WHAM – Swords and Plowshares
Runs until February 28, 2025
Critical to Canada’s war effort was the battle on the “Industrial Front” fought by the factories of the nation and no manufacturer modeled this better than the Cockshutt Plow Company.
The Waterford Heritage & Agricultural Museum in partnership with the Canadian Industrial Heritage Centre presents Swords & Plowshares Revisited to highlight the contributions of the Cockshutt Plow Co. and the Cockshutt family in three distinct periods of world conflict. With a Second World War workforce comprised largely of women, their products served in the farmer’s field, the battlefield, and took flight in combat.
Admission by donation.
NCA – Norfolk Old Boys and Girls’ Reunion: 100 Years
Runs until May 2025
On September 6, 1923, Town of Simcoe Council started the discussions around organizing an Old Boys and Girls’ Reunion, sometimes referred to as ‘Old Home Week’. By October 4, 1924 an Old Boys’ Executive Committee was established and several other sub-committees were formed to plan for the event, including a Finance Committee, Reception Committee, Music Committee, Decoration Committee and 5 other committees. In the 1924 budget, the Town of Simcoe Council pledged $2000 to the committee to support the reunion.
PDHM – Netting the Waters
FEB 19 – APR 19
Daryl Granger’s feature-length film about Port Dover’s commercial fishing fleet will be screening on a continuous loop at the Port Dover Harbour
Museum this winter along with a display of behind-the-scenes photos.
Spending months on the lake in local fish tugs, Daryl’s film provides never-before-seen access to the work of our local fishermen and women – from setting out early in the morning to production and retail at the end of the line. This film saw numerous sold-out screenings at the Strand Theatre in Simcoe, and the museum is proud to show it for the first time in Port Dover. This film is a RoseLe Studio Production.
PDHM – Norfolk’s Stories in Stitches
MAY 1 – JUL 1, 2025
For centuries the traditional products of a woman’s life – the children they bore, the food they prepared, the clothing they made – were ephemeral; the children grew up, the food was consumed, the clothing was worn, then worn out, and finally discarded. One significant exception to this was the historical samplers and fancy needlework they created. These samplers were highly valued. They were meant to be displayed and passed down through generations.
Today, these samplers are considered both works of art and important pieces of the historical record stitched on cloth. Norfolk’s Stories in Stitches will showcase 19th and 20th century samplers from Norfolk County Heritage & Culture’s collection and examine what these textiles can tell us about the lives of the girls and women who made them.
DTMHC – What’s the Alternative?
MAY – DEC
The sandy soil that is ideal for flue-cured tobacco also lends itself well to a plethora of other crops. The decline in tobacco production and the shift to alternative crops in recent years has made Norfolk County one of the most diverse agricultural areas in Canada. This new exhibit explores the transition from tobacco to crops like lavender, ginseng, and many others that make Norfolk “Ontario’s Garden.”
WHAM – Textile Tenacity
JUN 25 – SEP 27
Quilting is often thought of as a nostalgic hobby with a homey purpose. The truth is far more complicated. Quilts have been used for fundraising purposes for over a century. The funds that community quilting projects have raised have helped to build churches, equip hospitals and win wars. This exhibition explores this other purposeful side of quilting and the tenacity women show by raising money through crafts when their community is in need.
PDHM – Dover Ducks
JUL 10 – NOV 10
Learn about Port Dover decoy carver Thurcil Church and the importance of decoy carvers in Norfolk County.
DTMHC – Delhi’s Team Takes the Lead: Norfolk’s Golden Era of Bike Racing
SEP – DEC
Bikes blaze around the track at an astonishing 70 km per hour and a 55-degree angle as they navigate the corners of the Delhi velodrome. Local cyclists had one of the most modern indoor circuits in the province and it was built by one of its own. Albert Coulier went on to build tracks around the world and raced in his fair share. This new exhibit explores Norfolk’s champions, builders, and innovators in a sport not for the faint of heart.
WHAM – Leaving Their Mark: Folk Artists of Norfolk
NOV 29, 2025 – MAR 15, 2026
Folk art has come to represent the storied identity of the everyday person – from the people, to the people. The naivety, in various forms and functions, is captivating, as are the makers. Leaving Their Mark showcases two centuries of diverse and notable folk art through a comprehensive assembly of uniquely Norfolk pieces.