Ribfest Returns This Weekend

Heard of padel? It’s one of the coolest, fastest-growing racquet sports in the world, and you can try it at Blue Zone Courts in Burlington.

Think of it as a fun, lively mix of tennis and squash. It’s played doubles on a turf court smaller than a tennis court, surrounded by glass walls. You can play the ball off the glass to keep rallies going longer and more fun. It’s a great workout, but easier on the body. And because it’s doubles, it’s naturally social.

No wonder Leo Messi, David Beckham, Eva Longoria and Rafa Nadal are hooked.

Try it and see why! For just $59, our Blue Zone Starter includes a one-hour introductory group lesson, 2 Beginner Play sessions and racquet rental.

Never played a racquet sport? No worries. We’ll help you learn. Already play tennis or squash? You’ll pick it up fast. Bring a partner or come on your own, and we’ll pair you up.

Discover your new favourite sport today!

✉️ [email protected]
📞 905-582-3600

Burlington's Ribfest is back at Spencer Smith Park for its 30th year, running Sept. 4 to 7 with 16 rib teams and around 150,000 people expected over the long weekend.

The festival started in 1996 after two Rotary Club members stumbled across a small barbecue event during a U.S. cycling trip and wondered if it would work here. That first year raised maybe $700. Three decades later, Ribfest has donated more than $6.5 million to local charities like the Burlington Food Bank and Carpenter Hospice, all without government funding.

Gates open at 11 a.m. Friday through Monday, with live music all weekend. Entry is $4, with discounts for seniors and teens, and free for kids 12 and under.

Gregory Waters, known for his roles in Letterkenny, Murdoch Mysteries, and Transplant, is joining Burlington's Kitchen Sink Collective this fall for a 10-show run of John Osborne's 1956 play Look Back in Anger.

The play follows Jimmy Porter, a young man lashing out against the unfairness of the world in what was, at the time, a radical shift toward raw working-class realism on stage. Waters said the character speaks to modern discontent in ways that feel just as relevant now as they did 70 years ago.

Performances run at West Plains United Church from September 24 to October 4, with shows at 8 p.m. most nights and matinees on select days. Tickets are $30.

Fare evasion penalties on GO Transit and UP Express are about to get a lot more expensive. Starting Sept. 8, a first offence jumps from $35 to $200, an increase of $165, or about 471 per cent.

Under the new escalating fine structure from Metrolinx, second offences will carry a $300 fine, third offences $400, and fourth offences $500. A fifth offence triggers a Provincial Offence Notice, and a sixth or subsequent offence could land riders in court facing fines up to $1,000.

The agency says the steeper penalties are meant to strengthen fare enforcement and protect the sustainability of the transit system. Riders using PRESTO, credit, or debit need to tap on before boarding and tap off at the end of the trip.

🛍 Burlington Centre Undergoes Major Mall Renovations

🛣 Three Niagara Bound Skyway Lanes Closing Nightly

🩺 Oakville Hospital Begins Major Expansion For Rising Demand

The Burlington Oldtimers Hockey Club handed Carpenter Hospice a $30,000 cheque on Thursday, the single largest donation in the club's 51-year history.

Over the last two decades, the league has raised a quarter of a million dollars for charity through an annual golf tournament, barbecues, 50/50 draws, and individual member donations. The club has more than 1,200 players across 48 teams.

Before the presentation, board members and employees at Carpenter faced off against club members in an NHL All-Star-style target shooting challenge in the hospice parking lot, decorated with chalk to look like a small rink. Team Carpenter won 19-14.

Carpenter Hospice serves about 200 families a year and runs on a $2 million annual budget, with government funding covering roughly half.

If you've been meaning to visit the Royal Botanical Gardens this summer, you've got one week left to use the Canada Strong Pass. The federal discount program wraps up one week from now on September 7.

Kids 17 and under get in free, and young adults 18 to 24 pay half price for daytime admission to all open garden areas, including RBG's summer art exhibit ANCHORBALL: A Curious Art Journey. The discount applies automatically when you buy tickets.

It's a last-chance family outing before the school year picks up.

Monday, August 31
🌦️ Showers
High: 24°C | Low: 20°C

Tuesday, September 1
🌦️ Chance of showers
High: 30°C | Low: 19°C

Wednesday, September 2
🌦️ Chance of showers
High: 29°C | Low: 17°C

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~ Nick