Published Oct. 31 2017
The New York Times might have dubbed Muskoka “The Malibu of the North” but Haliburton County is proving to be a hotspot for celebrities to live or vacation as well.
Mike Myers Colin and Justin and numerous sports stars have been vocal about their spots in the Highlands in the past but some stars have been able to skirt much attention while enjoying the area lakes.
The Huffington Post recently took an interest in Haliburton when television personality fashion editor and writer Jeanne Beker posted a photo of herself and supermodel Kate Moss in a canoe on an area lake to her Instagram account.
“And this is the kind of week it’s been!” reads the late-September post from Beker.
She also posted a scenery shot and a photo of herself celebrating Rosh Hashanah on the dock both tagged with Haliburton as a location.
Grammy-award winning singer Carrie Underwood and NHL player Mike Fisher caused a stir on Haliburton’s main street this past summer when the couple was spotted visiting the downtown area.
“He came in and bought a tube that you pull behind your boat” said JoAnne Sharpley at JoAnne Sharpley’s Source for Sports on Highland Street. “He actually went up the ladder to help take the tube down off the ceiling because it was one-of-a-kind and the last one left.”
Sharpley who knows Fisher said her staff instantly recognized the Peterborough-born Nashville Predators forward who recently retired after 17 years with the NHL.
“And one of our staff had just gone to Foodland and came back dumbfounded and in shock because Carrie Underwood was at Foodland” said Sharpley. “She was like ‘oh my gosh she’s more beautiful in person.’”
Sarah Polley is reported to be a returning customer at Aprons & Soaps also on Highland Street in Haliburton. Angelika Walter owner of the kitchen and bath shop said she recognized the acclaimed actress writer and director when she came in but didn’t approach her until the second time she was browsing in the store.
“She was cool about it” said Walter who is a fan of Polley’s work. “We chatted about our kids. It was nice.”
A parade of Canadian celebrities including Rachel McAdams Catherine O’Hara Dallas Green Leah Miller and Lloyd Robertson have visited Rhubarb according to Terri Mathews-Carl.
And Rusty Rustenburg VP marketing and education for Haliburton Highlands Outdoors Association confirmed that in 2007 Beyonce Knowles herself visited the Fish Hatchery on Gelert Road.
He’s searched the guest books at the time and doesn’t see her signature but said that David Flowers got a call from staff at that time saying “Beyonce’s in the building.”
Rustenburg said his research shows that Beyonce worked on the movie Goldmember with Myers who cottaged in the area and she performed at the Air Canada Centre on Aug. 15 in 2007.
“I sort of put two and two together” he said.
“I hope so” she laughed. “I hope they come here for all of their summer toys.”
