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June 2024

Celebrate Local Food Week With These Must-Try Restaurants For Local Food Lovers

Durham is home to some of the best farmland in Ontario and has hundreds of producers who supply kitchens across the region with incredible produce, meat, and other products like maple syrup and cider.

Feast On® is a certification program that recognizes restaurants and purveyors who have demonstrated their commitment to using local ingredients on their menus and in their offerings. Managed by the Culinary Tourism Alliance, the Feast On® certification makes it easier for food lovers to find and support local food. It is a celebration of Ontario grown food and drink and a badge of honour for those who are certified.

In celebration of Local Food Week, Durham’s Feast On® certified restaurants and purveyors have shared dishes that highlight the use of local ingredients.

Discover delicious local dishes

The Ultimate Guide To Food Truck Season In Durham Region

It's foodie season in Durham Region! And luckily for you—and your tastebuds—there's good food around every corner. If you’ve been counting down the days until food truck festivals and ribfests are back, then you've come to the right spot. Whether it's fresh Feast On® certified pizza or tasty tacos that you're after, you're bound to come across some delicious food truck finds while exploring Durham Region.

Find everything from delicious street fare, roadside pit stops perfect for any craving, and foodie fanatic events that are all about the eats.

Explore food truck eats

Celebrate Recreation And Parks Month With These Picture-Perfect Picnics

June is Recreation and Parks Month, and there is no better way to experience Durham’s parks than grabbing some delicious food and dining al fresco.

From catching the sunset at tranquil lakeside beaches to playgrounds that have kids asking for five more minutes of playtime, this list covers all of Durham Region.

P.S. Durham Region’s eight municipalities are celebrating Recreation and Parks Month by hosting a giveaway. Learn how you can enter for a chance to win a bicycle!

Enjoy picture-perfect picnics

Summer Fun In Durham Region

Enjoy Big Theatre And Small Town Hospitality In Port Perry This Summer

Now 10 years old, Theatre on the Ridge presents plays beneath its stage canopy tent, accompanied by the soft glow of the stage lights and the setting sun. If you’ve yet to visit its rural setting on the grounds of the Scugog Shores Museum—just minutes east of Port Perry’s walkable hub of shops and culinary offerings—you’re in for a delightfully fresh experience this summer. Mark your calendars from June 13 to August 24 for three hilarious productions filled with laughter, music and Shakespearean mayhem.

Plan your trip to the theatre

Dog-Friendly Things To Do In Durham Region

With the weather heating up, it’s time to get outdoors and enjoy the sunshine! And if you have a dog—and the guilt of leaving them home alone while you’re out and about is sinking in—then this is your blog.

Big or small, short-haired or shaggy, your four-legged friend is part of the family. So why not plan a dog-friendly vacation that’s only a short drive from Toronto? From canine activity parks to pet boutiques, pet-friendly patios and even, dog-themed events, Durham Region is a great location for doggie day trips.

Discover doggone fun

Second Marsh Is An Ideal Spot for Newcomers To Birdwatching

“I often find myself looking for reasons to escape the never-ending “buzz” of my life in busy Toronto and explore incredible nature destinations in neighbouring Durham Region. Second Marsh in Oshawa was recently brought to my attention as somewhere with great trails, beautiful landscapes, and a wonderful place to spot wildlife—particularly birds.

So, I figured, "why not" try out birdwatching? Second Marsh is a 137-hectare coastal wetland in southeast Oshawa, Ontario. The combination of Second Marsh with the adjacent areas of McLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve and Darlington Provincial Park represents nearly 400 hectares, one of the largest publicly accessible waterfront spaces in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).”

Read the full blog by Erin Horrocks- Pope

Mark Your Calendars

Don't miss Springtide Music Festival with headliners Begonia, MONOWHALES, and Good Lovelies in Uxbridge! From June 6 to 8, enjoy this annual three-day celebration of community and music, featuring more than 60 Canadian acts in a variety of venues. Grab your tickets now! Learn more about Springtide Music Festival.

Don’t miss a whole weekend’s worth of delicious food! Save the dates for Bowmanville’s Rockin’ Ribs & Brews from June 7 to 9, and celebrate dad for Father’s Day at the Pickering Rotary Ribfest and Uxbridge Ribfest from June 14 to 16. Find more about upcoming food truck events.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the highly anticipated Oshawa Peony Festival is back at Oshawa Valley Botanical Gardens on June 8 and 9! Enjoy an artisan market, children's activities, delicious food, live entertainment, and a judged peony competition featuring breathtaking blooms. Learn more about the Oshawa Peony Festival.

Celebrate Father’s Day weekend at Durham Region’s Doors Open event on June 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy free, in-person family fun at sites across Durham. Go behind the scenes at one of our Works facilities or visit Regional Headquarters for face-painting, ice cream, a vehicle and equipment display including an ambulance, a waste collection truck and traffic lights, and more! Learn more about Doors Open and to register for tours.

Save the date for Oshawa Fiesta Week! From June 16 to 22, join the Oshawa Folk Arts Council (OFAC) in celebrating 50 years of Fiesta Week in Oshawa and Durham Region at the annual celebration of culture and food! Learn more about OFAC and Oshawa Fiesta Week.

Join Applewood Farm and Winery for its Strawberry Social on June 22! Kick off the start of strawberry season with a glass of strawberry cider, its award-winning strawberry rhubarb wine, its newest strawberry liqueur, a selection of strawberry- themed sweets, and strawberry picking for the whole family to enjoy. Learn more about upcoming events at Applewood.

Explore more upcoming events in Durham Region

Page’s Platefuls: Spicy Beer Braised Brisket Sandwich

The month of June finally brings long warm days, farmer’s markets bursting with fresh local produce, a return to the grill, and—of course—a day to celebrate all of the dads out there! This month Chef Alex Page features two of his all-time favourite places to shop here at home in Durham Region—Trading Post Quality Foods and Town Brewery.

When thinking about the ultimate Father’s Day recipe, a dish featuring smoked meat and cold beer came to mind: the Spicy Beer Braised Brisket Sandwich.

Purchase some pre-smoked and sliced brisket from the Trading Post, and simmer that in pale ale from Town Brewery until it falls apart. Scoop your meat on a sesame bun, top it with whiskey cheddar, pile high with potato chips, and there you have it—some happy dads!

View the full recipe

Local Business Highlights

Town Brewery’s Pump House is back for its second season at the Whitby waterfront! Enjoy multiple beers on draught—as well as a nice variety of wine, canned cocktails and non-alcoholic options—and a food truck on site serving a mix of wood-fired pizza, sandwiches and apps. The waterfront beer garden will be open summer weekends, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., as well as all holiday Mondays. Plan your visit to Pump House.

According to blogTO, three Ontario destinations were crowned among Canada’s best ‘hidden gems’ and guess who made the list? Parkwood Estate National Historic Site in Oshawa! During the summer months, guests can book from a variety of tours, enjoy a delicious meal at the Tea House Restaurant, and explore 11 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens. Plan your visit to one of Canada's best hidden gems!

Congratulations to Urban Pantry in Uxbridge for making OpenTable’s list of Ontario’s top 50 brunch restaurants! As a Feast On® certified restaurant, this contemporary Canadian, farm-to-table establishment serves locally-sourced and sustainable dishes in a mix of casual and fine dining. Dine with them indoors or on their beautiful outdoor patio this summer. Learn more about Urban Pantry.