This Week in Photos - June 25, 2026
PHOTO 1: Local artists participated in the first Erin Arts Festival on June 20, including artist Tia Long, who set up across from Rural Commons on Main Street for a plein air painting. PHOTOS 2 & 3: Isaiah McCloud’s booth was popular during the event. PHOTO 4: Festival organizers Ross Anderson and Cynthia Mancia were joined by Wellington County councillor Jeff Duncan. Photos by Tristan Clark
‘Berry’ fun – Wellington County hosted its annual Berries and Bears picnic at the Wellington County Museum and Archives on June 20. The event featured vendors, treats, kids’ activities, live music and a Teddy bear caper. PHOTO 1: The Luganga family checks out the alpacas from Harmony Meadows Alpaca. PHOTO 2: Ground Cover played rock and pop music. PHOTO 3: Erin Kenney fashions balloon animals for Myles and Quinn Shkuratoff.
Community barbecue – PHOTO 1: The Canadian Reformed Churches of Centre Wellington put on a free community barbecue at Bissell Park on June 20. From left, Austin Endeman, Kenton Bouwman and Ian Lodder grill up burgers and hotdogs. PHOTO 2: There was a good turnout for the community barbecue as friends met friends, neighbours met neighbours, and dog friends met dog friends.
Car show – CSN Hutten Collision Centre in Fergus hosted its annual car show in benefit of the Make-A-Wish Foundation on June 20. The event brought car enthusiasts together to raise $11,483 for the foundation. PHOTO 2: Vic Devries’ 2001 Pro 4 PT Cruiser. The Alma resident races the car at tracks around Southwestern Ontario. PHOTO 3: A 1957 Chevy 210. Photos by Jordan Snobelen
Peace, love, yoga – Luna Events Canada and Karma Yoga Studios in Guelph partnered to put on a Peace Love and Yoga Festival on the grounds of the Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex on June 12. The event included a sun salutations yoga practice for all levels, sound healing and meditation sessions, mantra chanting and chakra meditation, a free kids zone, candy bar, “boho photo ops” and at least 50 vendors. PHOTO 1: Festival attendees practiced yoga behind the sportsplex. PHOTO 2: Summer McGeachy, 7, was among the attendees browsing the vendors. PHOTO 3: Mother-daughter duo Lilyana, left, and Lisa Mederios of Splatz Art for Kids offered face painting during the festival. PHOTO 4: Danie Stiles of Danie’s Originations was joined by her son, Grayson Lubrick. Photos by Robin George
Raleway Fest – The 5th annual Raleway Fest attracted a large, thirsty crowd to Palmerston’s Lions Park on June 20. Hosted by All Aboard Palmerston, organizers reported to the Community News that they are often accused of misspelling the name. According to committee member Belinda Wick-Graham the title plays on the word ale, and the fact that participants can enjoy a glass of ale on the rail, or “taps by the tracks,” referring to the park’s vicinity to the railway museum. Four food vendors and 10 beverage vendors were on hand to provide attendees with a variety of locally brewed beers, ales, spirits and ciders. New this year was a cornhole tournament and a railway hand car race organized by Minto Fire Rescue. Proceeds from the event will go towards All Aboard Palmerston’s downtown beautification efforts. Minto Fire plans to use its event revenue to fund a memorial for fallen firefighters in Lions Park. PHOTO 2: Brad McBeth of Palmerston and Denise Koepke of Drayton face fierce competition in the cornhole tournament. PHOTO 3: All Aboard Palmerston and Minto Fire’s Palmerston Station joined forces to host Raleway Fest. From left, firefighters Bart (Maui) Llamido, Brett MacDougall, Alyse Bramhill, Steve Henderson and Devin Ellison, pose with All Aboard Palmerston committee members Christina Labbe, Belinda Wick-Graham and Erin Raftis. PHOTO 4: Members of Minto Fire’s Palmerston Station test out the equipment in preparation for the railway hand cart race during Raleway Fest on Saturday. From left: Andrew McMillen, Jamie Hoelscher, Brett MacDougall, and Bart (Maui) Llamido. Photos by Sue Hogenkamp
Pizza at the Owl’s Nest – The Grassroots Woodfired Pizza team visited the Owl’s Nest Holistic and Alternative School outside of Harriston recently. Grassroots is a family-run, local organic wood-fired pizza business based on a farm in Lucknow. Throughout the experience, students learned about organic ingredients and local food production, explored how pizzas are made from start to finish, discovered the role of farming and fresh ingredients in cooking and made their own personal pizza for lunch. Submitted photos
Varsity athletics – The Norwell Varsity Reds had a great year in athletics, with several athletes claimed individual district gold and silver medals in golf, badminton and track and field. School officials offered “a huge congratulations” on that achievement and being able to qualify for CWOSSA. In terms of team success, the Varsity Reds claimed five district championships this year: Sr. Boys Volleyball (District 4 Champions), Boys Curling (District 4 Champions), Jr. Badminton (District 4 Champions), Girls SloPitch (District 4/10 Champions) and Girls Curling (District 4 Champions, CWOSSA Champions, OFSAA quarter-finalists and OFSAA Sportsmanship Award Winners). Norwell’s Athletes of the Year winners were: Molly F. (junior girls); Cole B. (junior boys); Calla M. (senior girls) and Cody F. and Josh T. (senior boys). Submitted photos
