Northumberland County Home
Arts, Culture and Outdoors
Be inspired, take part.
From the village of Hastings to Port Hope, there is always something exciting going on in Northumberland, all year-round. Newcomers are not only welcomed but encouraged to participate and be part of this wonderful community. Attending local events is a great way for you to make new friends.
For a calendar of cultural activities and local festivals, visit the Northumberland Tourism Calendar.
Arts and entertainment
Northumberland County has a rich variety of art, music and theatre showcased in historic and unique venues throughout the community.
For more information about local art and entertainment, visit the Northumberland Tourism website.
Culture
Northumberland's diverse community is part of what makes it such a great place to live, work and play.
Diversity Festival |
Each year, residents can Explore tastes, sights and sounds from around Canada and the globe at Northumberland's Diversity Festival. Stay tuned to Northumberland's Diversity Festival Facebook page for information about the Diversity Festival. |
Hispanic Heritage Month |
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October is Hispanic Heritage Month in Northumberland County. Experience this one-month celebration of arts, culture of Spanish Heritage. |
Northumberland Newcomers Podcast |
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Listen for interviews, music and news about:
Available for free on your favourite podcast app, including: |
150 Stories and Images of Arrival book |
 Every resident has a story, and every one of these stories makes up the collective history of Northumberland. In celebration of Canada 150, Northumberland County developed a book capturing 75 stories and 75 sets of images from first, second and third generation Canadians living in Northumberland detailing their own immigration experience -- or that of their family members -- to this community.
This Canada 150 project was conceived and produced as part of Northumberland County's ongoing work through its Immigration Portal. The publication '150 Stories and Images of Arrival in Northumberland County' is available for purchase for $17.70 plus HST from Northumberland County's 555 Courthouse Road and 600 William Street locations in Cobourg. This publication was made possible by the Community Fund for Canada's 150th, a collaboration between Durham Community Foundation, the Government of Canada, and extraordinary leaders from coast to coast to coast. |
Join local host Emilio Ojeda every other week for the Outdoors
Northumberland County is ideal for outdoor adventures by car, boat, bike, motorcycle, skis, snowmobile, or just on foot. There is so much to see and do. Rolling hills surrounded by beautiful water make Northumberland the perfect outdoor playground.
Northumberland County has clean north shore beaches, lakes, rivers, and gentle rolling hills. It also offers:
- 37 trails that total over 1,000 km
- 15 conservation areas
- 11 golf courses
- 2 provincial parks
Four-season trails |
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The many hiking and cycling trails offer spectacular vistas of fields, lakes and hills all year round. Visit the Northumberland Tourism website for more information about local trails. |
Incredible fishing |
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Northumberland is one of the most diverse and best places to fish in Southern Ontario. The Ganaraska River in Port Hope is perfect for fly fishing for salmon or trout. Rice Lake and Lake Ontario are also famous for fishing with prize catches of bass, walleye and muskellunge. Brighton Bay and Rice Lake are known for winter ice fishing. Visit the Northumberland Tourism website for more information about local fishing. |
Outdoor fun |
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Northumberland has many opportunities for outdoor fun including hiking, birdwatching, horseback riding, mountain biking, off-road vehicle riding, hunting, Treetop Trekking, golfing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and more. Visit the Northumberland Tourism's website to learn more about outdoor adventures or watch this video to see why it's so much fun to get outside in Northumberland. |
Local nature
Plants |
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There are thousands of species of plants in Ontario. It is important to know that although you can eat some plants, many are not edible and can make you sick. Learn how to identify edible wild plants before you decide to eat them. Some plants will also cause harm to your skin. Poison ivy is a shrubby plant or climbing woody vine that is well known for its ability to cause an itchy rash. Poison ivy is a common plant found throughout Northumberland County. The leaves have three pointed leaflets and are often glossy, and the plant develops white berries that can last through the winter. An easy phrase to remember is "Leaflets three - Let it be!" Other plants that can pose a health risk or discomfort include giant hogweed, wild parsnip and nettles. Consider attending workshops and learning more about these potentially harmful plants. However, it is important to understand that many of these plants do benefit wildlife. |
Wildlife |
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You will probably encounter numerous species of wildlife in Ontario ranging from insects, reptiles, amphibians, fish, mammals and birds. Consider attending workshops to learn more about these animals. However, there are a few things to consider when dealing with wildlife. Wildlife can become a nuisance when they are no longer scared of humans. Always remember to cover your garbage to avoid unintentional feeding of wildlife. Ensure that your home is well sealed from wildlife. Squirrels, racoons and mice can do damage to your home if they live in places like attics or basements. Ontario has numerous snakes and spiders, but only a few are poisonous. The Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake, found in the Georgian Bay area, is Ontario's only venomous snake. The female black widow spider is also poisonous, and two species of the black widow spider are located in Ontario. |
Playing around water |
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When enjoying nature in or around water, remember that after a heavy rainstorm or in the spring when snow is melting, local rivers and small streams flow quickly - please keep away. In addition, rivers, streams and lakes may not freeze solid in the winter. Please check the thickness of the ice before walking or driving on it, or stay a safe distance away. |
Protecting the environment |
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There are many actions you can take to protect our local environment. Learn more from organizations such as your local conservation authorities. Consider the following actions you can take:
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Religious offerings |
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While religious offerings are not the largest source of water pollution, anything not found naturally in the river can harm water quality and the homes of wildlife. When flowers, leaves, lemons, coconuts and other plant materials are put into the water, they immediately begin to break down and use up oxygen. Some plants and animals are very sensitive to the amount of oxygen in the water and cannot survive when oxygen is depleted. Coconuts, lemons and other fruits may cause health and disease problems if eaten by wildlife. This is because these fruits do not grow in Canada and are not the typical food that wildlife in this country would eat. Clothing, jewelry, money, plastic bags, containers and wrappers may also cause harm if wildlife get caught in them or eat them. What can you do?
Plastic bags or wrappers must be recycled or placed in the garbage. |
Other helpful nature resources |