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You can help grow the music industry in Durham Region by answering a brief

online survey or by taking part in our final in-person event.

The Durham Music Industry Forum is hosted by Invest Durham, in collaboration with the Biltmore Theatre, St. Francis Centre for Community, Arts and Culture and

The Second Wedge Brewery Co.. The forum aims to generate and crowd-source ideas for creating future programs, projects, and initiatives that are tailored to Durham’s music industry. The final event takes place November 27 at The Second Wedge Brewing Co. in Uxbridge. 

The evening features roundtable discussions, Q&A sessions, motivational speaking as well as networking opportunities, refreshments and entertainment. Keynote speaker Bob Egan, a veteran musician, six-time Juno Award winner and Canadian Hall of Fame inductee, will share his extensive experience, offering inspiration for new opportunities in the region. Register for the Durham Music Industry Forum. 

You can also complete the 5-to-10-minute survey. Your answers will help Invest Durham understand how music shapes the economy and community at a regional level. Survey responses are confidential. 

Expand your opportunities for learning, networking and growth at the annual

Do It In Durham Entrepreneurship Week from November 18 to 22. 

Led by the Business Advisory Centre Durham (BACD) with support by business development organizations in the region, Do It In Durham is open to anyone who wants to start a business, grow a business or champion entrepreneurship in Durham Region.  

Business owners, entrepreneurs and job creators can register for activities, events and seminars that feature a diverse lineup of speakers and focus on learning, sharing, networking and building new strategies. Most events are free and are hosted at various locations and online.  

'Tis the Season for Parades

It’s the time of year when Santa starts making his pre-Christmas visits to Durham Region’s downtowns and main streets.

There's a full lineup of parades set to spread festive cheer. Visits by parade goers can also mean a thriving holiday season for local merchants with stops at shops and restaurants on the parade route.

Santa makes his first visits to Durham on November 15 to 17 with parades in Beaverton, Uxbridge, Oshawa, Bowmanville and Newcastle.

Celebrate Shop In Durham Week

Small businesses line the streets where we host parades and festivals and are the hidden gems that make Durham ‘home'. They are also where a large percentage of our workforce contributes to our economy.

Together with Durham Region's local municipalities, Chambers of Commerce, Boards of Trade and our Business Improvement Areas, Durham Tourism is encouraging shopping local to strengthen our creative community.

The Region of Durham will proclaim December 1 to December 7 as “Shop in Durham Week.” Shoppers are encouraged to tag @DurhamTourism on social media and share their local finds using #ShopInDurham.

Leaskdale Loop Christmas Crawl with Chef Alex Page Culinary Demonstration and Sampling  

Join Durham Tourism and Chef Alex Page for a cooking demonstration and sampling on December 7.

Hosted at Banjo Cider in Uxbridge, in partnership with Durham Tourism and Durham Farm Fresh, the event runs from 1 to 3 p.m. It’s free to participate.

Make a delicious day of it by visiting other stops on the Leaskdale Loop for their Annual Christmas Crawl. The crawl offers a day out visiting farms, art studios, historical sites, markets and more.

Start or end your tour at Banjo Cider! Sip some hot mulled cider in the tasting room or buy some stocking stuffers to go.  

Hometown Heart Store is now open in downtown Cannington from Tuesdays to Sundays. The shop features handcrafted gifts and art from local vendors. You can also sip and shop with coffee and treats from Canter Coffee which has opened their second location inside the store. 

Herongate Barn is back! Now under new ownership, the event space and restaurant in Pickering is once again welcoming visitors. Upcoming events include dinner theatre, comedy shows and line dancing.

Read more about the reopening. 

A big welcome to Ajax to

Le Bulgogi—a new Halal Korean restaurant.

Le Bulgogi features traditional Korean flavours with halal ingredients. There are also vegan-friendly options. 

Current News & Trends

Planning for the holiday rush takes strategic consideration, and planning should start long before. Whether you plan to do a sale, drive traffic to your website, or promote new products, consider planning your Black Friday email campaigns now, using this

handy guide from MailChimp.

Uxbridge Holiday Markets and Pingle’s Farm Market are featured in BlogTO’s round-up of Christmas markets. Get in the festive spirit by celebrating Christmas at the farm at Pingle’s. While in Uxbridge, find unique gifts when you shop at over 35 local vendors. Read the full article on BlogTO.

Advertising in the digital space can be complicated, especially with different ad formats, multiple platforms, budgeting, and running your own business. If you are not sure where to begin or are confused on what kind of ad to run, this Digital Main Street session is for you. Join online November 19. Register here.

According to NarcCity, Port Perry and Uxbridge are two of the top spots to visit for a festive weekend escape. Head to Port Perry for some Hallmark Christmas movie vibes, while Uxbridge is going vintage this holiday season.

Read NarCity’s picks for enchanting Christmas towns.

Following a second successful year that saw more than 20,000 attendees land in Downtown Oshawa, Convergence is coming back for a third year. The music and art festival will take over downtown Oshawa on September 20, 2025.

Follow Convergence on Instagram for updates and save the date in your calendar now!

Businesses can get in on the ground floor at Station No. 3—downtown Whitby’s new condo community. The mixed-use condominium offers 10,000 square feet of retail space along Brock Street

Connect with Whitby’s Economic Development team for more information.

The Scugog Shores Museum Village is receiving $55,000 in funding, through the Government of Canada’s Tourism Growth Program, to improve tourism activities. This investment, made by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), includes support for projects aimed at expanding the tourism season through September 2024 to May 2025. Learn more about the funding.  

Social media is ever evolving. From artificial intelligence to social listening to dealing with comments, review the HootSuite 2025 social media trends report to freshen up your plans for the year ahead and build your brand voice online.