muST DO

A highly selective guide to the picks of the season.

must experience

Learn, heal, shop, recharge, explore and be pampered as you get back in touch with the elements of nature at A Weekend in the Woods on August 16 and 17. Creative self-discovery is the theme of this not-for-profit event where guests are invited to experience everything from acupuncture, massage, yoga and Reiki to past-life regressions and music by award-winning musician and composer Michael Moon.

The event takes place in the heart of Hockley Valley. Day and weekend passes, as well as overnight packages, are available. Early-bird prices are in effect until July 23. To find out more, call 519-943-1490 or visit www.weekendinthewoods.com.

Sir Frederick Banting, January 1936

must volunteer

As the clock ticks down toward opening day of the Toronto 2015 Pan Am/Para Pan Am Games next July, the excitement is building. And when the equestrian events get underway at the newly renovated Caledon Pan Am Equestrian Park in Palgrave, the Headwaters region will be squarely in the spotlight.

Some 20,000 volunteers are needed to help things run smoothly for the 7,000 athletes and 250,000 visitors to arrive for the Games. Thousands of volunteers have already signed up to play a role in the biggest sporting event ever to take place in the GTA – and you can too.

For information about volunteering and to fill out the volunteer application form, log on to www.toronto2015.org and click on “Join In.”

must visit

The doors of the renovated Banting homestead in Alliston are now open to visitors. Frederick Banting, co-discoverer of insulin and co-winner of the 1923 Nobel Prize in Medicine, was born on the 107- acre property which is now owned by the town of New Tecumseth and named Banting Homestead Heritage Park in his honour.

The house and outbuildings are operated as an interpretive and education centre by the Sir Frederick Banting Legacy Foundation, which helped spearhead the campaign to preserve this important link to Canadian and world history. Fascinating exhibits showcase the discovery of insulin, which has saved countless people with diabetes from certain death, as well as Banting-related artifacts and memorabilia and information on managing the chronic disease.

Buildings on the site at 5116 Sir Frederick Banting Road are open until November 4 on Tuesdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on the first and third weekends of the month – Saturdays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays 1 to 4 p.m. Admission is free, though donations to the Banting Legacy Foundation are appreciated. For information, call 705-440-7126 or go to www.bantinglegacy.ca.

William Avery “Billy” Bishop poses with his must laugh and cry aircraft in August 1917. Here is a chance to enjoy a play that has become a Canadian classic. Billy Bishop Goes to War, the alternately hilarious and poignant tale of Canada’s legendary World War I flying ace, has delighted audiences and critics alike since it opened in 1978. Through story and song, the two-hander recounts Bishop’s story from his humble beginnings to his glory days as a military hero and beyond.

Director Danny Harvey’s production of the award-winning play, written by John Gray in collaboration with Eric Peterson, will be mounted at the Rose Studio Theatre in Brampton between July 4 and 19. Performances take place from Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Saturday matinees start at 2 p.m. Tickets are $32 and can be ordered online at www.rosetheatre.ca or by calling 905-874-2800.

must savour

Enjoy a family afternoon in the country on Sunday, August 24, when Landman Gardens and Bakery stages Savour Fair, a celebration of local food and art. Sample food from local chefs, farms and producers, visit farm animals, and take in the art bazaar, farmers’ market and kids’ games.

Proceeds from the event, which takes place from 1 to 4 p.m., will help support local post-secondary students who are studying agriculture.

Tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for children and $60 for families. The Landman farm is located just north of Grand Valley. For information, call 519938-6163 or go to www.landmangardens.ca.