Lots of photos were taken at the recent Mildmay-Carrick Fall Fair with this sign painted by Sarah Stuy and Angela Schumacher featuring, Welcome to Mildmay in the Heart of Carrick, the proud home of Owen Reigling. Mildmay Ambassador of the Fair contestants Rachel, Jenna and Paige took advantage of the chance for a photo op. The sign was painted for Music in the Fields in Lucknow, Ontario where Reigling officially autographed it. It was then brought the Mildmay Fall Fair and also made an appearance the Mildmay Sacred Heart Parish Bazaar on Sept. 10.
Mildmay native Owen Riegling has been nominated for five 2025 Canadian Country Music Association Awards.
(Midwestern Newspapers file photo)
Mildmay native in the mix for Entertainer of the Year
MIDWESTERN NEWSPAPERS STAFF
TORONTO – Owen Riegling is headed back to the red carpet.
The Mildmay native is nominated in five categories for the 2025 Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Awards.
The CCMA announced award nominees on June 17, with Riegling in the mix for:
– Fans’ Choice Award presented by Bud Light, Entertainer of the Year;
– Ford F-150 Album of the Year;
– Songwriter(s) of the Year presented by SOCAN (Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada); and
– Single of the Year.
The 26-year-old singer/songwriter has experienced a meteoric rise to the top of the nation’s country music scene. He offered a shout-out to his fans in a Facebook post following the CCMA announcement
“It’s truly a blessing to get to do this and I take none of it for granted. It’s never been about recognition or awards it’s always been about the music and my connection with you guys. Thanks for sticking with me on this ride,” he stated.
Hosted by comedian, actor and cultural icon Tom Green, the 2025 CCMA Awards will broadcast live on CTV on Sept. 13 from Prospera Place, in Kelowna, BC.
The latest CCMA nominations come on the heels of a successful night for Riegling at the CMA Ontario awards on June 1, in Hamilton, where he picked up five awards including:
– Single of the Year: For his song Moonshines;
– Album of the Year: For his album Bruce County;
– Songwriter of the Year: For Moonshines;
– Male Artist of the Year; and
– Fan’s Choice.
At the 2024 CCMA awards, Riegling was nominated in four categories, winning in two, Breakthrough Artist or Group of the Year and Songwriter of the Year. The Songwriter of the Year award was for his song Old Dirt Roads. He was also nominated for Entertainer of the Year and Male Artist of the Year.
In what was a very busy year for the entertainer in 2024, he also performed at the Grey Cup in Vancouver on Nov. 17.
Riegling is currently on a cross-Canada tour that includes upcoming Ontario appearances at the Boots and Hearts Music Festival in Oro Station on Aug. 9 and Lucknow’s Music in the Fields festival on Aug. 22.
TEESWATER – Guests gathered among blooming lavender fields and live music on the evening of July 13 as Flavours of South Bruce returned for its fourth year at Essentially Lavender in Teeswater.
Organized by Explore the Bruce, the event being designed to show off local businesses and encourage residents and visitors to shop within the South Bruce region. From catering to entertainment and venue, all event components were sourced from within the area.
“The importance for this, I would say, is highlighting our businesses,” said Rhonda Niesen, economic development officer for South Bruce and chair of South Bruce Tourism. “That’s the reason why we decided to do it, to promote shopping local and using the businesses we do have.”
The evening included a catered dinner under the sun provided by Harley’s Pub and Perk of Mildmay, featuring a variety of appetizers such as sausages and fruit tarts. Guests were also offered lemonade and flavoured water to help stay cool in the summer heat.
Performing for the crowd were local musician Matt Chittick and the Huron Harp School.
“Anything that’s needed, from rentals to food to entertainment to catering — all of that you can do right here in South Bruce,” said Niesen. “You don’t have to go out of the area to do so.”
Attendees were invited to explore the grounds of Essentially Lavender at their own pace, taking self-guided tours through rows of lavender, wildflowers and pollinator gardens. The farm, known for its handcrafted essential oils and bath products, also houses an active aviary, where bees pollinate the fields and contribute to on-site honey production. The experience gave guests a firsthand look at the agriculture of the region.
Now in its fourth year, Flavours of South Bruce continues to grow in attendance and scope.
With increasing interest in farm-to-table experiences and rural tourism, Explore the Bruce and South Bruce Tourism hope events like Flavours of South Bruce will continue to draw attention to the local talent, products and spaces that make the area unique.
FORMOSA – Community members from across Bruce and Grey counties gathered in Formosa on June 28 to celebrate the official kickoff for the 2026 International Plowing Match (IPM), which will be held on Lang Farms, just west of Walkerton.
Hosted by the Formosa Lions at the Formosa Recreation Centre, the kickoff dinner and dance marked the beginning of a year-long countdown to the province’s largest agricultural showcase. The 2026 IPM will run from Sept. 22 to 26, and take place at the corner of Bruce Road 3 and Concession 2 – about five miles west of Walkerton.
This will be the fourth time Bruce County will host the IPM and marks 50 years since it was first held locally in 1976.
“There’s something for everybody there, from cottages to homeowners, and of course, farmers,” said IPM Chair Gord Lang.
The kickoff event included live music by Lulu’s Roadhouse Band, line dancing, mystery bag auctions, and a dinner catered by Harley’s of Mildmay. Eventgoers also had the chance to purchase official IPM 2026 merchandise, with proceeds supporting planning efforts for next year’s match.
Both Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson and Brockton Mayor Chris Peabody attended the celebration. The 2026 event will have significance to local communities, who will welcome visitors and tourism from across the country and beyond.
“We’re going to have close to 1,200 volunteers, and we’ll be hosting world-class plowmen from all over the world,” said Gord Lang. “Everything from horse to tractor plowing.”
IPM 2026 will mark the first time the event returns to farmland since before the COVID-19 pandemic. The return has been six years in the making, and will have a wide variety of rural attractions alongside competitive plowing, including a rodeo, sanctioned truck pulls, a pumpkin chucking competition and farm equipment displays.
“Thank you to all the committee members, volunteers, communities and the county for letting us put this together,” said Lang.
The annual plowing match is organized by the Ontario Plowmen’s Association, a non-profit group formed in 1911 to promote agricultural skills and rural development across the province. The IPM has since become a major showcase for Ontario’s farming communities, drawing tens of thousands of visitors each year.
This year’s IPM will take place in the Niagara region before it returns locally in September, 2026.
HAMILTON – Owen Riegling will be in the spotlight at the 2025 CMAOntario Awards. The 26-year-old from Mildmay has been nominated for six awards, more than any other Ontario country singer this year. When the Country Music Association of Ontario announced the nominations on March 27, Riegling was nominated for Single of the Year (Moonshines), Album of the Year (Bruce County), Songwriter of the Year (along with Daryl Scott and Jesse Slack for Moonshines), Male Artist of the Year, Music Video of the Year (Moonshines), and Fans’ Choice. Last June at the CMAOntario Awards, he took home the prize for Male Artist of the Year and Breakthrough Artist of the Year. Three months later, he was awarded the Songwriter of the Year and Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the Canadian Country Music Association awards. Last fall, Riegling headlined a tour across Canada and performed at the Grey Cup in Vancouver. The CMAOntario Awards, presented by Cowbell Brewing Co., will be held at The Music Hall in Hamilton on June 1.
Juno nomination Earlier this year, Riegling also received his first Juno Award nomination for Breakout Artist of the Year in 2025. However the award went to Nemahsis at the March 29 awards gala.
