ANOTHER GREAT MUSKOKA CHAUTAUQUA FESTIVAL ENDS WITH NORHTERN LIGHTS STEEL DRUM ORCHESTRA ON THE WINDERMERE WHARF WATERFRONT STAGE ON LAKE ROSSEAU
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com
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WINDERMERE — This week’s meteor shower wasn’t the only dark sky attraction this week.
Muskoka Chautauqua’s 16th annual festival — with roots a century old — wrapped another successful two weeks of arts and culture here on Lake Rosseau.
And it ended with shooting stars of its own as the Northern Lights Steel Band performed the festival’s final waterfront concert on the Windermere Wharf.
They wrapped up a weekend that include the Muskoka Philharmonic Thursday and Beverlie and Friends Friday night at the Gallery in the Woods main stage at the former re-branded Baldwin Resort.
It was the second week of visual and literary arts including, art classes and big and small concerts, among other intimate cultural expressions meant to foster lifelong learning for all ages in the summer at the north end of Muskoka lake community.
A week that began with a bang as the Toronto All-Star Big Band entertained under the trees overlooking Rosseau Lake.
The band that has been a 30-year staple since back when it was called the Muskoka Lakes Music Festival.
And while the players have grown up and gone on to other musical projects the other members of the band (aged 15-22) received a standing ovation from more than 100 seated on the old tennis court.
With a half-dozen great singers and performers backed up by a dynamic 17 piece band led by Justin See and emcee and artistic director Zygmunt Jedrzejek.
Over the years they’ve played with Clark Terry, Doc Severinsen, Cleo Laine and John Dankworth, Benny Golson and Canadian legends Peter Appleyard and Oliver Jones.
This year they were alone, but needed no help as they wowed the audience with a selection of big band numbers that were once the sound track of early Muskoka Lakes.
And in a setting that rivals other local concert venues in the petite, but so charming and unique Gallery in the Woods.
Where in the first week it played host to the sensational Choir! Choir! Choir!
And producers Gary Depmsey and Gary Froude couldn’t be more happy as they basked in the joyful summer sights and sounds.
And already planning for event the rest of the year and next.
Welcome to sights, sounds of Chautauqua 2026.
See more photos below; click on photo to enlarge, see cutlines.
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