248 Sleeps Left!

Only 248 sleeps until the OHCG Annual Conference, May 10, 2025, in Cobourg!

This year we’re holding the event at Cobourg’s historic Victoria Hall - in the Ballroom, no less!  It’s a one day affair with interesting speakers, vendors, a display of judged rugs, and the all-important Annual General Meeting.

The theme for the day is Peace, Love & Rug’n Roll - a lighthearted take on the swingin’ 60’s, which is exactly when the Ontario Hooking Craft Guild got its start!  Look for our free pattern later this fall, to get you in the mood!

We’ll publish more details about all the things you’ll need to know in the coming months.  Registration will open January 1, and space is limited to 240 attendees, so you’ll want to get tuned in (aka registered) early.

We’ve negotiated preferred rates at 2 local hotels, if you’re interested in making a weekend of it (and we hope you do!).  Details can be found here.  Many of you live nearby, however, so it may be a short drive to downtown Cobourg.  Alternatively, if you live along the Toronto-Montreal corridor there’s always VIA Rail:  it’s a 15 minute walk from the train station to Victoria Hall.

So bust out that tie dye outfit and make plans for Cobourg!    

(The photo above was snaffled from the 1968 Sears Catalogue.)

#onthookingcraftguild #rughookersofinstagram #hookedrugs #rughooking #cobourg #numberlanding #artgalleryofnorthumberland

Theme: Peace, Love & Rug’n Roll

Have you started your entry in the Theme category for the 2025 Annual? We hope you’re dusting off your go-go boots and breaking out those love beads in anticipation of our event in Cobourg on May 10!

The overall theme is Peace, Love & Rug’n Roll - a lighthearted take on the swingin’ 60’s. It’s all about tie dye, mini skirts, rock ‘n roll and all that good stuff! The 60’s, when the OHCG was first formed in 1966, were such an exciting time there’s no shortage of topics to consider.

Some of the top songs from that year include Yellow Submarine, These Boots are Made for Walkin’, Summer in the City, Last Train to Clarksville, Mellow Yellow by Donovan

The Academy Award for Best Picture in 1966 went to The Sound of Music.

The 60’s also saw TV shows like Bewitched, Beverly Hillbillies, Petticoat Junction, Gilligan’s Island, Get Smart, Batman, Star Trek, Laugh-in, Dragnet.

A quick search of headlines from the day will bring up lots of news stories: the space program, Vietnam War, civil unrest, the Pill, and more.

Check out the Northumberland Rug Hookers latest blog post for a few fashion ideas.

Still stuck for ideas? Consider some help from the 21st century: the photo above was created using the free version of an IPad app called Dream by Wombo. It uses AI to turn your instructions into interesting images. Results will vary, but it’s fun to try out.

Hope to see you (and your theme entry!) at the OHCG’s Annual Conference, May 10, 2025 inCobourg!

#ontariohookingcraftguild #rughookersofinstagram #hookedrugs

#rughooking #cobourg #northumberlanding #artgalleryofnorthumberland

Accommodation for the Annual

We hope you’re getting excited and geared up for the OHCG’s 2025 Annual Conference, taking place May 10, in Cobourg! It’s a lovely location, and so close to many of you! For those travelling from afar, here’s info on the local hotels where we have reserved a bank of rooms:

Best Western: 930 Burnham Street, Cobourg. This is the largest chain hotel close to Victoria Hall, located near Northumberland Mall. It has an indoor swimming pool and whirlpool, and a fitness centre. Arthur’s Pub is located onsite.

Hampton Inn: 80 Henderson Street, Port Hope. This is a bit further out, but is a new hotel with lovely facilities. It offers a free deluxe hot buffet breakfast, indoor pool, fitness centre, and more.

Both hotels have special rates available to OHCG members on May 9 and 10. Click on “‘Accommodation” in the menu bar above to get the details on how to book. Remember that conference space is limited, so you’ll need to register early for the Annual (in January) to ensure your spot!

Also on the link above is information from Experience Cobourg on other accommodation options, and lots of details on other things to do in the area - a great planning resource!

More of what you need to know!

Last week we told you that the Northumberland Rug Hookers and area branches will be hosting the 2025

OHCG Annual Conference: Peace, Love & Rug’n Roll on May 10, 2025. A big thank you for your enthusiastic responses!

We’re doing some cool things:

• It will be a 1 day affair, entirely within the historic Victoria Hall in downtown Cobourg. The Concert Hall holds 240 people, so you’ll need to book early to ensure your spot. There are separate rooms to house all of the great vendors.

• We’ll publish more details about the judged rug process in the coming months. The main difference this year is that the Art Gallery of Northumberland (housed within Victoria Hall) has set aside 2 weeks prior to the conference to exclusively showcase your judged rugs, open to the general public. The AGN is a fully accredited gallery, hosting many fine exhibits throughout the year. Given the limited space, however, we will not be able to have branch displays of rugs.

• The theme is Peace, Love & Rug’n Roll - a lighthearted take on the swingin’ 60’s: tie dye, mini skirts, rock ‘n roll and all that! We think you’ll have fun with this and produce some spectacular entries in the Theme category. We even have a free pattern available in the fall, to help set the mood.

• Why not consider making it a weekend to remember in Cobourg? We’ve negotiated with local hotels for preferred rates on the conference weekend and will supply info on restaurants and shops to visit. Odds are we’re only a 2 hour drive away for many of you….even the VIA Rail station is just a 15 minute walkfrom Victoria Hall.

Be there or be square!

Breaking News!

 

We have a wonderful announcement:

The 2025 OHCG Annual will be held in Cobourg at the historic Victoria Hall! Mark your calendars for a one-day event on Saturday, May 10, 2025. 

It will be hosted by the Northumberland Rug Hookers with assistance from area branches*. Attendees will gather in the renowned Concert Hall, where the future King of England, Edward VII, danced the night away in 1860.   

The theme for the event is “Peace, Love, & Rug ‘n Roll”. We’re looking back at the organization’s roots formed in 1966. Remember flower-power, go-go boots, Twiggy, man-on-the-moon, and tie dye? 

Stay tuned for details about an exciting program, great vendors, and a display of judged rugs in the Art Gallery of Northumberland (also located in Victoria Hall). 

Cobourg is known as “the feel-good town” and is located on the lakeshore between Toronto and Kingston. It’s a short drive (or train ride) from urban centres where you can enjoy unique architectural landmarks and great shopping, dining, galleries and theatre, a spectacular white sand beach and beautiful waterfront.

* We’re still in the figuring-things-out stage, but if you want to help out (aka: Tune In, Turn on, and Get Groovy) with this fun project, let us know! Your help would be most appreciated - simply send an email to OHCG2025Annual@gmail.com and we’ll get back to you!  In particular, we’re looking for a Volunteer Coordinator and a Games organizer.