Mick Jagger turns 70 on July 26. And as he takes to the stage during the Rolling Stones’ “50 and Counting” North American tour, he’s still wowing audiences with his performances. Check out this video of last Saturday’s duet on “Beast of Burden” in Las Vegas with 28-year-old Katy Perry.

With that in mind, you never know what to expect when they ask a bunch of “seniors” to get on stage and strut their stuff. Senior Star is a talent competition open to anyone 65 years and older and a Canadian resident. Contestants get five minutes on-stage to sing a song, play an instrument, or do both. (Not to mention throwing in a little dancing as the spirit moves them. Check out Maggie Viveen’s tap interlude:)

Now in its seventh year, the contest is holding local auditions, and while Senior Star is put on by “another” retirement community, you don’t have to be resident there to take part.

More music

Dale Murray at the 2011 finals.

Barry Gardner channels Nat King Cole at a local competition in Pickering.

Registration

Meaford’s Scarecrow Parade is just the beginning of a busy weekend in Meaford. The weekend traditionally anchored by the Apple Harvest Craft Show – a show of carefully selected artisans and craftspeople from near and far offering everything from toys to tinware to needlework to folk art to stained glass and much more – has grown busier every year, as events and exhibits appear to tempt tourists and locals alike.

This year, the Meaford Museum is open with free admission all weekend – and on Saturday, you can can. That is, you can learn to can. Well, let’s see how the museum puts it. “Learn the steps to effective and safe canning with Isobel McInnis as she does on-site demonstrations at 1 pm, 2 pm and 3pm. Printed material will be available and you are invited to ask Isobel any questions you may have. Each demonstration will take approximately 30 minutes.”

Meanwhile, the Heatlamp at the Harbour Music Festival kicks off at 11 a.m. on Saturday with a vendors market opening, followed by a music show for the kids, a Tex-Mex food bar featuring chili, pulled pork, nachos and a selection of hot sauces, and a series of three performances offering gutsy blues, folk, and more through the afternoon.

That’s a taste of this weekend’s events. To learn more, just head to Meaford.

On Wednesday night, some 50 or so guests of Irish Mountain Music enjoyed a witty and often poignant performance by John K. Samson, front-man of Winnipeg’s The Weakerthans, and his guest, Michael Feuerstack (who often performs as Snailhouse).

Weakerthans frontman John K Samson (r) and Michael Feuerstack perform at Irish Mountain Music in Meaford.

A real affection for Canada’s national sports was clear, with a tale of a late night at the curling club (“Tournament of Hearts”), the “Elegy for Gump Worsley”, and a plea for help getting Reggie Leach (the “Riverton Rifle”) into the Hockey Hall of Fame (“Petition”).

To sign, go here.

Well, the Meaford Farmer’s Market has kicked off for this Friday as we write, so once we’ve filed this report, we might just mosey on down. It’s a special market day, as the event is part of the kick off to Canada Day weekend celebrations. There’ll be live music and, taking a page from the past, surrey rides through town. And of course, there’s all the goodies you can find every week, from organic meats and vegetables and herbs to baked treats and more – with many vendors offering tasty samples to entice you to buy. This year, chef Micheline Zammit, who works at Cobble Beach Golf Club, prepares free sample dishes featuring products she’s found at the market – try her creations, and pick up the ingredients at the vendors’ booths.

Beyond food, you’ll also find crafts and more. And don’t forget to get your duck race tickets (more below).

With your appetite taken care of, plan for a busy weekend. Here’s the schedule of events for Saturday and Sunday (you can rest up Monday.)

Saturday

8am-11am Meaford Hall
John McKay home product trade show

9am-11am Market square
MFRC pancake breakfast

9am-9:30am Market square near hall
Soap Box Derby registration

10am – Collingwood St to Bayfield St
Soap Box Derby race

10am – Downtown Meaford
BIA sidewalk sale
GBSS Idols & MCS buskers on the street

10am-4pm Meaford Foodland
Meaford Duck Race kick off BBQ

2pm- Sykes St bridge to Bridge St
Meaford Duck Race

11am&3pm Meaford Museum
Historical walking tour of downtown

noon-4pm – Nelson St at Meaford Hall
BIA surrey rides

noon-4pm – Meaford Hall
BIA scavenger hunt – pick up list

noon-4pm – Meaford Harbour
Sail Georgian Bay introduction to sailing

Sunday

9am-10am Eggcitement Bistro
Motorcycle Rally meet for breakfast
10am- Motorcycle Rally – ride starts

9am-4pm Bayfield Street
Golden Town Cruisers classic car show

10am-4pm Bayfield Street
Net Shed Book Depot open
Meaford Museum open

11:45am Meaford Community Centre
Form up for parade

Noon – Collingwood St to Harbour
Canada Day parade

Noon to dusk Harbour pavilion
Rotary Club food & beverages

12:45pm Harbour Entrance
• Singing of “O Canada”
• Mayor’s & Dignitaries’ speeches
• Flag Raising Ceremony – Anthem by Mike Weir & Sylvie
• Goldenaires Canadian Folk Song Medley by Bert Hood

1pm Rotary Pavilion at harbour
Birthday cake for 1000 – prepared & served by Canada Catering

Noon to 4pm Meaford Harbour
Family Fun Festival
• Canadian Coast Guard
• Meaford Fire Department
• Kid’s activities & games
• Sail Georgian Bay introduction to sailing
• OPP boat & K-9 unit
• Heritage Meaford display
• Beautiful Joe Heritage Society display
• Meaford Library display & activities
• Remote control car & truck display
• Skateboard demonstrations

2pm-9pm Meaford Harbour
Live entertainment
• Honeyhammers
• Bored of Education
• Vickie Van Dyke & Friends

2pm Meaford Museum
Historical walking tour of downtown

Dusk – Meaford Harbour
Meaford Kinsmen Club Fireworks

After the jazz appetizers of Friday night, you might still have an appetite for the three-course musical menu on Saturday. It starts with the Big Band Era on Saturday afternoon at the Beaver Valley Community Centre, featuring the Georgian Sound Big Band, the Lighthouse Swing Band, and the Toronto All Star Band playing jazz, swing and current “standards”. And a bevy of swing dancers will inspire you to try out some new old moves.

Had enough big band music? No, you haven’t. Starting at 7 p.m., the Georgian Sound Big Band and Toronto All Star Band lead off the evening performances. But as the night grows dark, the Martels kicking into gear with high energy 50s and 60s rock and roll hits. (The core of this group got together in 1957 and backed up teen idol Bobby Curtola.)

Or… as dusk falls, get ready for Dawn – Dawn Tyler Watson, that is – at the Westin Trillium at the Village at Blue Mountain. Dawn has won Best Female Artist at the Quebec Lys Blues Awards six times in a row, and took home the 2009 Album of the Year honours.

Dawn Tyler Watson

Don’t worry, you can sleep in Sunday morning. The musical brunch at the Golf Club at Lora Bay doesn’t begin till 10:30, and the gospel/spiritual music at St. Georges Parish Hall starts at 2 p.m.

Lora Bay’s popular 5-course brunch features the Dixieland style of the Regal Jazz Band, and the afternoon performance introduces gospel singer Dave Randall and a group of young spiritual singers, Chaverim.

In the Southern Georgian Bay area, April showers bring jazz in the wee hours… and in the afternoon… and at brunch. Just down the road, in Thornbury and Clarksburg and at Lora Bay, you can fill just about every waking moment from Friday to Sunday during Jazzmania listening to jazz, big bands, swing, gospel – and even rock ‘n’ roll.

This popular event brings in bands from far and near, featuring prominent local acts, high school jazz ensembles from the surrounding area, and well-known performers from Ontario and outside the province. This festival brings fresh meaning to the cliché, “a feast for the ears”; in fact it’s a veritable smorgasbord.

Here’s what’s on the menu.

The Jazz Youth Invitational kicks things off early on Friday, with student ensembles performing before jazz professionals and getting feedback and commentary, followed by a performance by the Noodle Factory Jazz Project. You can drop in any time.

The Music Crawl has always been a popular way to sample sounds from a variety of acts, in a variety of venues on Friday night… but before you start your jazz journey, consider this year’s new Dinner Jazz feature. Choose by venue or choose by band, but be prepared to enjoy great food and music in one of the area’s fine eateries. Here’s who’s on where.

Allister Bradley at the Ruffed Grouse Bistro
Dixie Kings at the Marsh Street Centre
Jamie Ruben & Steve Zsirai at the Sisi Trattoria
Joe Huron & Dennis McAndrew at the Bruce Wine Bar
Karen Holgate & Jan Menkal at the Simplicity Bistro
Louis Lefaive at the L E Shore Library
Mike Grace and Friends at the Beaver Valley Community Centre
Shawn Mei Trio at the Mill Café
Wayne Buttery at the St. George’s Parish Hall

Visit here to check out the menus. (And get your reservations in early)

After dinner, get ready to “crawl” with jazz and blues at a number of “hot spots” open until nigh on midnight.

That’s just the first day. Rest up for a full day Saturday, and the popular Jazz Brunch at Lora Bay on Sunday. More tomorrow.

At a quick glance, you might think these four moptops are the real Beatles, magically, mysteriously on tour once again. But they’re Ontario’s own “The Caverners”, a remarkably faithful lookalike, soundalike, tribute band. (Your blogger caught them in St. Catharines a few years back.) And they’re playing Meaford Hall tonight! Call 1-877-538-0463.

This just in… “Bored of Education” is re-introducing live music to this favourite Meaford pub. Be there tomorrow night, Friday, November 18 to see this “class”ic band in action at the Wharf at Peggy’s Landing.

You won’t be disappointed.

For more than 20 years, Wednesday night in Meaford has been “jam night” – more specifically “Jam night at Ted’s”. Drive up the old Range Road, now known as Valour Road, toward Irish Mountain, and as you crest the first of the heights, you’ll see an interesting, somewhat surreal, sight on your left. An old steel Quonset hut, spruced up with white siding and a green awning, sits in the midst of an oft-overflowing parking lot. In a small stand of trees in the middle of the lot, a chainsaw sculpture by Fran Bouwman depicts a young girl staring at the fairies inhabiting an old dead spruce. And if it’s Wednesday night, the sound of rockin’ live music spills out from the packed space inside, as the house band plays and the open mike is taken up by anyone else who wants to play.

Inside Ted’s Range Road Diner, curved, shellacked Aspenite covers the walls, the rustic environment contrasting with the incredibly wide-ranging menu arrayed on colourful chalkboards – offering everything from traditional fare to such delicacies as catfish, bison strip loin, elk chops, wild game stir-fry (elk, emu, venison, bison, musk ox, ostrich), and even alligator.

This one-of-a-kind Meaford attraction and tradition has been featured in national media – and both Ted and his diner have even made it to the “big” screen in an independent horror flick called
Scarce.

Back in 1975, brothers John and Tim Harrison got the idea of starting a folk festival in their hometown of Owen Sound, just 20 minutes down the road from Meaford. Searching for a suitable site for their first, low-key event, they settled on Kelso Beach Park, on the west shore of Owen Sound Bay. And settled is the right word. At the time, the park was a flat, almost marshy area nearby factories often used as a dump. The inaugural event featured such artists as Shirley Eikhard, Willie P. Bennett, and the Original Sloth Band playing on makeshift stages, and in lieu of ponchos and branded seating pads, the organizers sold garbage bags to protect folkie butts from the wet ground.

Tomorrow at 5 p.m. the 36 edition of the Summerfolk Music and Crafts Festival kicks off. In the years since that quiet debut, the festival has grown into one of Ontario’s premiere music events (indeed one of the most respected folk festivals anywhere), showcasing remarkable international artists on numerous outdoor stages – including the permanent, covered main stage, which faces a limestone and grass amphitheatre and hosts the main nightly events – and the large and popular “Down By The Bay” tent, which features performances throughout the day and into the night in a licensed setting.

Summerfolk mainstage

True to its folk festival roots, the event features “workshops” throughout the day at various stages – gatherings of different musicians from different acts who interact and play music around each workshop’s theme.

And from the beginning, Summerfolk has been about more than music. Artisans and craftspeople of remarkable talent and range offer their wares for sale in booths in a small, friendly, outdoor market. Of course, there’s a variety of food for all tastes, too.

Each year, the festival is notable as much for the new discoveries as the established artists. This year features such folk stalwarts as Tom Leighton, James Gordon and David Francey, as well as up-and-comers The Once (the Newfoundland vocal group that’s been showing up at all the award shows the past couple of years) and Australia’s “alt-pop darlings” The Little Stevies – along with more than two dozen more other performers and groups.

Try it once, and you’ll be hooked.

Summerfolk traditionally closes with many of the artists onstage performing Stan Rogers’s “The Mary Ellen Carter”. In 2007, Stan’s son, Nathan fronted the crew. (You’ll need to click twice on the video below to see it on YouTube.