Barrie Archived 2011 Tourism Travel News

Weekend in Barrie for Santa Claus Parade Fun and Christmas Shopping
The weekend starts on Friday in Downtown Barrie with the Christmas Window Decorating contest, followed on Saturday 19 with The Barrie Santa Claus Parade starts at 5:00 p.m. and is coinciding with the Christmas Tree Lighting in Memorial Square around 6:30.  There will be a stage with entertainment and many of the stores in Downtown Barrie will be open for early Christmas Shopping. The Christmas at the Museum takes place on the 19th, and 20th for artisans and artists crafts. 

Barrie Tree Lighting and Light Festival
November 19, 2011 Barrie lights up along Kempenfelt Bay's Lakeshore Drive on Lake Simcoe starting the weekend of November 19, 2011 through until the spring of 2012. See the Barrie Festival of Trees and Lights where some of the 50,000 lights which form the Festival of Trees Display at Centennial Park will be five animated displays. A Barrie shopping trip for Christmas New Year  holiday gifts could involve an overnight stay in featured Barrie hotels, resorts and romantic inns. 36th Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony

Barrie Area Ski and Snowboard Swaps
Find the dates and times for ski and snowboard swaps at resorts ant resort deatinations close to Barrie area. Including Canadian Ski Patrol-Barrie Ski Swap,  Hardwood Ski and Bike, Horseshoe Valley Ski Resort, Mount St. Louis Moonstone and Snow Valley.

TVO comes to Barrie In October  22, 2011
The free show for families is in Richmond Hill and Barrie on Saturday October 22 ... Presented by EatRight Ontario, with sponsorship in part by Sun-Rype, ..This fall, TVOKids invites young families to get active together when the TVOKids Don't Sit Still Tour blasts into Richmond Hill, Barrie and Port Perry to kick start healthy lifestyles with a high-energy, live stage show. During your Barrie visit consider a trip to one of the nearby Pumpkin farms for some Halloween fun.

Barrie Film Festival
Barrie, Ontario: October 14-23, 2011
13th annual film festival showcasing the finest Canadian Independent and World cinema, also includes special guest Q&As, parties, short film competition and Director's brunch.
Web: www.barriefilmfestival.ca:  More information & Accommodation in Barrie, ON

Last Blast at the Simcoe County Museum
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Get your inner kid in gear and join us at the Simcoe County Museum for an unforgettable day of historical construction equipment in motion.
Browse through the vintage construction equipment, tractors, classic trucks and other historic pieces set up around the Museum grounds. Take a wagon ride out to the gravel pits to see live demonstrations of steam-powered rollers, shovels, vintage road-building equipment, rock crushing, grading, hoisting and much more.
Regular Museum admission rates apply: Adult $6, Student/Senior $5, Child $4, Preschoolers are admitted free. The Simcoe County Museum is located at 1151 Highway 26, minutes north of Barrie.
For more information, phone 705-728-3721 or visit museum.simcoe.ca.
Accommodation in Barrie Area

Spring Tonic Maple Syrup Festival
Utopia (Between Alliston and Barrie)
April 2-3, 2011
A tasty Canadian tradition. Learn how maple syrup is made using Native, pioneer and modern methods. Have a pancake and sausage breakfast. Enjoy horse-drawn wagon rides, crafts and music.
Web: Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Association www.nvca.on.ca  Via Highway 400 north.
Stay at Resorts, Inns, Hotels  Barrie, ON, Alliston, ON
Barrie hotels on-line

Arts, Culture & Tourism - Barrie
Plan on visiting Barrie? We'd love to welcome you. Symphony aficionados, music lovers and live theatre supporters will discover a city rich in performing ...

Taking Action to Protect Lake Simcoe And The Local Economy
Government of Ontario News
Released today, the first Minister's Annual Report on Lake Simcoe shows the province has taken action on all 88 recommendations made in the Lake Simcoe ...

Looking for a job or career in hospitality, tourism or recreation ...
By rtoth
Georgian's Barrie Campus is a wonderland of opportunities during hospitality, tourism and recreation career fair Feb. 1 Leading employers in the.
Georgian College News - http://www.georgianc.on.ca/news/

Town wants to attract Hwy. 400 tourists
The Barrie Advance
Lougheed said a tourism kiosk could direct tourists to Innisfil attractions such as Innisfil Beach Park on Lake Simcoe and historic Cookstown. ...

Mad Bastard Scooter Rally 2011
CMG Online News (blog)
The Mad Bastard Scooter Rally 2011 will take place in the city of Barrie,
Ontario on the weekend of June 24 - 26. We're also very pleased to announce
the ...

Georgian Theatre at Georgian College Barrie Undergoes Renovations
A major cultural landmark in Simoce County will be rejuvenated as The City of Barrie re-launches and assumes full responsibility for the administration and management of the Georgian Theatre (aka Gryphon Theatre) located at Georgian College. See more on Georgian Theatre, or visit Georgian College

Skiing Starts North of Toronto.
Hardwood Ski And Bike in the Barrie Snowbelt opened on the weekend and continues to receive snow on the trails...anticipate most downhill ski and snowboard areas to be open soon.
See Hardwood web cam for up to date photos

March Break Activities Barrie Ontario 
Art Camps, ski camps for kids looking for March break fun and family activities such as the outdoor winter sports, cultural events, a learning experience, a  museum visit, making art, or acting lessons.

MacLaren Art Centre, Barrie
March Break Day Camp  March 14– March 18, 2011  9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Join us at the MacLarenArtCentre for an engaging week of art making, the perfect way to keep the kids busy during March Break! Students will work with a variety of media including painting, printmaking and sculpture.
http://maclarenart.com/educational-programmes/children

Hardwood Ski and  Bike
Oro Station
March Break Promo
March 12-20, 2011
Celebrate the March Break and get out for some spring skiing on the trails.
50% off rentals
Kids 12 and under - $7 + HST for trail passes
Students 19 to 13 - $15 + HST for trai passes
Stay at Resorts, Inns, Hotels  Barrie, ON, Barrie hotels on-line

Ice Fishing Huts as Sport and Art In Barrie
True Canadian winter traditions can be found north on Lake Simcoe in Barrie.  There are Barrie Ice Fishing Getaways on Kempenfelt Bay.  There is snowshoeing & cross country skiing for the outdoorenthusiasts who want to explore between the ice fish huts.  See winter in Barrie on the Bay.  A recent Globe and Mail story on the Ice fish Hut as art is an interesting study on this great Canadian tradition.

Barrie Area Romance-Valentines in February
Valentines and winter getaways go "heart to heart" in the Barrie area of Ontario.
Featured Romantic getaways include  Carriage Ridge Resort at Horseshoe Valley - Barrie,Nottawasaga Inn Resort - Alliston, Barrie Lake Simcoe Ontario Sunsets, are always a great Romantic starter on Valentines Day.  

Skiing Continues North of Toronto.

February is often the best skiing and snow tubing month in the Barrie Snowbelt area.  Check the ski report from the Ontario tourism office in Barrie, snow and road conditions before heading out.  Ski packages and snow tubing overnight getaways at area hotels resorts, inns and B&B's. Hardwood Ski And Bike See Hardwood web cam for up to date photo

Barrie's Winterfest & Festival of Ice
Downtown Barrie February 5 & 6, 2011!  Heritage Park and Barrie Waterfront.  Named one of the Top 100 Festivals in Ontario this is a truly Canadian winter adventure for the whole family - the best way to beat the February blues(also Blues Festival)! ......dog sled rides, horse-drawn wagon rides, midway, lumberjack shows, skating, polar bear swim, pancake breakfast, crafts, story time, ice slides. Kids will enjoy exploring the ice maze.... snow sculpture with slides carved right into the snow of ice.  Also (See 2010 Barrie Winterfest-Carnival Photos)

Birdwatching Along Barrie Waterfront
The migration of waterfowl make the shore line of Kempenfelt Bay Lake Simcoe a favourite location for birdwatcers. With more than 7 km of trails around the bay in Barrie, one never knows which species will surprise your with a sudden appearance. Here two Trumpeter Swans feed with the gulls, ducks and geese during the month of December.