THE BARN DANCE IS READY TO ROCK PETROLIA – JULY 12

Petrolia – Saturday, July 12, 2025, Scott Manery and The Barnburners are back, and with them, local favourite Colt McLauchlin! 

The Barn Dance will take place at the Petrolia Farmers’ Market Pavilion, with gates opening at 6:00 p.m.  The Lambton Central Petrolia Optimist Club will be available with their bar-be-que, and the Lions Club of Petrolia will be there with their food truck, and fresh-cut French fries!  The beer garden will open at 6:00 p.m. also.  Attendees are asked to please bring lawn chairs should they wish. The Barn Dance is free to attend, and all ages are welcome.

The return of this highly anticipated annual event is sponsored by McDonald’s Petrolia, Bourque Renovations, Barb & Rick Charlebois, Holland Cleaning Supplies and Riverside Print and Signs. This event is made possible with the support of the Community Services Advisory Committee, and SORT volunteers.

“…Scott Manery is back with his awesome band, and they are ready to bring down the house once again with a night of non-stop, foot-tapping entertainment!” Said Julie Bullock, Director of Community Services and Facilities.

 PETROLIA ANNOUNCES CANADA DAY FESTIVITIES FOR 2025

Canada Day in Petrolia promises fun for the entire family.  July 1 will be an all-day celebration starting in Bridgeview Park at 7:00 a.m. with the Kids Fishing Derby sponsored by CUPE Local 2393 and the Lambton Central Petrolia Optimist Club.  Kids of all ages are welcome and are asked to bring their own fishing equipment.  The Kids Fishing Derby wraps up at 10:00 a.m.

After fishing, or maybe just to get your day started, families are encouraged to visit the Royal Canadian Legion Br. 216 for their annual Canada Day Breakfast. Food will be available for $10.00 per person (free for children under 7) from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at the Legion.

Starting at 9:00 a.m., find your way downtown for a family-friendly scavenger hunt!  Look in all the windows to find various Canadian images, submit your form at the Black Top Baseball game by 2:00 p.m. to be entered to win a great prize! Forms can be picked up at the Kids Fishing Derby in Bridgeview Park, or from the Victoria Park Information sign on Monday, July 1.

The Petrolia YMCA welcomes you to free Aquafit from 10:15 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at 360 Tank Street, and then from 11:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. plan to join them for a free Open Swim. The Petrolia YMCA is pleased to offer FREE access for the day from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

Join the Royal Canadian Legion, Br. 216 at the flagpole outside the Royal Canadian Legion at 11:00 a.m. for the annual flag raising.

Returning for a re-match this year, Petrolia’s world famous Challenger (Black Top) Baseball Team, made up of people of all abilities, will challenge Lambton EMS, Lambton OPP and the Petrolia and North Enniskillen Fire Department to a softball game on Diamond 2 at Greenwood Park starting at 1:00 p.m. Spectators should be prepared for a very competitive game full of laughs, big hits, and lots of FUN! Make sure you plan to cheer loudly for this highly anticipated event!

Starting at 1:00 p.m. check out Greenwood Recreation Centre where you can Rock ‘n’ Rollerskate!  The postponed Kids Day activity from 2024 is back, and ready to rock the rink! Free to participate, those interested can bring their own roller skates or rollerblades or borrow them when you arrive! Helmets are suggested. Roller skating takes place from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.

At 2:00 p.m. the Petrolia Raiders Mens hardball team take on the Wyoming Senior Cattlebarons at Morrison Field, Greenwood Park – Diamond 1.  Come out and cheer for the home team!

The family fun continues at Greenwood Park starting at 3:00 p.m. with bouncy castles, games, and more.

For the first time, grab your inflatable costume and participate in a short, fun race! That’s right, there’s an INFLATABLE COSTUME RACE taking place this year at Greenwood Park at 4:00 p.m. Meant to be fun for all ages and abilities, this race will sure to be a laugh a minute!

Visit the Petrolia Lions food truck and the Lambton Central Petrolia Optimist Club food booth from 3:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. and bring a lawn chair to listen to the Rock the Park bands starting at 3:00 p.m.

This year, we are proud to present THE ACTION FIGURES, FULL DISCLOSURE, BREN and ROB KIRKHAM & NEON RAIN.

The Petrolia Scouts will be selling ice cream from 3:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. as well, and the beer gardens are available from 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.  A 50/50 raffle supporting The Rotary Club of Petrolia will take place from 3:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

The fireworks will take place at dusk at Greenwood Park, with free fireworks shuttles sponsored by Langs Bus Lines starting at 6:00 p.m.  For the complete shuttle schedule, look on Facebook for the Petrolia Canada Day event, or visit www.town.petrolia.on.ca/news/  The free fireworks shuttles will return riders directly following the fireworks. 

The Town of Petrolia Community Services Department wishes to thank Canadian Heritage for their ongoing support of the event each year, and for the support of Langs Bus Lines, Bluewater Power, CUPE Local 2393, The Outdoorsman, Barb & Rick Charlebois, Riverside Print and Designs, Bourque Renovations, Petrolia McDonald’s, Sarnia-Lambton Crimestoppers, and Intact Public Entities for their sponsorship of the main events and for the continuous support of our Petrolia Service Clubs including Petrolia Legion Branch 216, Petrolia Scouting, The Rotary Club of Petrolia, The Lambton Central Petrolia Optimist Club, The Petrolia Lions Club, Petrolia and Area Kiwanis Club and our many volunteers.

A timely message in vivid colour, hand-painted by Dresden resident Sarah Steele, has been installed on the East side of Total Hair and Body Care downtown Petrolia and will share a message to “Shop, Dine and Discover” Petrolia.

Sarah Steele was one of three artists selected from the Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership and Town of Petrolia “Call for Artists” as part of the Downtown Revitalization project funded by a Rural Economic Development Grant in 2023.

The shop, dine and discover message is not a new one for Petrolia, it’s been the rallying cry since 2014 when the Town took on renewed vigor to support the downtown in a time of a large road reconstruction project on Petrolia Line. Just over 10 years later, the statement remains just as important – even more so considering the ongoing messaging from the Petrolia Business Association (PBA) to – Shop Petrolia, Shop Local, and Shop Canadian.

The PBA paid for the mural that will remind all that see it the importance of supporting local whether it be with a meal out, take out, your shopping habits or your choices for entertainment.

Chairperson of the PBA, Denise Thibeault said, “…It’s always been very important to me that people support the businesses in Petrolia. I have enjoyed working with our merchants for several years to accomplish the vitality that we see in our downtown and am pleased to have so much support from the PBA Board and our merchants to continue doing so.”

This is the third of three planned murals for Petrolia’s vibrant downtown, the first being a postcard offering “Greetings from Petrolia” by artist Blaze from Toronto, ON that was completed on the East facing wall of the Red Apple in downtown Petrolia (at the corner of King Street and Petrolia Line) in the spring of 2024. The second, installed mid-March is on display on the South side of the Petrolia Home Hardware building in Downtown Petrolia (at the corner of Petrolia Line and Eureka Street).

“Making Petrolia a destination with walking tours both historic and natural and providing points of interest throughout the downtown was the result of a Downtown Revitalization Study and Committee in 2023.  I am pleased to see that we have accomplished the goals from that study and can continue to build on these experiences for both residents and visitors. We are so grateful for this gift from the Petrolia Business Association and the merchants of Petrolia, and to the building owners for sharing their walls with us.”  Said Laurissa Ellsworth, Director of Marketing, Arts and Communications for the Town of Petrolia.

Petrolia Volunteers Honoured by Mayor R. Brad Loosley

Petrolia, ON – It was a full house at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 216 in Petrolia this evening as Mayor Loosley hosted the annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner for Town of Petrolia Committees and volunteers for 2024.

2024 marked a historic year in the oil town, where the celebrations were seemingly endless, and the community spirit was at an all-time high. While thanking the volunteers, Mayor R. Brad Loosley stated that, “Volunteerism is one of the most important factors in community building, and Petrolia is among the most fortunate for the number of volunteers, and the number of hours that those people share with our community.”

Deputy Mayor, Joel Field added that, “Volunteers are absolutely so important to Petrolia, and personally, I feel so grateful to be at many of these events with you seeing our resident’s pride in Petrolia and visitors seeing our special town for what it is – a community.”

In recognition of the “Volunteer of the Year for 2024” Mayor Loosley formally recognized The Petrolia 150 Committee, a group of people that worked for five years to create the 2024 celebrations, and for their work throughout 2024 to leave nothing to chance. “…Folks that are members of our community, our service clubs, our business community, students at LCCVI, and members of staff. 

The number of volunteer hours for the Petrolia 150 events alone, has been estimated to be around 25,660 hours in 2024. This does not include the Petrolia 150 Committee commitment over 6 years. That number is estimated at 16,980 hours of planning, executing, and follow-up.”

The Petrolia 150 Celebrations by the Numbers

• 558 celebration certificates were issued for various birthdays, anniversaries, and other milestones.
• 478 individual events took place in 2024 in Petrolia
  • Many of these events took place over several days.
  • Many were hosted by groups, service clubs, organizations, and nearly all of them had a fun 150 nod included.
• With the Victoria Playhouse Petrolia, the signature events, and the 150 events it is estimated that Petrolia played host to nearly 100,000 visitors in 2024, resulting in an economic spin off equaling nearly $16 MILLION dollars to Petrolia, the County, and the region.
• The number of volunteer hours for the Petrolia 150 events alone, has been estimated around 25,660 hours for a volunteer roster of approximately 100 people in 2024 – about 256.6 hours per volunteer.
•  This does not include the Petrolia 150 Committee commitment over 6 years. That number is estimated at 16,980 hours of planning, executing, and follow-up.
• We ate around 116 dozen cupcakes … or 1392 of them! Had 7 Slab Cakes, that feed around 100 people.

The Petrolia 150 Committee members:

Volunteer of the Year 2024

In Recognition of Their Outstanding Volunteer Contributions to the Petrolia 150 Celebrations

• Pam Bradshaw
• Barbara Prescott
• Ethan Steinke
• Danika Steinke
• Dawn McNally
• Deb Kohoutek
• Marie Currie
• Ross Ellsworth
• Judy Krall
• Telsie Jackson
• Angie Murphy
• Laura Burke
• Sue Hart
• Teresa Thomas
• Chairperson – Denise Thibeault

In Recognition of Their Outstanding Commitment to the Petrolia 150 Celebrations

• Councillor – Ross O’ Hara
• Fire Chief – Rick Cousins
• Marketing and Special Events Associate – Thera Wagner
• Director of Parks, Recreation and Facilities – Julie Bullock
• Director of Marketing, Arts and Communications – Laurissa Ellsworth

Chief Administrative Officer/Treasurer Rick Charlebois punctuated the presentation by stating, “I would like to emphasize my gratitude to the volunteers for the hours of work behind the scenes, for the added workloads that were faced with smiles, and for their unwavering commitment to Petrolia.

I am very happy to be here today, at the annual volunteer dinner, with so many people that care so much about our Town and who work very hard to make it the wonderful place it truly is. Thank you for your support, and for the gift of time that you share with us!”

Each volunteer was presented with a framed certificate to commemorate their historical contributions to Petrolia.