Growing Guelph – Details, episodes & analysis

It's episode 4 and I'm speaking to Kate Johnston, Executive Director of Hillside Music Festival. Hillside is a absolute cornerstone of Guelph's music and culture scene. In this episode I speak to Kate about the community and volunteer spirit at the heart of Hillside, and why this 40 year old festival is so special to our city.

https://hillsidefestival.ca/

Follow Growing Guelph on your favourite social media platform, share the podcast with your friends, or reach out to me directly at GrowingGuelph@gmail.com

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In this episode I'm joined by Steph Clarke from the Guelph Tool Library. The Tool Library is a Guelph non-profit organization which loans specialized tools for both experienced and inexperienced community members who are interested in repair, maintenance and building projects.

Learn about the Guelph Tool Library:

• https://guelphtoollibrary.org/
• https://guelphtoollibrary.org/calendar/
• https://guelphtoollibrary.org/membership/
• https://www.facebook.com/guelphtoollibrary/
• https://www.instagram.com/gtoollibrary/

Follow Growing Guelph on your favourite social media platform, share the podcast with your friends, or reach out to me directly at GrowingGuelph@gmail.com

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In this episode of Growing Guelph, we sit down with James Gordon, a renowned Canadian singer-songwriter, playwright, and current Guelph City Councillor. With a career spanning decades, James has recorded over 40 albums and has touched hearts worldwide with songs that often center around social justice, environmental activism, and community heritage. He is celebrated both for his artistic contributions and his commitment to fostering local culture and resilience within Guelph.

We explore James's journey from a small-town musician to a cultural icon and city council member. He shares stories about Guelph's unique music scene, his experiences as the founding Artistic Director of the Hillside Festival, and his insights on building community through art. From his viral protest songs to his work as an advocate for local artists, James offers inspiring thoughts on nurturing the next generation, tackling modern challenges, and why he believes Guelph has a special "vibe" worth protecting. Tune in to hear James discuss the intersection of music, politics, and activism and how he strives to keep Guelph a place for original voices and supportive communities.

Show Links:

• James Gordon's Website: www.jamesgordon.ca
• James Gordon on Bandcamp: James Gordon Music
• Social Media:
• James Gordon on Facebook
• James Gordon on Twitter
• James Gordon on Instagram

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In the first episode, we sit down with Jay Wilson to explore his journey into the world of theater and community organizing in Guelph. Jay shares his thoughts on overcoming fear, finding belonging, and building a citywide sense of connection. His experiences and insights remind us of the power of community and the importance of creativity in fostering growth.

About Jay Wilson:

https://jaywalkingguelph.ca/

https://www.jaywalkingguelph.ca/lilt-of-laughter

https://www.jaywalkingguelph.ca/contact

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Adam A. Donaldson runs Guelph Politico - a blog dedicated to covering local Guelph city news. Adam also co-hosts a political and current affairs show on CFRU 93.3 fm called “Open Sources Guelph" as well as the movie review show "End Credits." Adam and I talk about the importance and challenges of covering local city politics, what covering the news on both the local and the global level mean in 2025, and a number of other tangents.

Links:

• https://guelphpolitico.ca/
• https://opensourcesguelph.com/
• https://guelphpolitico.ca/donate/
• https://www.patreon.com/guelphpolitico

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On this episode of Growing Guelph I joined Bobby Raffin at Three Pieces, a Fashion Boutique at 54 Carden St. in the heart of downtown Guelph. We talked about Bobby's work as a fashion designer, running a store in downtown Guelph, and what it means for him to blend art, fashion and culture together.

Bobby Raffin links:

• https://www.instagram.com/bobbyraffin/
• https://www.instagram.com/threepieces.ca/
• http://hamiltonfashionweek.com/article.asp?id=64844
• https://www.guelphtoday.com/local-news/new-pop-up-boutique-bringing-vacation-vibes-to-downtown-guelph-8035770

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• https://habitatgw.ca/apply/homeownership-requirements/
• https://habitatgw.ca/volunteer/
• https://habitatgw.ca/apply/

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This week on Growing Guelph I sat down with Steve Snow of the Guelph Film Society!

Guelph Film Society Links:

• Meetup - https://www.meetup.com/guelph-film-society/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/guelphfilmsociety/

Other Links we talked about:

• Justwatch.com/ca - find what platform/service something is on
• My Letterboxd account - https://letterboxd.com/jsloggett/

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• About Community F.E.W.D.: https://sites.google.com/guelphneighbourhoods.org/fewdca/about?authuser=0
• DONATE to Community FEWD: https://checkout.square.site/merchant/ML66PMX3JTWFM/checkout/BR64LPUFQNCYJGGLOWYVCIK4
• Guelph Today article - https://www.guelphtoday.com/following-up/community-fewd-wins-20000-for-its-food-insecuirty-work-9670237
• Community FEWD on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/communityfewd

Follow Growing Guelph on your favourite social media platform, share the podcast with your friends, or reach out to me directly at GrowingGuelph@gmail.com

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About the Children's Foundation of Guelph & Wellington:

What they do - https://www.childrensfoundation.org/what-we-do

Ways to Help - https://www.childrensfoundation.org/ways-to-help

Donate - https://www.childrensfoundation.org/ways-to-help/donate

Volunteer - https://www.childrensfoundation.org/ways-to-help/volunteer-with-us

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ChildrensFdnGW/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ChildrensFdnGW/

Follow Growing Guelph on your favourite social media platform, share the podcast with your friends, or reach out to me directly at GrowingGuelph@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.