Hometown News

FRIDAY

Toronto All Star Big Band
Mason Theatre at Perth and District Collegiate Institute

Barn Door Productions Presents: Under Milk Wood
8 p.m.
Full Circle Theatre (26 Craig Street)
Tickets are $20 or $22 at the door and $10 for students.

SATURDAY

Perth/Lanark Gun, Hunting and Sportsman Show
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Perth and District Community Centre (2 Beckwith Street East)
For information or to register a booth please contact Jeff at 905-623-1778.

12th Annual Empty Bowls Fundraiser
11 a.m.
Foodsmiths (106 Wilson Street West)
For $25, you can choose your favourite hand-crafted bowl and have it filled with a delicious creamy veggie soup, with proceeds going to support food programs in the Perth area.

SUNDAY

Perth/Lanark Gun, Hunting and Sportsman Show
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Perth and District Community Centre (2 Beckwith Street East)
For information or to register a booth please contact Jeff at 905-623-1778.

Barn Door Productions Presents: Under Milk Wood
2 p.m.
Full Circle Theatre (26 Craig Street)
Tickets are $20 or $22 at the door and $10 for students.

Rideau Lakes Orchestra
2 p.m.
St. James Church
The 13-piece group consists of electronics and acoustic instruments, playing classical music with original sounds.

Perth Citizens’ Band performs Sounds of the Sixties
2 p.m.
Perth Legion (26 Beckwith Street East)
For more information visit the band’s website at www.perthband.ca or call conductor Brian Tackaberry at 613-256-4221.

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

The Brockalees at the Golden Arrow
9 p.m.
Golden Arrow Pub
Call 613-267-4500 to reserve a table.

Jubilee Musical Tribute
7:30 p.m.
St. John The Baptist Catholic Church (38 Wilson Street East)
Tickets are $22 or $12 for students.

SUNDAY

The Celticity
2 p.m.
Perth Manor (23 Drummond Street West)
Tickets are $35.

By: Dianne Pinder-Moss

While the starting gun for the 2016 Perth Kilt Run doesn’t officially sound until June 25, the event is already on course to setting another registration record.

As of midnight Jan. 26 when the “Robbie Burns Day” early bird registration ended, there were 2,885 registered for all the race events, 1,104 more than this time last year.

With more than 100 days before registration closes, race director Terry Stewart says he’s optimistic their ambitious goal of 5,000 racers for this year’s event in celebration of Perth’s 200th anniversary can be achieved.

“With 180 registered so far in the Kilted Half Marathon and 226 registered for the ‘Royal Mile,’ these two new events are shaping up very nicely with, of course, lots of room to grow.” he said in an email to the HomeTown News, “Together with the 5 Mile race, we have the numbers now to set a new Guinness World Record, a fine legacy to help celebrate the 200th Anniversary.”

Officially known as Perth’s World Record Kilt Run, organizers will be making its third and final attempt on June 25 for the largest kilt race. The first year the race was held in 2010, there were 1,089 finishers to set an Official Guinness World Record, easily surpassing the old record of 250. The event has continued to set records in the ensuing years.

Race organizers will be watching registration results for some other communities hoping to surpass Perth’s race record. In particular, the St. Paddy’s race in Raleigh, North Carolina poses some stiff competition with  3,000 currently registered.

Along with the Kilted Half Marathon and Royal Mile being new additions to the Perth Kilt Run, the biggest new undertaking by the Perth Running Goats Club is the 200th Drummond-Perth-Tay Kilt Marathon June 26.

“The co-ordination and co-operation between all the parties on which this 42-kilometre Athletics Canada certified course traverses is an amazing accomplishment so far,” Stewart said, adding this is the first kilted marathon race in the world.

The course for the kilt marathon will see runners start on the Rideau Ferry Bridge and follow the original Settlers Trail through Perth along Christie Lake Road, finishing at the Ecotay Educational Centre on the Upper Scotch Line and Menzies Munro Road in the restored barns of the former Ritchie farm.

Registration for the inaugural event is “really going well,” with 96 people already signed up and the organizers’ dream goal of a maximum of 200 runners “not impossible,” according to Stewart.

Stewart says he’s also pleased with the amount of donations runners to the MS Society and the Canadian Cancer Society, the two charities the event supports. Individual donations have already topped $13,000. Taking into account this money and the funds that are generated within the event, the Perth Kilt Run will have raised more than $100,000 for the MS Society over its seven-year history.

As in previous years, the Perth Kilt Run will feature some great musical entertainment. This 2016 lineup will include the Mudmen, a Celtic rock band that has performed for the Queen and whose bagpipe tracks by members Rob and Sandy Campbell are featured on the new “Hockey Night in Canada” theme song. Likewise, the Canadian Haggis Hurling will be a “signature event” once again.

In January, Perth Town Council approved an exemption to the town’s Alcohol Management Policy to allow the front portion of Stewart Park to be used for post-race activities on June 25 and for the area to be licensed to enable race participants of legal drinking age “to consume their single alcoholic beverage,” a free small glass of beer provided by the Perth Brewery. There would be no alcohol sold in the park and the race committee would be responsible for fencing the area, obtaining the required liquor licence and providing security.

Stewart had appeared before the Jan. 12 Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting as a delegation to seek the exemption as it was felt that the Crystal Palace would not be able to accommodate the increased numbers anticipated for this year. While he was pleased with the motion approved by council, he said last week that, “now that we have permission to proceed, there is no requirement that we do so.”

The final decision on whether to make the change will likely depend on two factors. One, as Stewart pointed out, is whether the registration numbers ended up being large enough to justify changing. The other is “whether we can support the additional costs of the Stewart Park setup.”

“We really need another couple corporate sponsors,” he said “Staying where we were last year may be less money.”

Drawing race participants not only from across Canada and the U.S. but rom as far away as Germany, South Africa and Australia, the Perth Kilt Run has become a major event for the Town of Perth.

The positive exposure the run has provided for the community was commented on at the COW meeting. Both Mayor John Fenik and Coun. Jim Boldt made mention of how this internationally known race had put Perth “on the map.”

“It is such a great thing for the community,” Boldt said “I support the efforts to make this thing happen as easily as we can make it for you.”

Appreciative of the ongoing support from town council for the Kilt Run, Stewart says the co-operation from the Town has been “perfect from the start.”

“We would not have gone this far without the special skills and enthusiasm of each person that has dedicated their time to this project,” he said. “Nor will we get to the end of this event without an even larger volunteer support than ever. We value the effort of this group as a whole. This truly is a community effort.”

FRIDAY

Perth Blue Wings vs. Athens Aeros
7 p.m.
Perth & District Community Centre

STEPHEN FISHER at O’Reilly’s Pub
9 p.m.
O’Reilly’s Ale House

SATURDAY

Matt Dickson at the Golden Arrow
9 p.m.
Golden Arrow Pub

SUNDAY

Seedy Sunday
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Royal Canadian Legion

REMEMBER – on Sunday March 13 – 2:00am – Daylight Savings Time Begins – Spring Forward – move your clocks 1 hour ahead

FRIDAY

Perth Blue Wings vs. Athens Aeros (Quarterfinals)
7:30 p.m.
Perth and District Arena
Tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for seniors and students, $5 for kids aged 6-12, and kids five and under are free.

Smitty at O’Reilly’s
9 p.m.
O’Reilly’s Ale House (37 Gore Street East)

Riley White at the Golden Arrow
9 p.m.
Golden Arrow Pub (71 Foster Street)

SATURDAY

Free Public Swimming
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Perth & District Indoor Pool
For further information, contact the pool office at 613-267-5302.

Lucky B’s Afternoon Gig
2:30 p.m.
Golden Arrow Pub (71 Foster Street)

Seedy Sunday
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Royal Canadian Legion (26 Beckwith Street East)
A great variety of seeds, vendors, food, demonstrations and everything garden related. Please call 284-0578 to register a booth or for more information.

Free Public Skating
12 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Perth & District Community Centre
For further information, call the arena at 613-267-2455.

FRIDAY

Barn Door Productions presents: A Life in the Theatre
8 p.m.
Full Circle Theatre (26 Craig Street)
Tickets are $20 in advance or $22 at the door and $10 for students.

River City Junction at O’Reilly’s
9 p.m.
O’Reilly’s Ale House (71 Foster Street)

SATURDAY

Free Public Swimming
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Perth & District Indoor Pool
For further information, contact the pool office at 613-267-5302.

Barn Door Productions presents: A Life in the Theatre
8 p.m.
Full Circle Theatre (26 Craig Street)
Tickets are $20 in advance or $22 at the door and $10 for students.

Open Mic at the Golden Arrow
9 p.m.
Golden Arrow Pub (71 Foster Street)

SUNDAY

Free Public Skating
12 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Perth & District Community Centre
For further information, call the arena at 613-267-2455.

Barn Door Productions presents: A Life in the Theatre
2 p.m.
Full Circle Theatre (26 Craig Street)
Tickets are $20 in advance or $22 at the door and $10 for students.

FRIDAY

Studio Theatre Perth Presents: Dinner With Friends
8 p.m.
Studio Theatre Perth (63 Gore Street East)
Tickets are $24 at Book Nook and Tickets Please.

Riq Turner Live
9 p.m.
O’Reilly’s Pub

The Brockville Tikis vs. The Perth Blue Wings
7:30 p.m.
Perth and District Community Centre
Full schedule at perthbluewings.com

Transgender Vigil
4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Behind Perth Town Hall (80 Gore Street East)
Hosted by the LGBT Lanark County Civitan Club. Public Gathering and speakers, streets will be closed. Please park at the Tay Basin Parking Lot.

SATURDAY

Studio Theatre Perth Presents: Dinner With Friends
8 p.m.
Studio Theatre Perth (63 Gore Street East)
Tickets are $24 at Book Nook and Tickets Please.

Jennifer deBruin book release
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
The Book Nook
deBruin will be at the store for a meet and great to celebrate the release of her new book Daughter of Conflict. For more information, call 613-267-2350.

Free Public Swimming
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Perth and District Indoor Pool
For further information, please call the pool office at 613-267-5302.

SUNDAY

Studio Theatre Perth Presents: Dinner With Friends
2 p.m.
Studio Theatre Perth (63 Gore Street East)
Tickets are $24 at Book Nook and Tickets Please.

Fiddlehead’s Jazz Brunch
Fiddlehead’s
With music from Clay Young and Dave Renaud