YORK UNLOCKED Your weekly cheat sheet to York Region Issue #7 — Tuesday, July 14, 2026
👨👩👧 FOR THE FAMILY
Retro Ribfest — Richmond Hill
When: Friday–Sunday, July 17–19 (Fri 12–10 p.m., Sat 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Sun 11 a.m.–8 p.m.)
Where: Richmond Green Park, Elgin Mills Road East — Free
The Vibe: Professional rib teams from across North America set up smokers alongside one of the region's larger midways, with entertainment running through the decades. Friday's noon start is the quietest window, and some vendors — including several ribbers — take cash only, with an ATM near the amusement area.
TD Newmarket Music Series — Newmarket
When: Thursdays, July 16 & 23, 6:30–9:30 p.m.
Where: Riverwalk Commons, Doug Duncan Drive — Free
The Vibe: Free tribute concerts by the water, each with a local opener before the headliner — July 16 is The Ultimate Prince Experience, July 23 is Country Night with Buck Twenty. Bring your own chair, and note the splash pad is closed all day Thursday (from 6 a.m.) and Timothy Street shuts for the evening.
Aurora Concerts in the Park — Aurora
When: Wednesdays, July 15 & 22, 7–9 p.m.
Where: Aurora Town Park, Wells Street — Free
The Vibe: Wednesday-night tribute concerts — July 15 is Queen tribute Sheer Heart Attack, July 22 is a Michael Jackson tribute fronted by George St. Kitts. Food vendors and a licensed bar open at 6, and a donation to the Aurora Food Pantry is encouraged.
Symphony Under the Stars — Stouffville
When: Friday, July 17, 8–10 p.m.
Where: Memorial Park — Free
The Vibe: The Kindred Spirits Orchestra plays a full outdoor set as the sun goes down. Bring a blanket or low chair, and note it runs to 10 p.m. so younger kids may fade before the finish.
Night at the Museum: Bolt — Markham
When: Thursday, July 23, gates 8:45 p.m., movie 9:30 p.m.
Where: Markham Museum, Markham Road — Free (registration required)
The Vibe: An outdoor screening of Bolt on the museum grounds with sponsor popcorn and giveaways. It's free but you register ahead through the museum's ticketing page, and the 9:30 start makes it a late night for little ones.
🍻 FOR ADULTS
Vaughan International Music Festival — Vaughan
When: Friday & Saturday, July 17–18, 5–11 p.m.
Where: Assembly Park – South VMC, 80 Interchange Way — Free (ticket required)
The Vibe: Two nights split by genre — Friday is rock headlined by BRKN Love, Saturday is country headlined by Myles Erlick, with a spirits garden and food vendors. It sits right at the VMC subway station with free on-site parking, so you can skip the driving-and-parking math entirely.
The Slime Dogs on the Patio — Stouffville
When: Thursday, July 23
Where: 19 on the Park Patio Series, Main Street — Free
The Vibe: The 19 on the Park Patio Series brings party-rock band The Slime Dogs to Main Street, running covers from Chappell Roan to Journey. It's a free outdoor downtown show — bring a chair in case seating's limited.
Museum & Brewery Evening Tour — Newmarket
When: Tuesday, July 14, 6–7 p.m.
Where: Elman W. Campbell Museum, 134 Main Street South — $11.15
The Vibe: An after-hours museum tour paired with a history trivia night — the History and Hops Pub Quiz — at Old Flame Brewing two doors down. Spots are limited and registration is required, so book before you go.
Varley Summer Set — Markham
When: Friday, July 24, 7–9:30 p.m.
Where: Varley Art Gallery Courtyard, 216 Main Street, Unionville — $35 + HST
The Vibe: An adults-only courtyard evening pairing live music with a guided tour of the summer exhibition, local food and drinks, and a meet-and-greet with the performing artist. Ages 19+, and tickets are capped each night so it tends to book out.
🏡 HOMEOWNER CORNER
After the July 3 storm, know who pays for fallen trees The windstorm that hit Aurora and southwest Newmarket on July 3 damaged more than 250 Town-owned trees in Aurora, and the cleanup rules trip people up. The Town's position is that debris on private property is the homeowner's responsibility — including a neighbour's tree that came down on your lot — while Town crews handle only Town-owned trees and municipal land. Standard home insurance generally won't cover removing a fallen tree unless it damaged an insured structure like your house or fence, and even then debris removal is often subject to a sub-limit, so photograph everything before you clear it and call your insurer to confirm what's covered. Aurora residents can report damage to Town-owned trees by calling Access Aurora at 905-727-3123.
📍 AROUND THE REGION
Aurora: Cleanup from the July 3 windstorm continues, with more than 250 Town-owned trees damaged and parks and trails in the northwest end closed until crews finish safety inspections for fallen trees and unsafe branches. The Town says debris from private trees is the homeowner's responsibility; updates at AuroraToday.ca.
Newmarket: York Region is micro-resurfacing Prospect Street from Gorham Street to Davis Drive, with overnight work July 13 to 16 and no parking on the street while vehicles get towed. Alternate parking is at the Newmarket Community Centre; details at newmarket.ca.
Vaughan: Pine Valley Drive between Rutherford Road and Major Mackenzie Drive West is under construction for a culvert replacement from July 3 to August 3, with lane impacts expected. Check york.ca for detour routes.
📅 THIS WEEK'S CALENDAR
MARKHAM
→ Main Street Markham Farmers' Market — Saturdays, July 18 & 25, [Free], Main Street Markham
→ Thursdays on Main tribute bands — Thursdays, July 16 & 23, 7:30 p.m., [Free], Millennium Bandstand (Main St & Fred Varley Dr, Unionville) → Night at the Museum: Bolt — July 23, gates 8:45 p.m., [Free], Markham Museum (9350 Markham Road) https://www.markham.ca/arts-culture-library/markham-museum/night-the-museum
→ Varley Summer Set — July 24, 7 p.m., [$35 + HST], Varley Art Gallery Courtyard (216 Main Street, Unionville) https://varleyartgallery.ca/summerset/
RICHMOND HILL
→ Live in the Plaza — Tuesdays, July 14 & 21, 7 p.m., [Free], Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts (10268 Yonge St)
→ Open Mic Night — Wednesdays, July 15 & 22, 7 p.m., [Free], Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts (10268 Yonge St)
→ Concerts in the Park — Thursdays, July 16 & 23, 7 p.m., [Free], Mill Pond Park (321 Mill St)
→ Retro Ribfest — July 17–19, [Free], Richmond Green Park (1300 Elgin Mills Road East)
VAUGHAN
→ Vaughan International Music Festival — July 17–18, 5 p.m., [Free], Assembly Park – South VMC (80 Interchange Way) https://www.myvimf.com
NEWMARKET
→ Museum & Brewery Evening Tour — July 14, 6 p.m., [$11.15], Elman W. Campbell Museum (134 Main Street South) https://www.newmarket.ca/events
→ Busking on Main Street — Fridays & Saturdays through Aug 29, [Free], Main Street
→ TD Newmarket Music Series — Thursdays, July 16 & 23, 6:30 p.m., [Free], Riverwalk Commons (200 Doug Duncan Dr)
AURORA
→ Concerts in the Park — Wednesdays, July 15 & 22, 7 p.m., [Free], Aurora Town Park (49 Wells Street)
STOUFFVILLE
→ Symphony Under the Stars — July 17, 8 p.m., [Free], Memorial Park
→ The Slime Dogs on the Patio — July 23, [Free], 19 on the Park (Main Street)
→ Movies in the Park — July 24, [Free], Memorial Park
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See you next Tuesday.
— The York Unlocked team
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