In the summer, Newmarket is full of events and festivals.

One event that everyone should know about is the third annual Newmarket National 10 Minute Play Festival, presented this year by BMW Newmarket. This festival is a live, professional theatre festival that runs from July 22 to 28. It celebrates Canada’s diverse voices from regional perspectives by showcasing 24 new and original 10-minute plays presented in four, 60-minute “pods” of six plays. Each 10-minute play is a concise story that has a beginning, middle and end of a story;; making a full performance of six plays in 60 minutes.

The weeklong festival offers many free activities — including playwright readings, actor-director talk back sessions, an art exhibit, plus a special “Festilicious” dining and various shopping offers for the duration of the festival. On Saturday, July 27, Main Street will be bustling with the Town of Newmarket’s Buskerfest, presented by Bell. There is also a chance to win a VIP evening for four people via Jewel 88.5 FM (online contest entry period from July 5 to 19). The winner and three friends will get a BMW pick up and drop off on July 27 to a dinner at Joia on Main, followed by 60 minutes of six Plays at Old Town Hall, and drinks at Cachet Supper Club.

So, there is no need to drive to Toronto to see top notch professional theatre this summer. To learn more, visit nationalplayfestival.ca — to buy tickets, go to newtix.ca!