☀️ Hello Norfolk! ☀️

From wings and quilts to karaoke, glow paddles, and even a crawfish boil 🦀 — this week is stacked. Add in live music all over the county 🎶, the launch of our brand-new website 🌐, and a look back at the roots of Canadian conservation 🌲… and you’ve got yourself a classic Insider lineup.

Let’s dive in 👇

-Brad

PS. If you enjoy reading the Insider each week, would you mind sharing with your friends (and enemies?). I can offer you good Karma, and a personal thanks from myself.

WEBSITE

🌐 The Insider Has a New Home Online!

We’ve got exciting news — The Norfolk Insider now has its very own website: www.norfolkinsider.ca 🎉

Until now, you had to wait for Thursdays to get your Insider fix. Not anymore. Our new site features a live list of local events, so you can see what’s happening across Norfolk anytime you want.

But that’s just the beginning. The website will also house past and current editions of our newsletter, and soon it will grow into something even bigger — a hub for local journalism, poetry, stories, spotlights on Norfolk businesses, local history, and more.

This is your one-stop shop for staying connected to Norfolk County, whether you’re looking for a night out, a great read, or a story that brings our community to life.

👉 Check it out today: www.norfolkinsider.ca

CONTRIBUTE

✍️ Calling All Citizen Journalists!

Do you have a story to tell? 🎤📸🎶

The Insider is opening the door to local voices of all kinds. We’re looking for citizen journalists — people just like you — to share what’s happening in Norfolk.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve never written an article before. You don’t need to be a “professional.” If you’ve got a story, we want to hear it.

👉 Cover an event in your town.
👉 Share a cool piece of local history.
👉 Spotlight a musician, artist, or neighbour doing something inspiring.
👉 Send us words, photos, or even video — it all counts.

Your stories will be featured right here in The Insider and on our website, giving your voice a platform across Norfolk County.

If you’d like to be part of shaping the stories our community sees, send your submissions today — and become part of the team bringing Norfolk to life. 🌟

FORESTRY

🌲🌍 The Roots of Canadian Conservation: St. Williams Forestry Station

Once upon a time, parts of Norfolk County looked more like a desert 🏜️ than a farm belt. By the late 1800s, years of over-farming and logging had stripped the sandy soil bare. The result? Blowing sand dunes 🌬️ that swallowed crops 🌾, ruined farms 🚜, and left families struggling to survive.

In 1908, a bold idea took root 🌱: the creation of the St. Williams Forestry Station — Canada’s very first reforestation project 🍁. Its mission was simple but revolutionary: grow millions of seedlings 🌳🌲 and replant the devastated land. Pines, spruces, and hardwoods slowly replaced the drifting sands, stabilizing the soil and giving new life to Norfolk’s landscape 🌿.

The project worked so well ✅ that the St. Williams nursery became a national model, supplying trees across Ontario 🍁 and inspiring similar efforts around the world 🌎. Norfolk County, once broken by sand, became the proud birthplace of Canadian conservation forestry 🌟.

Today, the legacy lives on in the St. Williams Conservation Reserve 🌳🐍🦎, home to rare species like the Eastern Foxsnake 🐍, Five-lined Skink 🦎, and native prairie grasses 🌾🌸. It’s a living reminder that sometimes the best way to move forward… is to plant roots 🌱❤️.

HAPPENINGS

TO ADD YOUR EVENT CLICK HERE

Thursday September 18th

🍗 Wing Night | Simcoe Army, Navy, Air Force Club | 4pm - 7pm | Dine In/Take Out/Phone for Pick Up before 6:30pm (519-426-9768). 1lb Wings with a generous portion of fries, onion rings or 1/2 & 1/2 for $14.00. 1lb Wings $12.00, Sides $4.00. Bar is open regular hours | More 
*Correction from last week

🍂Fall Craft Class | Lasalette Historic Church and Community Hall | 7pm - 9pm | 4 crafts to choose from | Must register first - details HERE

🦀Crawfish Boil | Turkey Point Hotel | 5pm - 10pm | Call 519-426-6236 during business hours to reserve your table | A lakeside feast you won't forget | More

🍄Monthly Meeting | Grace United Church Port Dover | 7pm | Port Dover and Woodhouse Horticultural Society | Presentation of awards, prizes from the flower show, and a talk on Fungi by Leanne Leimach

Friday September 19th

🧵Heritage Quilt Show | Woodhouse United Church | 10am - 4pm | Special feature of three signature quilts from 1903, WW1 and WW2 | By donation | More

🎱Family and Friends Bingo | Rosewood Senior Living | 6:30pm - 8pm | Bring your lucky charms and your best bingo spirit

📽️ Family Fun Movie Night | Grace United Community Hall Port Dover | 7pm | Featuring: Billy and Molly: a heartwarming film about a man and an otter |

🎤Crappy Karaoke | Frisky Beaver | 6pm - 9pm | Bring a friend and sing! | More

🎶The Hip Experience | Capitol 33 | 8:30pm | Come see a Tragically Hip tribute | Tickets

🛼Roller Derby Opening Night Skate | Simcoe Recreation Centre | 6pm - 10pm | More

🛶 Sunset Glow Paddles | Newfie Nautical Tours | 7:30pm - 10pm | Paddle, glow, make friends, laugh | Register

♠️Catch The Ace | Simcoe Legion | 4:30pm - 7:30pm | Ace currently worth over $7000 | Supporting The Norfolk Haldimand Hospice, the Norfolk General Hospital Foundation & Rotary Scholarships for Norfolk Youth | More

🎤Karaoke | Barnyard Patio and Pub | 7:30pm | Grab a bite, then grab the mic | More

Saturday September 20th

🧵Heritage Quilt Show | Woodhouse United Church | 10am - 4pm | Special feature of three signature quilts from 1903, WW1 and WW2 | By donation

🍾Waterford Lions Bottle Drive | Waterford Foodland | 10am - 2pm | Support kids sports - bring your empties | More

💃Footloose on the big screen | Strand Theatre | 4:15pm | Come out and see Footloose the way it was meant to be seen | More

🍂 Fall Vendor Sale | Vittoria Community Centre | 10am - 3pm | 40+ vendors showcasing their work | More

🎶Old Friends: The songs of Simon and Garfunkel | Waterford Old Town Hall | 7:30pm | Experience the soaring harmonies, beautiful guitar playing and lyrics of one of the most celebrated vocal duos of all time | More

🌊BeBot Waste Cleanup | Long Point Provincial Park | 10am - 1pm | Looking for volunteers to help clean up the beach | More

🍎Norfolk Applefest | Argyle Street Simcoe | 10am - 3pm | Local vendors, family activities, food, music | More

🪴Plant Sale | Silver Lake Pavilion | 8am - Noon | Hosted by Port Dover and Woodhouse Horticultural Society | Beautiful selection of healthy plants

Sunday September 21st

🍳All You Can Eat Brunch | Army Navy Air Force Club Simcoe | 9am - 1pm | Eggs, bacon, pancakes, juice, coffee | Adults $15.00 Children $8.00 Children under the age of 5 Free

🍂Fall Fest | Long Point Eco Adventures | 12pm - 7pm | Live music, vendor market, scavenger hunt with prizes | More

⛺️Adult Day Camp | Homegrown Hideaway | 1pm | Have a blast doing some wild and wacky Camp-style activities | REWIND to your childhood | More

🚶Kidney Walk | Port Rowan at the Wetlands | Registration at 11am - walk starts at Noon | Sponsor a walker or create your own team visit kidneywalk.ca | Long Point Lioness and Lions Clubs are assisting with this event

🐕️Kin Community Dog Park Grand Opening | 80 Industrial Road Delhi |10am - 12pm | Come celebrate this new space for our community’s dogs to run, play, and make new friends |

Monday September 22nd

🚗Show and Shine | Silver Lake Park | 4pm to dusk | Music, cars, food and more

🎱Bingo | Simcoe Legion | 5pm - 9pm | $1000 jackpot | Over $3500 in prizes | 50/50 draw | Doors at 5:00, early bird games at 6:30 and main games at 7 | More

🛶Free Summer Social Paddles | Newfie Nautical Tours | 6pm | Where paddleboarding meets community | Register

🌑 New Moon Circle | Port Dover | 6pm | Join a Fireside Circle and learn about the New Moon Themes for the month ahead | Ancient greeks, Oracle Cards and Amazing Souls | Contact [email protected] for more info

Tuesday September 23rd

🎱Boccia Try It Event | Simcoe Senior’s Centre | 5pm - 7pm | Learn about the sport and give it a try | Free to attend | More

Wednesday September 24th

🎯 Summer Darts | Delhi Legion | 7pm - 11pm | Don’t miss

🍖Roast Beef Dinner | Simcoe Legion | 5pm - 7pm |

❓️Team Trivia Night | Simcoe Legion | 7pm - 11pm | Cash prize!

LIVE MUSIC

Friday September 19th

🎶 David’s | Manning & the Vook | 6pm
🎶 211 Main | Adam Ostrosser | 7:30pm
🎶Sandbar on the Beach | Dopplegangers | 6pm

Saturday September 20th

🎶Simcoe Legion | Ron Robertson Band | 7pm
🎶Waterford Old Town Hall | Old friends: Simon and Garfunkel | 7:30 | Tickets
🎶 211 Main | Shari & Jonny | 7:30pm
🎶 Schofield’s | Bryan Frid | 6pm
🎶 Barn Yard Patio and Pub | Felcia McMinn | 7pm
🎶 Tipsy Pirate | Indebt | 8pm

Sunday September 21st

🎶Delhi Legion | Honey Static | 2pm
🎶Frisky Beaver | Brad Hails | 1pm
🎶Dover Legion | Albatross | 2pm

Tuesday September 23rd

🎶Lounge 33 | Felicia McMinn | 7pm

Wednesday September 24th

🎶211 Main | Felicia McMinn | 8pm

WEATHER

Thursday High 27°C 🌡️ Low 13°C 🌦️ 
Friday High 21°C 🌡️ Low 12°C ☀️ 
🌡️ View current weather HERE 
🚗 Check out local gas prices HERE

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