July 4, 2025

SOUNDS LIKE SUMMER MUSIC TO OUR EARS ACROSS MUSKOKA AND AT MARIPOSA THIS WEEKEND

MUSKOKA — Star Wars to the Sheepdogs and of course Gordon Lightfoot make this week’s start of summer a musical merry go round for vocal, orchestral and hard core music lovers of all genres and tastes.

The Barge season opened Sunday in Gravenhurst with the Bifocals Band soaring to celestial heights with a starry John Williams score before coming down to earth with the best of Carole King, Billy Joel and the Beatles.

Marc Mantha and the Muskoka Concert Band tugged our national strings and stirred Canadian pride Canada Day at the Muskoka Discovery Centre in Gravenhurst and the Bracebridge Band Shell.

An Orillia Silver Band Ensemble kicked off a July Wednesday noon series at Trinity United Church in Gravenhurst with the St. Louis Blues and an uplifting Dixieland and blues-inspired hour.

Last night at the Gravenhurst Opera House Steve Rae and his Pony Band rode into town for a couple sets that threaded its way through some familiar folk starting with Peter Paul and Mary and included Jim Cuddy and Blue Rodeo.

Which the ’60s crowd absolutely loved.

Yesterday was today.

Steve Rae, left, and Pony Band members Allain Brisson and Mick Torbay wrapped up last night’s Health Hub fundraiser with a bit of an acapella Eagles tune in an encore presentation at their well received Opera House concert in Gravenhurst. PHOTOS Mark Clairmont

John Denver, Harry Bellefonte, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Arlo Guthrie, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen and Ian and Sylvia vinyl recreations were authentically and exceedingly performed.

Rae’s haunting versions the Lightfoot classics Early Morning Rain, Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and Railroad Trilogy were particular treats. As was a tender tribute to his father that Rae wrote the day after his dad died and was a salute to the war veteran about his experience returning to the Netherlands and visiting a Canadian war memorial cemetery.

And a Harvest Moon harp solo — which was note perfect off the album — and a Hallelujah chorus both by Allain Brisson were other soaring highlights. Along with notable guitar picking of Gary Holden and piano playing of bassist Mick Torbay on a Blue Rodeo number.

The nearly packed house was a fundraiser for primary care and a Health Hub planned for Gravenhurst. (More on that on July 16 at aon Opera House open house.)

Mariposa Folk Festival 65 years young

And it was prelude to this weekend’s 65^th annual Mariposa Folk Festival starting today in downtown Orillia and at Tudhope Park. Where Ryder, Holly Cole and a ton of name bands too young to be recognized but by only younger and more into it music lovers and fans takes to a dozen stages around the gorgeous peninsula park for three days.

Definitely worth the 30-minute drive south even on a weekend.

It runs Friday to Sunday with among other stars Holly Cole Saturday night on the main stage.

https://www.mariposafolk.com/.

While in Mariposaville, check out two great exhibitions at The Orillia Museum of Art & History (30 Peter Street downtown) on their just late native son Gordon Lightfoot.

Turning Back The Pages is a permanent exhibition on Canada’s beloved troubadour; while Voices Through Time: A Mariposa Journey is a temporary exhibition celebrating the 65th anniversary of the country’s most iconic music festival.