Thanks for being here, and welcome to another edition of The Creative Hub of Elgin County.

This space exists for one simple reason: to connect people with what’s happening locally and with the folks making this community such a great place to live, work, and create.

Every event shared, every business highlighted, and every story passed along helps keep that connection strong. It’s a reminder that Elgin County is full of talent, creativity, and people showing up for one another in meaningful ways.

As we continue through 2026, The Creative Hub stays focused on what it does best:

✨ Sharing local events and helping fill rooms
✨ Spotlighting small businesses and community builders
✨ Making it easier to discover what’s happening right here at home

If you have something coming up this year — an event, a project, or a business you’re proud of —send it in. If you know someone who cares about supporting local, invite them to join us.

Here’s to another year of connection, creativity, and community and to keeping local stories front and centre in 2026.

Elgin County Wedding Show

Planning a wedding or helping someone special plan theirs? Mark your calendar and come spend the afternoon getting inspired at the Elgin County Wedding Show.

Whether you’re newly engaged, deep into planning, or just love all things weddings, this event brings everything together in one place — real conversations, local experts, and plenty of inspiration.

What to expect:

Event details:

Admission:

👉 Pre-register here:
https://bridalconfidential.com/business/elgin-county-wedding-show-2026/

Vendors:
Interested in exhibiting? Email [email protected]

Hosted by Derek Schwartzentruber
📧 [email protected]
📞 519-854-9966

Perfect for couples, friends, family members, and anyone helping plan a wedding — see you there 💐

Local singer-songwriter and visual artist Dennis Kalichuk is debuting a brand-new one-person show, The Circus of Life, bringing music, humour, poetry, and personal storytelling together for an intimate and memorable night of live performance.

Part concert, part stand-up, and part reflective storytelling, the show draws on Dennis’s own life experiences and shared human moments — designed to feel less like a performance and more like an evening spent among friends.

📍 Where: Princess Avenue Playhouse
🗓 When: Saturday, January 31, 2026
🕖 Doors: 7:00 PM | Show: 7:30 PM

Dennis describes the project as a creative leap — a fresh direction that’s exciting, a little scary, and deeply rewarding. The result promises a fun, inspiring night in one of St. Thomas’s most intimate theatre spaces.

🎟 Tickets and details are available through the Elgin Theatre Guild, Dennis’s Facebook page, or at denniskalichuk.com.

Ever wanted to try stained glass? Now’s your chance!

Join us for a hands-on stained glass class and experience the full process of creating a piece of art, all in about 2 hours.

What you’ll do:

Learn the basics and create your own beautiful stained glass heart, just like the ones pictured in any color(s)

No experience needed — beginners welcome!

Class Dates:

• Saturday, Jan. 17

• Saturday, Jan. 24

Class Times:

• 10:00 am

• 1:00 pm

Class Size:

Maximum of 4 people per class (small groups = lots of personal instruction!)

Cost:

$35 per person (payable at time of booking)

Location:

Turtle Glass Studio

13 Carrie Cres, St. Thomas

To book your spot:

Email [email protected]

Spaces are limited, so don’t wait! Come create something beautiful and take home your own stained glass keepsake

Looking for a fun, low-pressure way to get moving and meet people locally? Port Sport & Social is building exactly that right here in St. Thomas and the surrounding area.

Port Sport & Social runs casual, drop-in adult sports designed for connection, not competition. No long seasons, no intense leagues — just show up, play, and have fun.

It’s a great fit if you’re new to the area, rebuilding your social circle, or just looking for a relaxed way to stay active without committing to a full league schedule.

Port Sport & Social is about community first — creating space for adults to move their bodies, laugh a little, and make genuine connections along the way. It’s welcoming, flexible, and very much aligned with what The Creative Hub is all about.

👉 Learn more or check out upcoming sessions at portsportandsocial.ca

Have a local group, club, or creative project we should feature next?
Reply to this email or submit it we love spotlighting what makes Elgin County such a great place to live.

Attention local businesses, professionals, and business owners!

We’re inviting you to support our BBBS St. Thomas-Elgin by sponsoring The Big Winter Toss Cornhole Tournament on January 17, 2026. We would love to have your business involved in our exciting, brand-new event.

By becoming a sponsor, your business will be promoted on our social media feeds to 2000+ followers, on our website and email newsletters, and of course at the event.

If a cash sponsorship doesn't suit you, we would also love to have your support through prize donations! Your sponsorship directly supports local youth mentoring programs while giving your business valuable exposure in the community.

It’s an affordable way to support youth, connect with the community, and show your show your support! If your business is interested in becoming a sponsor of our event, or for more information, please contact Matt Fenerty at [email protected] or by phone at 519-633-3830 ext 204

One of St. Thomas’ creative success stories is stepping into an exciting new chapter.

A Beam Above Laser Engraving is officially celebrating a grand re-opening and expansion in 2026 after 2.5 years in business and a recent move to full-time operations and the growth shows.

What started as a local passion project has evolved into a versatile creative and industrial engraving studio serving individuals, small businesses, and manufacturers across the region.

A Beam Above specializes in laser engraving and marking on:

You can choose from ready-made designs, collaborate on something custom, or even bring your own item in to be personalized — perfect for meaningful gifts, keepsakes, and one-of-a-kind pieces.

They also work closely with local businesses to produce branded merchandise, promotional items, and employee recognition pieces that actually get used (and remembered).

This year brings some big upgrades:

These additions open the door for everything from creative projects to precision industrial work.

Growing Roots in the Community

A Beam Above is proudly local to St. Thomas and has expanded with a second workshop in Delaware, allowing them to serve a wider customer base while staying rooted in the region.

Over the next month or two, they’ll be sharing updates, specials, and giveaways — a great time to follow along and support a growing local maker.

📍 Website: abeamabove.ca
📧 Email: [email protected]
📞 Phone: 226-373-0871
📲 Instagram: @abeamabove
📘 Facebook: A Beam Above Laser Engraving

🔔 Reminder: New Here? Start Here Expo — March 26, 2026

Starting fresh in Elgin County, or need to update your local go-to resources?

The New Here? Start Here Expo is a community-built evening created to help people feel settled, supported, and connected as they begin their next chapter here.

Whether you’re brand new to the area or starting to find your new go-to people, this event brings together trusted local services all in one place, making it easier to know who to call and where to turn as you build your life in Elgin County.

🗓 March 26, 2026
🕠 5:30 – 8:30 PM
📍 CASO Station, St. Thomas
🎟 Free to attend (registration required)

👉 Save your spot here:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/new-here-start-here-expo-tickets-1978179451992?aff=oddtdtcreator

Whether you’re moving here, planning ahead, or simply getting connected locally, we’d love to see you there.

🧩 Local Service Providers — Limited Spots Available

If you’re a local service provider who helps people get settled and feel at home in Elgin County, there are still a few service categories available for the New Here? Start Here Expo.

This event is all about connecting people who are new (or newly restarting) with trusted, professionals they can rely on.

🏠 Home services – painters, cleaners, handypersons, ongoing maintenance
🔨 Trades – fencing, decks, roofing
💆 Wellness & personal care
⚖️ Legal & professional services
💼 Insurance & financial services
🧰 Everyday local services people rely on when starting fresh

Renovations • Pet care • Travel agent • Mortgage agent • Bookkeeper • HVAC • Tutor
(One provider per category — first come, first served)

• $25 per service category
• One provider per category
• Community-focused, relationship-based event (not a trade show)

👉 To take part, email:
Brad Lister – Mortgage with Brad
📩 [email protected]

Spots are limited, and categories will fill quickly.
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