom light up and come to life when they’re outside,” Hahn said.

Indigenous component ‘key’ to project

Hahn noted TLDSB will work with Indigenous partners in the region to develop programming rooted in respect for the land and its history.

Larry O’Connor, an Odawa Anishinaabe knowledge holder and member of the Sheshegwaning First Nation, said he’s been a part of conversations on this facility for several months and think it’s an “exciting project” for the community.

“This is something we’ve been pushing for in schools for some time. We preach that the best classroom is on the land as far
as Indigenous teachings go… we will now have a dedicated space for the students to learn from,” O’Connor said.

This week, he held several virtual classes with TLDSB students about beading, though said, “it’s so much better if you can do this in-person. I can see leading classes about Indigenous medicines, going for a walk on the trails and showing students what these things are and how they help.”

He encouraged TLDSB to meet with Indigenous elders from nearby First Nations for a broader discussion on programming.

Locals excited

Minden parent Robin Dillane, who has a son in Grade 7 at ASES, believes this new facility will open doors for many people in the community, not just students.

“The most exciting thing about this for me is the investment in the community. For a facility of this size, this will bring much-needed good, stable jobs to the area,” Dillane said. “I’m exciting to hear they’re planning to open in spring 2027 – my son will still be at ASES so can get in on the ground floor and experience all the positives this will bring.”

Mayor Bob Carter echoed those words, saying this was an exciting announcement. “This is something that will help put Minden on the map,” Carter said. With the school board aiming for a quick turnaround, wanting to welcome students at the site within 14 months, Carter said that “doesn’t leave much time” for getting permits approved. Hahn said TLDSB is hoping to break ground this spring and have exterior construction wrapped by November, leaving interior work to be done through winter.

“We’re excited about the project and excited to work with the school board, but we need conversations… on site plan, water and sewer connections… to start as soon as possible,” Carter said.

Building a playground one noodle at a time

Lisa Gervais

February 5, 2026

School councils at Stuart Baker and J.D. Hodgson elementary schools in Haliburton are going public with their plans to help fundraise for a new shared playground structure.

SBES council chair Lauren Adelson, whose sons, Henry, 7, and Cooper, 5, attend SBES said the existing equipment is not expected to last much longer and desperately needs replacing.

To that end, the school councils are hosting a spaghetti night fundraiser Feb. 26 and are looking for community support.
She said under the school fundraising guidelines set out by the Ministry of Education; schools are required to fundraise for the dismantling, purchase, installation and maintenance of playgrounds.

Adelson joined parent council when Henry started Junior Kindergarten. This is her third year on council, and first as chair. It’s been their main fundraiser for a few years now, for example, selling poinsettias and bags of soup mix, but members have realized they
need to do more.

“Playground equipment is more expensive than you might think. The cost of the newly-designed school yard has been estimated at $300,000, including removal of the existing structures, site preparation, installation, and purchase of inclusive and accessible equipment.”

She said previous SBES principal Lauren Alloway and JDH principal David Waito had presented a rough plan to parent councils in the past. They said the project would be three phases: the first, estimated at $200,000, for a Grade 1 to 8 play structure; the second phase for a kindergarten climbing structure; and the third for soccer nets for soccer fields. They are fundraising for the first phase.

The first big community fundraising event – Pasta for Playground – which they hope to hold annually, will be held at Haliburton
Highlands Secondary School cafeteria, with Darla Searle’s hospitality class preparing the meal. Lions Club members are lending
a hand. There will also be music, games, a silent auction, and raffle.

“We are reaching out to the community for donations to help facilitate this exciting event that will hopefully be a new way for our community to gather and enjoy an evening together. We are collecting auction and raffle items, food, disposable plates, cutlery, napkins and cups. Every little bit helps. If you own a local business, we are welcoming gift cards, services and products for our auction and raffle.

“Playing outside is a critical part of our children’s physical, social and emotional development. It promotes curiosity, creativity and critical thinking. Studies have found that children who spend more time playing outdoors have improved learning outcomes and more positive behavior,” Adelson said on behalf of parent council representatives.

Adelson added people can donate money on their website and through Canada Helps or drop a cheque at the schools.

People can email SBES.school.council@gmail.com or contact Adelson at 705-854
0054

Council takes old fire hall step further

Lisa Gervais

February 5, 2026

Minden Hills residents are getting an organics program in 2026 after three councillors voted in favour of the initiative
during what mayor Bob Carter termed an “historic meeting” Jan. 29.

Carter has championed the program since working with staff to strike a first draft of the mayor’s budget under the Strong Mayors Act. He was backed by deputy mayor Lisa Schell and coun. Pam Sayne in getting it approved.

Votes to override mayoral vetoes required a two-thirds, or 5-2, majority to pass. Councillors Tammy McKelvey, Ivan Ingram, Shirley Johannessen, and Bob Sisson voted against, but their four ‘nays’ fell one short of killing the enterprise.

Manager of waste facilities, Chelsea Cosh, told council during January budget talks the program would help save space at the
Scotch Line landfill. She said studies had shown 30-40 per cent of household waste is comprised of organic material.

“Having a program would allow us to divert that material from the landfill and make use of a successful organics program.”

She said it would require three waste containers, known as Moloks. During last week’s meeting, Carter reiterated he thought the program was sound from an environmental and fiscal perspective. He said it was important to divert material from the landfill to lengthen its lifespan. He added that, at $39,000, it was a lot cheaper than having to one day haul material out of the municipality if the landfill is full.

McKelvey agreed it was a good project. However, she wanted to hold off at least a year since there is already a “massive project” – more than $1 million for a transfer station – underway at Scotch Line. Sayne argued if they put it off, the cost would only rise.

Cosh said details would be worked out now that the program is approved.A majority of councillors, however, weresuccessful in overriding Carter’s decision to remove $50,000 from the budget to dosomething with the old fire hall downtown.

The override vote was 5-2 (Sayne voted with Carter). Carter argued there was a larger discussion underway with downtown businesses about what to do with the area around the old fire hall and he thought it prudent to await the findings of that rather than proceeding on a
piecemeal basis. He said for now, all they had was an “ill-defined proposal” for the old fire hall.

Coun. Ivan Ingram argued that councillors had been hearing about the need to do something with the old fire hall for years, and it was a deteriorating eyesore.

The other successful council overrides were around the source of funding for a road sidewalk and crosswalk project; and that the faulty riverwalk lighting be dismantled with a revised scope for replacement.

Carter’s other vetoes passed. They included: a pickup truck for the public works department, a roads labourer, and a bulldozer for the landfill, in addition to the organics program.

With Carter and Sayne in alignment on the majority of votes, and McKelvey, Ingram, Johannessen and Sisson forming a tight pact of four, the majority of swing votes fell to deputy mayor Lisa Schell. Council overrides this time around required a 5-2 vote, while at the last round it was 4-3.

Schell said during the meeting, “it’s no secret I’m in opposition to the Strong Mayors powers so I feel like it puts me in a predicament because in order to have the majority of council actually have the voice and the vote for their community, I have to vote against something I formerly supported. However, at the end of the day, I still truly believe that the majority of council should be the people making the
decisions – before the Strong Mayors Act was established, we wouldn’t even be sitting here today.”

The tax rate increase is 5.13 per cent, or a $23.99 hike per $100,000 of residential assessment

Health unit gives up date on cybersecurity incident

Lisa Gervais

February 5, 2026

Lakelands Public Health advised the public Feb 3 that it is currently responding to a cybersecurity incident discovered on Jan. 29,
affecting some of its internal systems.

The health unit said it was sharing the information “proactively in the interest of transparency and public trust.”

Upon becoming aware of the issue, Lakelands Public Health said it took immediate steps to secure its systems and initiated its incident
response protocols. It said a leading cybersecurity firm has been engaged to support the investigation, containment, and recovery efforts, and working closely with experts to restore systems safely and efficiently.

The health unit said some programs and services may experience temporary disruptions as restoration work continues. Where impacts occur, affected individuals and partners will be contacted directly. They added that based on what they know to date, the systems that house data for infectious disease and clinical appointments (immunization, sexual health, etc.) have not been impacted.

“The investigation remains ongoing, and Lakelands Public Health is doing everything we can to protect personal information and restore
public health services. In the event the investigation determines that any personal or personal health information has been impacted, any affected parties will be contacted accordingly.

“Our priority response to this event is protecting the information entrusted to us and maintaining continuity of critical public health services,” said Dr. Thomas Piggott, medical officer of health and chief executive officer for Lakelands Public Health.

“By taking a proactive approach and engaging specialized expertise, we are working diligently to restore systems and keep our
community informed.”

Lakelands Public Health said it will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available and appreciates the patience and understanding of residents, partners, and staff as the work progresses.

For further updates, visit lakelandsPH.ca

Contractor pleads guilty to assault

Lisa Gervais

February 5, 2026

A Dysart et al contractor has pleaded guilty to assault in a Lindsay courthouse. Mordecai M. Berlad, 64, of 4152 Trapper
Ct, Mississauga – who was referred to in an agreed statement of facts as ‘Moe’ from ‘Moe’s Renos’ in Haliburton – faced Justice
J.L. Broderick Dec. 17.

She ordered three years’ probation and bail conditions that include no contact with the victim and their spouse; a weapons prohibition; and not doing business under a last name other than his legal last name.

Initially, Berlad was facing a sexual assault charge. Mid-trial, that was changed to assault. A plea bargain was struck and a
guilty plea made.

In an agreed statement of facts, the Crown and defence said the victim and her spouse met Berlad at the Haliburton Home and
Cottage Show, saying he identified himself as Moe of Moe’s Renos. After a discussion, he agreed to renovate their Dysart et al
home.

The statement said the spouse said Moe did not provide a last name. The statement went on to say Berlad was bound by a probation order, for two years, for a sexual assault conviction (in Hamilton) on Nov. 15, 2022.

The statement said Berlad began renovations with a crew at the victim’s home in July 2024 – until he was fired in the middle of August 2024.

The statement said “Mr. Berlad made unwanted physical contact with (the victim), specifically he massaged her shoulders. She
did not consent to the massage.”

The victim testified during the trial, on the initial sexual assault charge, that he “groped” her on several occasions. Berlad was given an opportunity, but did not address the court. An outstanding fail to comply with probation charge was stayed.

Crown attorney Ghazi Jarrar, referencing the victim impact statement, said, “we do see that (the victim) was impacted by what
took place. It affected her sense of safety in her home. It had some impact on her relationship. Ultimately what took place
here did take place inside her home, which must have felt particularly violating for her, so she is entitled to the protection of the
court.”

Berlad’s defence counsel, Coulson Mills, said Berlad had been in business for 40 years, originally in Toronto and southern
Ontario, but in Haliburton the last four years, where he made “a move to try and start a new life after the Hamilton
experience.”

In that matter, The Hamilton Spectator reported that Berlad was originally charged with four counts of sexual assault but pleaded guilty to one count of sexually assaulting a realtor he lured to his home. In late 2022, he was sentenced to six months of house arrest.

On Dec. 17 in Lindsay, Justice Broderick said the joint submission took into account the seriousness of the offence and the degree of responsibility of the offender.

“The assault itself did not involve the use of excessive violence or weapons. At the same time, however, I find that his moral culpability is high in the sense that the touching was certainly intentional.”

She said there were aggravating factors: that the offence took place in the victim’s home, and in a trailer used temporarily as
a residence “a place where she was entitled to feel safe and secure from non-consensual touching.” She added Berlad’s criminal
record was aggravating … “in that he has a conviction which is relatively recent for an offence involving non-consensual contact.”

However, Justice Broderick said Berlad contributes to the community through his work as a full-time contractor. She also acknowledged that by pleading guilty, he spared the victim having to be cross examined.

She said registering a conviction sends a message not only to Berlad, but to others in the community “that there is a significant
consequence for unwanted touching.”

The Highlander cannot name the victim, or report anything that might identify them.

New-look butcher reopening in April

Mike Baker

February 5, 2026

A decade on from opening his own butcher shop in Haliburton village, Mike McFadden is getting ready to launch an even bigger
and better space for meat enthusiasts in the spring.

McFadden’s Meat Market on Hops Drive has been closed since Dec. 31, with McFadden in the middle of an expansion he says is five or six years in the making.

Taking over a portion of the space vacated by the former NAPA Auto Parts dealer, which recently opened a new location on Industrial Park Road, McFadden said his operation is growing significantly, from about 1,400 sq. ft. to 2,400 sq. ft.

The butcher told The Highlander Jan. 30 the project is about halfway complete, with plans to reopen his doors in April.

“We’ve been planning and wanting this expansion for a long time, but we just couldn’t find the location to do it,” McFadden said.
Once NAPA moved out of the unit right next door, McFadden said it was “too perfect an opportunity to pass up.” He quickly got to planning renovations with his landlord, Adam Brind, with work beginning at the turn of the new year.

There will be upgrades to the building’s exterior – including new windows and doors. Inside, McFadden says it will have a much different look and feel to before.

“We’re adding 1,000 sq. ft. and about 800 sq. ft. of that will be new retail space. We’re also adding one more walk-in freezer, which
will allow us to keep up with the growing demand for processing meats brought to us by local hunters,” he said.

The crown jewel of the expansion will be the reintegration of a deli counter, something McFadden had when he started the business in 2016. He’s also doubling his freezer space, given the growing demand for frozen foods. There will also be space to showcase pickled products, baked goods and specialty cheeses.

There’s one feature McFadden is particularly excited about debuting – a new ice table that he says will allow for a “proper seafood bar.
“We always bring in fresh seafood every couple of weeks, but I’ve been wanting to find a way to do oysters, mussels and clams a few days a week. I just didn’t have the facilities to do it properly before, but I’m going to do my very best to do it now,” McFadden said.

After honing his craft “working with great people” at the Haliburton Foodland, West Guilford Store and Todd’s Independent, where he operated a meat counter with an open cutting area, McFadden said he’s excited to expand on his open-floor concept in his shop.

“My vision has always been about being as open and transparent as possible – I want people to see the meat being processed, to
talk to them and show them how we prepare things, having that traceability all the way through,” he said. “This is about making
things bigger and better for everyone.”

With Brind and CDH Carpentry doing a lot of the heavy lifting so far, McFadden says it will be a community effort getting the store finished, with about a dozen local tradesmen and contractors pitching in to help. While it’s been difficult for McFadden being away from his usual day-to-day operations, he said words of encouragement from the community have kept him grounded.

“It’s incredible how many people will stop and ask me when we’re reopening. It’s a nice feeling to be missed,” McFadden said.

Hitting the depths of an icy Miskwabi an ‘extreme sport’

Mike Baker

February 5, 2026

While Aaron Darling loves scuba diving from his cottage on Miskwabi Lake during the summer, he gets an even greater thrill
plunging into the icy waters at this time of the year.

The longtime diving enthusiast will be leading a group of six students into the frigid depths of his local lake Feb. 7-8 for the third annual Miskwabi Ice Diving Festival. He launched the event in 2024 to show people that, with some work, almost anyone could try one of the world’s most extreme sports.

It all starts with learning to dive in warmer waters – something Darling, a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, has been doing in
Haliburton County for as long as he can remember.

“When I first learned, it was under the supervision of my grandfather and I was like 10 years old. He had a place on Paudash Lake and it just blew me away the kind of adventures we would go on,” Darling said. He became certified at 16, “and really got into it… I’ve been diving pretty much ever since, but it wasn’t until about four years ago that I got really interested in cutting a hole in the ice and going cold water diving.”

Ice diving carries much more danger than regular diving, Darling said. “Ice diving is an overhead (where direct vertical ascent to the surface isn’t always possible) environment, a bit like diving in a cave. The difference with a cave, though, is you’re diving down a narrow hallway.

When you’re diving into a lake during winter, you’re jumping into an auditorium with very little way to figure out where you’re going – except up,” Darling said. “But the problem with that is you’ve got to find the hole you came through.”

There are lots of safety mechanisms in place – everyone dives with a partner, who are attached by a line that goes back to the
surface. That ensures everyone can find their way back to the entry point, Darling said.

Once submerged, divers descend 70-80 feet. Darling said he’s taken the plunge dozens of times from his property on Miskwabi in recent years.

“It’s really awesome diving at this time of the year, because all the algae blooms and things that make the water [murky] in the summer have died off, so the water is very clear,” he said. “When I’ve gone down there, I’ve found balls of fish wintering together on the lakebed – just 200 fish all hanging out in a small area.

“Where we’ll be jumping in over the weekend is about 100 feet out from shore. It’s basically a straight drop off with beautiful rock formations… it’s also really cool going down there and looking up, you can see the lines from all the snowmobiles that have passed over the lake,” he added.

Darling is partnering with four Ontario dive shops for the festival, which is all about training people to ice dive safely. None of the participants are novices, he notes, with the six taking part this weekend all advanced certified scuba divers. Darling said, ideally, people will have experience diving in colder conditions.

There’s a classroom component before people get to go through the ice, covering how to properly prepare a hole, how to use rope, communication techniques and effective gear configurations. To become certified for ice diving, people need to complete three dives and spend a minimum 20 minutes underwater each time.

It takes significant manpower to run these events – Darling said there needs to be at least five people on watch above the surface
in case anything goes wrong.

He recommends participants wear dry-suits, not wetsuits, and always carry contingencies – spare air supplies and other equipment in
case it’s needed in a pinch.

Darling said, after this year, he’ll have taught about 20 people to ice dive in Miskwabi Lake. Anyone interested in learning can contact him at aarondarlingpadi@gmail.com.

“This is getting more and more popular every year… the whole idea is to help people understand what’s under the water and to respect it. It’s nice to be able to see everything up close and learn about what happens at different stages of the year, see the changes our lakes go through,” Darling said

Huskies clinch playoff spot

Lisa Gervais

February 5, 2026

For their fifth consecutive season in Haliburton County, the Huskies have clinched a playoff spot. They did so this past weekend in the OJHL’s East Conference.

After a slow start to the season, coach Jordan Bailey said, “obviously, it’s always nice when you get that ‘x’ beside your name in the standings. Now, it’s just about trying to get home ice advantage.”

The Huskies were in fifth place in the East Conference as of Feb. 3, with a record of 27 wins, 13 losses, a tie, and five overtime losses for 60 points. However, they were equal points with Newmarket in fourth; just two points behind Pickering in third; and only seven away from the Stoufville Spirit for second. The Trenton Golden Hawks have so far distanced themselves from the competition, sitting comfortably in first place. The Wellington Dukes are six points back of the pack.

The Huskies are preparing for the Burlington Cougars Feb. 7 at home.

“At this point, every game is a playoff game for us because we are jockeying with four teams for standings,” Bailey said. “If Stouffville was ever to slip up, you could maybe even try to jump into second. “Just preparing yourself every day over this next month, and treating it like it’s playoffs because once playoffs come, if you haven’t already done that, it can go by quick for you.”

Huskies 6 Newmarket 1

The Huskies dominated the Newmarket Hurricanes Feb. 1. Despite being outshot 42-37, they took advantage with two powerplay goals to secure a 6-1 win.

Chase Del Colombo opened the scoring on the PP at 12:41 of the first, from Liam Oravsky and Ryan Fairbairn. Less than four minutes later, Lewis Hergaarden tallied, with an assist to Fairbairn. The blue and white made it a 3-0 game at 8:39 of the second as Nic Ferrante fired one in, with the assist going to Hergaarden. Newmarket answered at 12:40 to go into the dressing room down 3-1. But it was all Huskies in the third: Nate Taylor at 9:25 from Brody Coe and Kaiden Thatcher; Oravsky, from Del Colombo and Fairbairn with the man advantage at 11:15; and Hergaarden with a short-handed tally, unassisted at 16:23.

Owen Edwards turned aside 41 of 42 shots in the win.

Bailey felt his specialty teams played a big role in the victory, with the two powerplay goals and a short-handed marker.

He added the fourth line “was really big,” tallying three of the goals against a top contender.

Huskies 1 Royals 5

It was a different story the day before, as the Markham Royals beat up on the Huskies 5-1 Jan. 31. Despite outshooting their opponents 55-33, the blue and white could get only one past Markham goaltender Crosby Dacosta. Carson Durnin scored at 8:43 of the second, from
Gosse and Coe. Carter Nadon, between the pipes, turned aside 28 of 32.

Bailey felt they took too many penalties, requiring specialty teams, and disrupting the flow of the game. “So, we have to stay out of the box in those situations.” They also ran into a hot Dacosta. The Huskies host Burlington Feb. 7. Puck drop is scheduled for 4 p.m. at S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena. They then travel to Newmarket for a Feb. 10 tilt with the Hurricanes.

U11 Rep Storm are A champs

Submitted

February 5, 2026

The U11 Rep Tom Prentice & Sons and the U13 Rep Curry Chevrolet teams both participated in our annual home tournament and both took home the title of A champs this past weekend.

The U11 team hit the ice to represent the Storm at the annual U11/U13 Rep Gold Classic Jan. 30-Feb. 1 and what a show they put on.
The Storm kicked off the tournament Friday night against the well-known powerhouse team, Clearview. Knowing it would be a battle, the Storm came out strong and never let up for a moment. With resilient offence and defence, the Storm earned a very well-deserved tie.

Bright and early Saturday morning, the Storm returned to the rink for their second game of the tournament. While the temperature outside was well below freezing, the Storm was red-hot on the ice, earning a dominant 7–0 win over Elmvale.

They didn’t slow their momentum heading into the third game, coming out fierce against Kawartha. Outstanding backchecking from our forwards and strong offensive plays by our defence led to another impressive 3 – 0 win; clinching a first-place finish and a spot in the finals on day three.

Tension was high as the Storm took the ice for the gold medal game, once again facing the strong Clearview squad. It was a nail-biter, with action back-and-forth through all three periods. But with “the Wall” Julian Mardus in net and the entire team delivering their best performance, the Storm prevailed; bringing home the gold with a thrilling 3–2 win.

The coaches could not be prouder of every single player, their development, and the passion each one brings to the ice every time they step on it.

Look out, playoffs. The Storm is coming.

A month of music to warm county folks

Lisa Gervais

February 5, 2026

The County’s tourism department and the Haliburton County Folk Society have announced the 2026 February Folk Festival, a community celebration of culture, live music and local talent, taking place throughout the Highlands from Feb. 1–28.

The month-long festival brings together a lineup of performances, from folk and acoustic to pop, blues, rock and opera, spread across a variety of local venues, including the Haliburton Legion, Dominion Hotel, Minden Curling Club, Brooksong Retreat Centre, Boshkung Social, and others.

“We’re thrilled to celebrate the incredible musical talent of the Highlands and offer visitors and residents meaningful experiences throughout February,” said County of Haliburton tourism manager, Angelica Ingram.

She added, “February Folk Fest is about community spirit, artistic expression, and enjoying great music together in the heart of winter.”

She said festival highlights include live performances every week across multiple venues showcasing both local and touring artists; special events, including open jam nights, songwriter circles, winter square-dancing, pop-up performances and family-friendly afternoons of music and community, as well as free and ticketed shows, making live music affordable and available for all.

She thanked CanoeFM, Haliburton Rotary Club, the Haliburton County Development Corporation and Apple Tree Recording Studio for its support.

Old-time winter square dance

Dance Happens Here Haliburton (DH3) ispartnering with Hike Haliburton, Winter Edition and February Folk Festival to host an Old Time Winter Square Dance Feb. 7 at the Haliburton Legion.

Hannah Shira Naiman will be teaching the steps and calling the dances while bluegrass musicians Nathan Smith, Kyle Kirkpatrick and Tim O’Reilly will provide the tunes.

The evening will include instruction and a chance for all to participate. When askedto describe the type of dance she will lead, Shira Naiman said, “the one thing I can guarantee is that everyone will have fun.” Participants will have a chance to try out square dances, contra dances (in lines) and circle dances.

The evening will also include aperformance by a local group of Haliburton Scottish Country Dancers.

Dance Happens Here chair, Jim Blake said, “it will be a lively way for the community to come together – an old-fashioned square dance – the kind of dancing that everyone can do, whether you’re experienced or an absolute beginner.”

Go to dancehappenshere.com for more information.

For full event listings for the entire month, including performer details and venue information, go to https://
myhaliburtonhighlands.com/february-folkfest/

Hike Haliburton

Registration is open for Hike Haliburton Winter Edition 2026, being held Feb. 7-8 this year. Established in 2020, the snowy version
of the popular Hike Haliburton is on snowshoes.

Over the February weekend, the County’s tourism department and its partners invite people to discover the snow-covered trails, frozen lakes, and quiet forests of the Haliburton Highlands through a wide variety of guided winter hikes and snowshoe adventures led by knowledgeable hike leaders.

Beyond the hikes, people can experience local arts and culture, warm up with live music and entertainment at community venues, and enjoy winter celebrations happening throughout the region. Go to hikehaliburton.com to register

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