A few pressing items to address this week, so let’s get to it.

The Roots North Music Festival has sold out all of its weekend passes to the main festival stage at St. Paul’s Center on April 22 and 23, but don’t despair. There are tons of (mostly) free Roots North shows all around Orillia, all weekend long.

There are some really great musicians on the lineup, which are definitely worth checking out, as well as some really fun workshops for all ages. And open mics too. Kudos to Roots North and organizer Amy Mangan for giving these musicians spaces to get back into it.

Here is the schedule for off-stage shows, April 21-24, primarily in downtown Orillia:

Thursday April 21

• Lindy Vopnfjord, 6 p.m., Lot 88 Kitchen and Bar, 294 Memorial Ave. (free show)
• Alex Andrews and Michael Martyn, 9 p.m., Picnic, 140 Mississaga St. E. (free show)

friday april 22

• Alleycats Open Mic, All Day, Alleycats Music and Art, 95 Mississaga St. E. – Contact Jake at Alleycats to play
• Meredith Moon, 3 p.m., Eclectic Cafe, 39 Mississaga St. W. (free show)
• Steph Dunn, 6 p.m., Lot 88 Kitchen and Bar, 294 Memorial Ave. (free show)
• Grady Kelneck, 6 p.m., Rustica Pizza Vino, 132 Mississaga Street East (free show)
• Scott Olgard, 10 p.m., Kenzington Burger Bar, 85 Mississaga St. E. (free show)
• Open Jam Session, 10 p.m., Hog N’ Penny, 9 Matchedash St. N. (free show)

Saturday April 23

• Alleycats Record Store Day Open Mic, All Day, Alleycats Music and Art, 95 Mississaga St. E. — Contact Jake at Alleycats to play
• Dray Tony, 10 a.m., Mark IV Brothers – 187 Nottawasaga St. (free show)
• Music for Young Children: Music Pups (0-5), 11 a.m., Orillia Music Center – St. Paul’s Center Studio #338 (free show)
• Jack Nicolle and Dan McBride, 12 p.m., Apple Annie’s Cafe and Shop – 101 Mississaga St. E. (free show)
• Dray Tony, 12:30 p.m., Lone Wolf Cafe, 10 Matchedash St. S. (free show)
• Tunes To Tweet LIVE Podcast Recording, 1 p.m., Knight Vision Media Studios, 18 Mississaga St. E. (free show) — Reserve a spot by emailing [email protected]
• Elwood Hammond (Woodsie) 2 p.m., Hibernation Arts, 17 Peter St. S. (free show)
• Sam Johnston, 2 p.m., picnic, 140 Mississaga Street East (free show)
• Chris LeMay, 2 p.m., Lot 88 Kitchen and Bar, 294 Memorial Ave. (free show)
• Family Friendly Hand Drumming Fun, 3 p.m., Orillia Music Center, St. Paul’s Center Studio #338 (free show)
• Dave & Aaron Play Tunes 2 Tweet, 5 p.m., Hog N’ Penny, 9 Matchedash St. N. (free show)
• Jenni Lawrence, 6 p.m., Rustica Pizza Vino, 132 Mississaga Street East (free show)
• Taylor Knox, 10 p.m., Picnic, 140 Mississaga St. E., $10 covered or free if you show your weekend pass
• Run with the Kittens, 10 p.m., Couchiching Craft Brewing Co., 162 Mississaga St. E. – $10 cover
• Ronnie Douglas Band, 10 p.m., Brewery Bay Food Co., 117 Mississaga Street East (free show)
• Open Jam Session, 10 p.m., Hog N’ Penny, 9 Matchedash St. N. (free show)
• Michael Costantini, 10 p.m., Kenzington Burger Bar, 85 Mississaga St. E. (free show)

sunday april 24

• Alleycats Open Mic, All Day, Alleycats Music and Art, 95 Mississaga St. E. — Contact Jake at Alleycats to play
• Jaedon Daly, 12 p.m., Bakes by the Lake, 178 Mississaga St. E. — Reservations preferred by contacting the company directly (free show)
• Sean Patrick, 2 p.m., Picnic, 140 Mississaga St. E. (free show)
• Jakob Pearce, 4:30 p.m., Hog N’ Penny, 9 Matchedash St. N. (free show)

Nice to see a music festival back in our region, after two such dark years. Go out and enjoy.

The Orillia Museum of Art and History’s Virtual History Speaker Series continues online with The Prisoners of Gravenhurst, April 20 at 7 p.m. who received college tuition, formed an orchestra, dined on chef-cooked meals and sunbathed on the beach in what was a luxury sanatorium in Gravenhurst.

It should be a fascinating and fun evening, with lots of great stories about this amazing time and place. To sign up to receive the Zoom link, email Monica at [email protected]

Finally, the last pressing item for this week: Lakehead University’s Office of Community Engagement is hosting a series of four-week food workshops, all ready for you to “Spring Into Learning.” Workshops begin April 19, with the first Zoom event, “What Is ‘Shumka Dust’?”

On April 26, the theme is “The Art and Science of Chocolate”, then, on April 30, “Bread 101” and, on May 4, the last workshop is “Cheese: it’s Gouda!”

Each workshop is $30 and there are additional materials that can be picked up or shipped to attendees. You can find out more and register here.

It’s all for this week. Enjoy the spring and the beautiful sounds of live music, back to O-Town, finally. And Happy Easter.