Wilkins Park & Natural Area, Barrie · Photo: Shelley Brook
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In this issue: Sign-Up Radar · PA Day & school break tracker · This week · Remembrance Day · Coming up · Book ahead · Ongoing
Hey, In-the-Know Parents,
How are your PA Day plans coming? When my kids were little, PA days had a way of sneaking up on me. One minute it was a normal week, the next I was scrambling to find something for them to do. Having grandparents nearby was a lifesaver when I hadn't planned ahead or got them into a PA day program in time.
These days my kids are old enough to look after themselves—thank goodness!! This PA day, we'll be at an out-of-town hockey tournament. (Different kind of chaos.)
If Nov 20 snuck up on you too, this issue has you covered: a free library escape room, a teen Friendsgiving, and the Paint Bar PA Day Art Camp.
If you only do one thing: register for the Zelda escape room at Barrie Public Library on Friday, Nov 20. Space is limited.
Who's the parent who'll text you on Nov 19 asking "what are you doing tomorrow?" Send them this first.
Paste this in your group chat:
The Library has a Zelda escape room at the Downtown branch, on the Nov 20 PA Day. There’s different timeslots for different age groups. (I read it on FYIFam)
Shelley's picks
Little kids: Messy!
Teens: Friendsgiving Social (City Inclusion program, ages 11 to under 21)
Free: Christmas Magic Market
Look for the labels:
Skim for what works for your family.
All ages Preschool Kids Teens
free (no cost) $ (under $10)
$$ ($10–$99) $$$ ($100+)
out of town
Sign-Up Radar
Sign-ups to put in your calendar now, closing soonest first.
🎨 The Paint Bar PA Day Art Camp — The Paint Bar, 45 Dunlop St E, Barrie — Friday, November 20, 9am–3pm — ages 5–13 — $75 + $9.75 HST + $2.12 service fee for one attendee Kids $$
Good to know: Registration open; sales close Wednesday, November 18, 3pm. Select “November 20th PA Day Barrie”, not C-Wood.
🎨 Mayor's Christmas Card Contest — Service Barrie, first floor of City Hall, 70 Collier St, Barrie — entries due Wednesday, November 18, 4:30pm All ages free
Good to know: Open to Barrie residents. Art (photo, painting, drawing and more) of a City of Barrie scene or event, 4x6 to 8x10 inches, dropped off in person with the signed entry form in a sealed envelope. The winner gets $600 and hears by November 20.
🧗 Alt. Rock PA Day Camp — Alt. Rock Climbing Gym, 445 Dunlop St W Unit A, Barrie — Friday, November 20, 9am–4pm — ages 7–11 — $80 + tax Kids $$
Good to know: Max 8.
🗡️ Zelda Escape Room (PA day Friday, November 20) — Barrie Public Library Downtown Branch, 60 Worsley St, Barrie — registration required; 15-min slots, teams up to 6; 10am–1pm (school-aged) and 1–4pm (teens & school-aged) Kids Teens free
🦃 Friendsgiving Social Youth Holiday Party — Peggy Hill Team Community Centre, 171 Mapleton Ave, Barrie — Friday, November 20, 4:30–7:30pm — ages 11 to under 21 Teens free
Good to know: City Inclusion program; registration required.
🎨 MacLaren Cozy Days PA Day Workshop — MacLaren Art Centre, 37 Mulcaster St, Barrie — Friday, November 20, 9–11:30am — ages 6–11 — $40 / $35 members Kids $$
🎄 Holiday Fun Zone — East Bayfield Community Centre, 80 Livingstone St E, Barrie — Friday, November 27 (also December 4, 18) — ages 3–6 Preschool free
Good to know: Viamonde/MonAvenir PA day.
❄️ City winter break camps — East Bayfield Community Centre, 80 Livingstone St E, Barrie; Peggy Hill Team Community Centre, 171 Mapleton Ave, Barrie — December 21–23 and 28–30 — Winter Break Camp: ages 6–12; KinderFun: ages 4–5 — $35 per one-day session Preschool Kids $$
Good to know: Registration open. KinderFun requires full washroom independence.
🏕️ Adapted Youth Sense Winter Break Camp — Peggy Hill Team Community Centre, 171 Mapleton Ave, Barrie — December 21–23 / December 28–30 — ages 13 to under 21 — $141 (December 21–23) Teens $$$
Full sign-up list: more camps, classes and registrations are in the FYIFam Sign-Up Guide (free for subscribers: just enter your email).
PA Day & school break tracker
🏫 Fri Nov 20 — PA day — SCDSB and SMCDSB, elementary and secondary.
Good to know: Options in this issue include Zelda Escape Room, Friendsgiving Social (City Inclusion program, ages 11 to under 21), MacLaren Cozy Days, Alt. Rock PA Day Camp and The Paint Bar PA Day Art Camp (see Sign-Up Radar).
🏫 Fri Nov 27 — PA day — Viamonde and MonAvenir only (Holiday Fun Zone is on Radar).
This week
🧸 Messy! — Barrie Public Library Painswick Branch, 48 Dean Ave, Barrie — Friday, November 13, 10–11am — under 5 Preschool free
Good to know: Drop-in sensory play.
🎄 Christmas Magic Market — Lions Gate Banquet Centre, 386 Blake St, Barrie — Saturday, November 14, 11am–4pm All ages free
Good to know: Free parking. First 30 guests get free swag bags; bring a food bank donation.
Remembrance Day
This morning: Remembrance Day Parade & Ceremony downtown. Dunlop St E is closed from 6am to about 12:30pm. It’s a school-day morning.
🎖️ Remembrance Day Parade & Ceremony — Memorial Square, 65 Dunlop St E, Barrie — Wednesday, November 11; parade shortly after 10am on Dunlop St E from Mulcaster St to the Cenotaph; 11am two minutes of silence, wreath laying, Feu de Joie All ages free
Good to know: Veterans ride Barrie Transit free.
Coming up
Saturday Nov 21 downtown: Santa's Fireside Gathering 3–7pm; Noella Tree Lighting 3–8pm, The Redhill Valleys 4pm, then City fireworks; Santa Claus Parade 5pm.
🏐 Georgian Grizzlies Volleyball vs Seneca (women's then men's) — Michele McConney Court, 1 Georgian Drive, Barrie — Wednesday, November 18; women's 6pm, men's 8pm — (18+ $5; Georgian students free with OneCard; high-school students free, ID may be asked; 17 and under free) All ages $
🎅 77th Barrie Santa Claus Parade — Starts Lakeshore & Tiffin; north on Lakeshore, through Toronto St, east on Dunlop to Poyntz, Barrie — Saturday, November 21, 5pm All ages free
Good to know: bring chairs.
🎄 Noella Tree Lighting — Meridian Place, 30 Simcoe St, Barrie — Saturday, November 21, 3–8pm All ages free
Good to know: Bring a food bank item or a new, unwrapped toy.
Book ahead
⚽ Barrie Sports Dome winter youth soccer leagues — Barrie Sports Dome, 99 Hanmer St E, Barrie — Jan to Apr/May 2027 — ages 4–17 — Prices vary Kids Teens
Good to know: Registration open since Oct 1.
Ongoing
I know PA days can throw a wrench into your schedule and your budget. If paying for a PA day camp isn't in the cards, try splitting the day with another parent: you take the morning, they take the afternoon. At least you'll both get half a day of work in.
Spot a wrong time or price? Tell me and I’ll fix it. This is my hand-picked short list, not every event in Barrie. In-the-Know Parents share what they find. Know an event or program I missed? Hit reply and tell me.
Next issue Wednesday.
What are your plans for the PA day? A park, an event, a PA day program? Hit reply and tell me by Sunday, Nov 15. I'm putting together a list of PA day ideas for next week's issue, and yours might make it in (first names only). I'll check with you before sharing.
See you out there,
— Shelley @ FYIFam
PS. If you see a car packed with hockey bags heading out of town on Nov 20, that's us. Wave.
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