Newmarket's Famous Main St - Shopping, Services and Diverse Dining


Newmarket's Main St - Shopping, Services and Movie Star Good looks!
Main St Newmarket - Yours To Enjoy!

Admittedly I've neglected Main St Newmarket somewhat of late until nearing the Jazz + Festival when I returned again to the prodigal son, or daughter as it were. As I scoped out Main for good photo shot locations, I began to notice a few empty units from where Scotia Bank stood for many a year.

Main St's Good Vibes exclusive "Life is good" clothing
I'd already captured a number of beautiful shots - at least I like them - and was about to wrap things up and maybe head across the street to Cafe Hesed for a fast coffee before checking out the Fest, when I was stopped on the street by a gentleman seemingly unloading a wack of stuff into a store.

"Hey you're Tom right?", he said to me.

Ken Sparks'd seen me from my various video, F.B. & blog  postings and wanted to introduce himself. Turns out he and his wife own the Good Vibes franchise store there and had been commissioned to sell T-shirts for the Festival,
Good Vibes also has Jazz Festival shirts!
as well as have a booth at the 4 day event! Sweet! Good to see that kind of cooperative business going on between Main St. businesses and events, and both seem like good down to earth - Main St type people!

I recall having popped into the location when they first opened but wasn't clear on what they offered, which is an exclusive line of kids / teens/family clothes sold by "Good Vibes", featuring the "Life Is Good" line of shirts and clothing wear with their cool distinctive message logoing. I still want to have a closer look see to see why it is people travel from all hells acres to buy this line as the areas only consumer distributor for miles. The Boston based Good Vibes parent company also donates 10% to children's and youth causes which is an interesting business model. I'll be back!

Speaking of T-shirts, across the street, CanadaT.com has just expanded their printed T- Shirt selection by eliminating the sales of retro records from the store which they'd added for a spell, but which proved hard to manage - however the new array of wacky message shirts got me chuckling and thinking as well about some ideas of my own for T-shirt designs. As a visually creative and word guy, it fits me to a "T". Ha.

Glenn Wilson, spousal co-owner of CanadaT's, along with Olga, informed me that they had done some business on the Saturday during the Jazz + Festival, and, most notably, when pressed, he agreed that indeed he'd had a busier Saturday than usual and those days in general during it, so that is good. I'm sure he would still would liked to have the T-shirt printing contract for the event but I'm confident he'll be in the mix for next year now that they are a little more exited now about it's potential growth and it's longevity as an event.

Design a T Shirt for Canadat.com
T-Shirt Design Contest

Recently I watched a documentary on the origins of the printed message T-shirt. It was a fascinating history and one that inspired an idea to create a contest for designing T-shirts, and perhaps putting them for sale for the winners in a store and online as well. The good people at Custom T.com liked the idea too having thought about it before and as we talked I got excited. Hey, it doesn't take much these days! Lol. And judging by some of the outrageously talented artists in the area as witnessed at the Jazz+ Fest, there should be no shortage of entries. Stay Tuned for future Announcements and links here on this!


Other newish stores on Main, in addition to the new Comic store location, Goulash House, Hops Brew Pub and yogurt house already,  include a green scooter distributor and one place that seems to have everything including a kitchen sink!  Lol. A new Tea House featuring specialty unique teas adorns the n.w. corner of Main & Eagle beside a now available former bank location, meantime  further north on Main S a new Fish & Chips restaurant is being added to the growing mix of fantastic downtown diners!

Relocated Econo Pizza has Backdoor Patio behind Main

Main St. Newmarket now offers shopping diversity wrapped in a charm that any town would envy. And, with the addition of some more new and interesting businesses to fill up the few vacant spots with the right tenants, have all the elements for a working, productive Main St to continue attracting business from tourists and area residents to movie productions & events while also providing meaningful services and products to her patrons! I look forward to returning and spending time in some of the unique shops and maybe let you know some more. Cheers!

TP out..enjoy the pics and info!
It is not a Bar! Lol.
Arrr Billy!Ever seen a Fish?!
Your new business name here

Where's ma' Blooming Wellies!
Main St even has the kitchen sink
The real Main St scoop
Iconic Town Clock for sale
No Play for a Day or 4...Special Event Rules

Sign Me!

It's not a D.J. School!















Jazz Fest Artists like Quincy Morrison may want to design a T-Shirt
Comic Book Artist too

I must check it out!
Good Vibes at nearby Riverwalk Commons event
View from Main St. across Eagle St.
Myers Costumes need hold another Art Mural event to help rid these
CanadaT.com located on Main St
The Bank is now gone..Time for Tea?
Main St looking north
T-SHIRT Caption: I Saw Regression Made on Main St Newmarket 2014

"Like" This Bless Fest or Animals Be Damned


No animal to have blessed? No worries. Fairy Lake Park has plenty. This little guy was at the Jazz Festival!
Lately I found I'm falling into the trap of searching online for things to "hate". You make quick comments to or about complete strangers or to no one and quickly move on to the next, sometimes returning for more rebuttal hate. This person hates Jews, that person hates Palestinians, Obama, the news channel of thread they're commenting on, people's bare bellies and on! Enough! We already have enough anger! Time to dial it all down I say! That's why I created International "Like" Week.

International "Like" Week runs from whenever the person starts, to a week later, and during that time, they must only be positive, make positive comments and "like" as much as possible. If you have an opposing view on a subject you're asked to be polite and only respond in a positive manner. Think you can handle it? Ready? Go! I'll check back and let you know how it went...

That means any blogging will also have to be nice and filled with liking type wordage, so I'll certainly be careful...Comedy is okay I guess, so long as the subject " hatee' is not made the butt of it or made to look bad. Hmmm..this could take some doing.

"I had a blast at a recent Entertainers In the Park Show as there is nothing quite like watching the same tired entertainers year after year!" No, see, that would be sarcastic, so sarcasm is out. I'll try another approach on an event I might otherwise poke at. And may God bless all the the world's E.I.P. shows!
Recently I came across this fella watching me in the forest. Maybe Ill rope him in for a blessing!

Bless You!

Even if you don't have a pet, the upcoming Sept 13 event, Bless Fest ,will be blessing all animals at Fairy Lake Park, and sounds to be a fun ride - especially if you own a camel or a horse!
All animals are apparently available to be "blessed" - with everything from donkeys to oxen to monkeys having been in the past at the blessed event.

Personally, I've always wanted to Christen my gerbil..Oops..that's right, I already did that. In our toilet. Hey, it was an accident! At least I didn't try and have him circumcised!


"Don't bug me" was the implied response I got from this potential blessed creature!
The Blessings will be carried out by local Anglican Pastor, Father Gordon Sheppard, who has been doing the good Lord's work for the event since 2010 along with guest animal loving Pastors.

I found out about the Bless Fest from a food vendor, Oh My Dawgz ,who take up the spot n.w. of Mulock & Yonge St. in Newmarket during the week, and who will also be serving up their unbelievable jerk off the menu, er, I mean jerk-dogs, off their menu...Doh! Mmmm..freakin' brow sweating good though! She tells me CP24 is even coming so I know she's not dogging me!

No word whether Pastor Gordon also blesses the dead animals. Atheist animals and Vegans welcome!

Have a wonderfully blessed day..er..week...everyone!

Er, ah, one last word...Lord you know I'm joking right? So this little writing escapade won't get held against me right? Gulp. And the short spoof I did about, A Christmas Carol, counts right? Lord? Lord?!.....What about my "Like" idea?....... Uh oh! Oh Lordy...God help me!
Tom out!
Why Bless their Souls! Fairy Lake features water wild life too.
He's been barking at all his Main St neighbours about the nearby event!

Newmarket Jazz + Festival Rates A Big Plus!


KC Roberts closes out the show
Recently I attended The Newmarket Jazz + Festival, and, comparing it to the inaugural previous year, it was a much better experience, with the talent top notch! Where last year I was critical that I'd spent almost a full day attending without hearing any Jazz, this year I heard some and more, as well they were clear about it being JAZZ +, which, as a theme guy,  helped me absorb and accept other genres into a Jazz Festival.

The unique mix, from instrumentals only, to vocal bluesy acts, to experimental newish sounds was very cool to die-hard music fans like me, and judging by the crowd reaction, and that of one of the organizers, George St. Kitts, who certainly wasn't trying to hide his enthusiasm for the performers, I wasn't alone in my thinking. I had no choice but to notice St. K on occasion as he was on the 2nd stage semi-between myself and the main stage so I couldn't miss him. But that just tells me that he really enjoys the music too, and feels it, and you do indeed need that element to have a good festival - organizers looking to attain really good music - not just

"filler"  - and one that carries a vibe backed up by the hosts enthusiasm such as they showed.

George St Kitts got one too!
So great job George, himself an R&B Singer, whom I worked a gig with some years ago for Feds' United Way drive, my first gig as Elvis as I recall and I did poorly, stumbling on a lyric of a song I was using without karaoke also for the 1st time. Ha. The Elvis die-hards noticed, and I swear I heard a collective groan. I never made that mistake again. Ha. But George saved me that day as he was "spot on" and I recall him making the time to come over when we were all done and say it was pleasure working with us and enjoyed us (myself and Ayoub Beebejaun, now a Fireman in Newmarket, singing the song TPE had created and which we co-wrote, Light The Way), which I'm sure in my case, he was just being polite. Ha.

Jackie of Jackie and Kim Richardson
The Feds services raised a record $ amount that year for The United Way drive through sales of our C.D. and efforts from others like George. I would only imagine the Sheri (St Kitts) is an extension of that same character and kudos to them both for putting this together, along with their board, and  of course the grants people for making it possible. Indeed they have proven capable of putting together a credible showcase of talent. It is theirs now to shape, as they have certainly proven worthy with the opportunity given.


Picturesque Main St Newmarket
That being said, there were some minor glitches with the former Aurora Jazz Festival organizers' event which could be improved, including stage locations on Main St affecting a few businesses - mind you adjustments were made for Sunday - and some audio issues on occasion, with some delay between acts at times that could have been filled with recorded music meantime and piped out through the house system - especially through the rain delays. And it still feels a little confining at times at R.W.C., but , as I say, the music on this day was top notch, with a couple local performers even amongst the band members, and, by adding  visual artists, they created atmosphere in a positive way. And being Jazz + totally within theme still! The outdoor activity & kids areas for performers were nice.. until it rained...so a back up plan perhaps also be a future board consideration. Maybe lose the karaoke-like feature on Main too as it cheapens it a bit, and add a true
marquis, name performer.


Artist Quincy Morrison had some cool stuff
I checked in with some of the shops on nearby Main St and the ones I'd spoke with had busier days than most during the event - particularly hospitality establishments and retail outlets. Some were utilized in some form by the festival organizers which was good and I'd like to see more of that - using local wherever possible - so Newmarket businesses also profit. After all someone does make money here! And Businesses shouldn't be shy about wanting some nor organizers about assisting to that end..


Suspended Play on Main St
Artist Nikita Persa makes Wildflower Art
The year we held our Annual Youth Road Hockey Event on Main St, we had performers set up not only on the street, but stationed inside the hospitality houses, and maybe that is an area that can be worked on for next year as well which will help keep out-of-towners engaged. Cafe Hesed for example has a piano in it already, so it would be easy to set them up with a daily performance etc. All the bars, cafes, and restaurants should be involved where possible, and if it was me as an owner I'd be booking performers in anyway and opening my bar until 2 am! Don't wait for nearby events to include you - show an interest and willingness and I'm sure they will.

TPE as an entertainment and promo production specialist for film/ video / live production and online optimization and have organized shows for events as large as Canada's largest convention center in Toronto, originally would have loved the opportunity to put on a Jazz Festival, and had actually considered it years ago when after my first ever Yuk Yuks performance I'd met Pianist / Composer Ken Skinner of The Jazz Mongers (Marooned etc) - who happens to be the God Son of Oscar Peterson's brother Chuck, and studied under Daisy  Sweeney, Oscar's sister, who asked me to look into it. His father Kenny Sr. was also a pianist playing with Charlie Biddle, Dougie Richardson, Nelson Symonds  Ken kept repeating the terms new market as if it were an omen as I recall and he was truly exited - a man who'd also lead a hard life I think, and looking for a rainbow... maybe re-find a lost passion.

Don't shoot!
We became friends then and my kids came with me for dinner at he and his wife's place ( was single Dad ) and we discussed some ideas, but at the time we had not the Riverwalk Commons in Newmarket, theorizing perhaps Fairy Lake Park for host site and so the idea kind of died but I always thought it would work in New Market. Ken was right after all!

Now he'd be a good fit for Cafe Hesed - located on Main St and already equipped with a piano - so maybe I'll just inject myself next year by setting up performers in the local Main St. venues need be! Ha...

There are a few empty spaces on Main that'll likely fill up before next year, including a new fish house, and I'm sure the now empty bank will find a tenant by then, and, together with the already good mix of quirky businesses and delicious eatery's, with options to sit in or quick bite on site and mixed with visual beauty of main St., you have all the elements for an event such as this to grow!

Overall though, definitely a good job with perhaps some overkill on the advertising - reduce that and maybe turn some volunteers into paid labour instead - after all isn't there a non-profit / give back element cause for all this too?

Build it and they will come.

TP's rating an A minus!
Check out more pics from this event on the
TPE Production's FB Page.

TP out!
More Quincy Morrison Art

A Place to unwind on Main St!

Sultans of String
Good Vibes got good vibes from the Jazz+ Fest selling their T-shirts

 T-shirts sold on Main St during !
Joy Lapps