Tag Archive: Grand River

  1. Industry Day

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    The hallmark event of Grand River Raceway’s racing season is Industry Day, always held on the Civic Holiday Monday. The event is highlighted by two prestigious races, The Battle of Waterloo is Grand River Raceway’s signature race, featuring Ontario-sired two-year-old pacing colts. The Battle of the Belles is a companion race contested by Ontario-sired two-year-old pacing fillies. Make a day of it. The action is thrilling.

    grandriverraceway.com

  2. Four seasons. Two towns. One awesome destination.

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    We don’t do boring. This is a place where there is always something to do, something to see, somewhere to go. Where do you want to start?  Pick your season. We’ll give you a reason to come explore Elora and Fergus. And hopefully, we will inspire your return trip too.

    We’ve assembled a few of our favourite seasonal events, the annual fun we never miss. But we love to be spontaneous too. You just never know what impromptu event will come up, but we know you’ll want to be there, so for current event listings, dates and locations, visit our Events page.

    Spectacular Spring

    When the thaw of winter gives rise to daffodils and the hearty crocus, the waters of the Grand River rush with the melt of snow and the earth comes alive again. Fergus and Elora are beautiful places to shake off the winter and step into spring.

    The Grand River makes it way through downtown Fergus.
    Photo by Kelly Waterhouse

    The trees and flowers bloom, making our trails a beautiful place to see the birds, get outdoors and get some exercise. And soon, the sun will warm the waters of Belwood Lake and the Grand River. The fish will be biting, which will make those who fish our waters very happy. Ah, Spring. You’re beautiful here.

    • National Tartan Day is a pub crawl, only with way better clothes. Got a tartan? Wear it. Or borrow one and join in the fun. Be prepared to tilt yer kilt and travel from pub to pub with your pals and more than few bagpipers. www.downtownfergus.com
    • Check out Insights 2022 – Juried Exhibition of Fine Arts, the longest running regional juried art shows remaining in Ontario. This exhibit is on at the Wellington County Museum, on until June 19, 2022. www.insightsart.ca
    • The Elora Vintage and Antique Show is a treasure hunter’s bounty of unique finds and nostalgic pieces, everything from jewellery to vintage fashion, fine dishes and home décor, plus collectibles of art, culture, memorabilia and more. The event runs April 9-10, 2022 at the Elora Community Centre. www.antiqueshowcanada.com
    • The Wellington County Writers Festival will be held at the Wellington County Museum and Archives on April 23, 2022. Enjoy readings by local authors, meet book vendors, and enjoy storytelling and activities for young readers too. www.wellington.ca
    • Book lovers, bargain hunters and collectors never miss the Elora Festival’s annual Giant Book Sale. It’s a page turner. Book worms gather May 6-8, 2022 at the Elora Curling Club. www.elorafestival.com
    • We’re as pretty as a picture. Watch the inspiration unfold right on the canvass during the Elora En Plein Air, May 19-22, 2022. You’ll find artists at beautiful locales around town and scattered around our beautiful landscapes.  www.elorapleinair.ca
    • Take the bait. Cast off in the 40th annual Belwood Lions annual Pike Derby, from May 28-29, 2022. There are prizes to won and tall tales to be shared. www.belwoodlions.org
    • When the spring air warms the ground, The Elora Farmers’ Market returns to Bissell Park with fresh locally grown produce, meats and sweet treats too. Seriously, you’ll meet the best people here. It’s basically a social gathering with great food. Beginning May 7, bring your own bags and come be a part of our special community every Saturday morning until late October. www.elorafarmersmarket.com
    • Get in on the action when live Standardbred Harness Racing returns on June 3 to the Grand River Raceway, with live racing on Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights all summer long, until September 26, 2022. Get to the rail and cheer! grandriverraceway.com
    • The Elora Gorge Campground opens with 450 seasonal camp sites. This campground features the adventure of tubing through the park on the rapids of the Grand River or taking the younger kids to the splash pad to enjoy some water fun.
    • Fergus Fibre Festival Calling all knitters, crocheters, spinners, weavers, and anyone interested in Ontario wool and fleece. Sponsored by the Fergus BIA, the Fergus Fibre Festival is an annual event that takes place the last Saturday in May in downtown Fergus. You’ll find fibre farmers, yarn dyers, and accessories makers excited to showcase their quality yarns, rovings, fleeces, and handcrafted accessories.
    fly fishing fergus
    Fly fishing on the Grand River, east of Fergus. Photo by Bill Longshaw

    Sweet Summer

    Ah summer, the perfect time to visit Elora and Fergus. You can bask beneath the summer sun by the emerald waters of the Elora Quarry or stretch out on the sandy shores at the Belwood Lake spring-fed quarry. Bump through the white waters of the Grand River or fly fish in the cool streams.

    The Elora Quarry Conservation Area Photo by Kelly Waterhouse

    You can rent a bike, go for a hike along the Elora Cataract Trail, or paddle a canoe or take your sweetheart for a gondola ride along the Grand River. Picnic among the sunflowers of the Fieldstone Barn or the in the greenspace of the Elora Centre for the Arts. Summers here are full of possibilities.

    The Elora Cataract Trail Photo by Bill Longshaw

    We are home to three of the best music and cultural festivals you’re ever going to find in one area, all in the month of August. Come for one or stay for all.

    If you enjoy choral and classical music, we’ve got that. The Elora Festival brings the world to our small stages.

    Riverfest Elora rocks out Bissell Park for three days and nights of incredible live music, with a line-up of bands you won’t believe, drawing in thousands of music lovers to party riverside.

    And for an entire weekend, people from around the world descend on Fergus to celebrate all things Scotland. Whether you can claim Scottish heritage or just want to claim it for the weekend, get to the Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games.

    opening ceremony

    You simply can’t beat that our festivals. Seriously, you can’t.

    Yes, it’s the perfect time to visit us. The patios are open. The water is cold. The happenings are hot. You won’t even believe all the ice cream we have here. Best of all, shopping is always in season.

    • The Elora Centre for the Arts is the site of two-day juried art show and sale, now in its 18th year: The Creative Spark in the Yard. Featuring over 50 artisans, the outdoor show is an opportunity to meet the makers and buy unique art pieces. July 9th-10th www.eloracentreforthearts.ca
    • Rent a tube and float along the Grand River, through the Elora Gorge Conservation Area or between Fergus and Elora.  It’s a rite of passage. You almost must have to do it to say you’ve been here. That’s a dare. www.grandriver.ca / www.elorarapids.com
    • River Bug rides are a thing. And don’t you want to say you’ve been on a River Bug? Sure you do. www.eloraraftrides.com
    • Travel light. When you visit here, rent a bike or canoe in downtown Elora, then venture out to see the trailways and riversides out to Fergus. www.elorapaddlecompany / www.eloratandembicyclerental.com
    • Bring your blanket and stretch out in Bissell Park to enjoy live theatre with Shakespeare in the Park www.eloracommunitytheatre.com  Performances run August 5th – 14th, 2022.
    • Enjoy Sunset Concerts at the Museum with live performances weekly taking place on Thursdays evenings all summer long at the Wellington County Museum. www.wellington.ca
    • Rock on! Gather your friends and head down to the river for three epic days of Riverfest Elora. Aug. 19-21, 2022 It’s not your typical musical festival because this isn’t your typical venue. This is good vibes all around.  www.riverfestelora.com
    • Tie and fly. If you’re into fly fishing, or have always wanted to try it, there is simply no place better to experience this sport. The fishing here is second to none.
    • The Elora Festival brings world-class music right to our doorstep over three weekends each summer, celebrating the best of choral, classical and jazz performances, including the Elora Singers. July 8-24, 2022 www.elorafestival.ca
    • Every swam in an old quarry? Go for a swim in the spring-fed quarry in Belwood, with sandy beaches and a shallow area for kids. Or head to the Elora Quarry Conservation Area, a former limestone quarry with deep emerald waters surrounded by steep cliffs, with a sandy beach. Both locations operated by the Grand River Conservation Authority. www.grandriver.ca
    • Live music by the river makes the Twilight at Templin concerts every Wednesday night all summer long a family-friendly night of relaxation and great music under a late summer sun. www.downtownfergus.com
    • Step back in time as you walk through downtown Fergus for the Fergus Medieval Faire on July 23, 2022. Lords and ladies, knights and maidens, performers and entertainers all vie to impress the King and Queen. Come enjoy the vendors, the feasts and the tradition of the Fergus Medieval Faire.  Armour optional. www.fergusmedievalfaire.ca
    • The hallmark event of Grand River Raceway’s racing season is Industry Day, always held on the Civic Holiday Monday. The event is highlighted by two prestigious races, The Battle of Waterloo is Grand River Raceway’s signature race, featuring Ontario-sired two-year-old pacing colts. The Battle of the Belles is a companion race contested by Ontario-sired two-year-old pacing fillies. Make a day of it. The action is thrilling. www.grandriverraceway.com
    • It doesn’t get any more Scottish outside of Scotland than the Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games. And you don’t have to be Scottish to enjoy this celebration of cultural heritage. Three full days of fun and festivities. Come for a day or come for a weekend. Kilts optional. www.fergusscottishfestival.com
    • Our love of the automobile keeps the annual Wellington County Museum and Archives’ Antique and Classic Car Show polished and revved up and it’s quite the spectacle to see all those classic cars, muscle machines and trucks lined up across the big lawn. August 28, 2022. www.wellington.ca  
    • Bright yellow sunflowers in bloom, tall stalks of corn rustling in the breeze and rich orange sunsets sliding down the horizon make for beautiful views at The Fieldstone Barn, on the edge of Elora. Pack a picnic and enjoy the splendor of the countryside within walking distance to town. You’ll find plenty of Instagram-able moments here. Tour the Corn Maze and wander the labyrinth under the summer sky. You can even glamp in comfort and stay the night under the stars. And oh boy, do we see the stars here. Check out all the events planned for this unique destination. www.thefieldstonebarn.com
    Riverfest Elora 2016 shot of the crowd
    Riverfest Elora crowd on a summer Saturday night. Submitted photo

    Awesome Autumn

    Fall in love with autumn here. Our landscape is a spectacle of crimson reds, bright yellows, oranges and deep greens made all the more spectacular along our trails, riverbanks and the caverns of the Elora Gorge.

    The waterfall in Bissell Park, Elora Photo by Bill Longshaw

    As we celebrate the harvest season, it’s also a time of hometown traditions and community celebrations. We’re happy to share the bounty of the season. We also highly recommend you get the kid’s out of the city to learn about their rural roots at our charming Fergus Fall Fair.

    Fergus Fall Fair Photo by Wellington Advertiser

    Make a weekend of it. Gather your friends and map out your inspiration with the Elora Fergus Studio Tour. Explore private workshops and studios and meet the makers of the fine art that has made Elora and Fergus a hub of diverse creativity and inspiration.  Autumn is awesome here.

    • Get out of the city and get your country on! The 185th Fergus Fall Fair is a tradition of fun experiences for the whole family celebrating agriculture, community and the bounty of harvest season. www.fergusfallfair.ca
    • We renowned for our artist collectives. Creativity thrives here. The Elora Fergus Studio Tour is your chance to get inside the creative spaces of our local artists, in a self-guided tour that takes place annually over two weekends. Meet the makers and see what inspires them.  Start at the Elora Centre for the Arts, with their exhibit featuring the artists on tour, and then head off to get inspired. www.elorafergusstudiotour.com
    • Fall Wellington Rural Romp takes you down the back roads to the farms for some hands-on experiences and a chance to see our rural borders. The Fall Wellington Rural Romp is September 24, 2022. www.wellington.ca
    • Rev your engines and head to the Downtown Fergus Antique and Classic Car Show, when we shut down the main drag and bring in the road warriors. www.downtownfergus.com
    • Sensational Pumpkin Day happens every October at the Elora Farmers’ Market, celebrating all things pumpkin. From carving and decorating them to finding fun ways to eat them, everyone loves pumpkins. www.sensationalelora.com
    • The Monsters take over Elora every October. Look around. Find them before they find you! Monster Month makes the village an imaginative place that celebrates all this Halloween. There is so much going on, with family-friendly festivities to join in the spooky fun. Dress up and join your fellow monsters for the annual Monster March Parade through the streets. This month is loaded with fun. Don’t miss out on the fun or it just haunt you. Visit www.monstermonth.ca for current activities.
    • Fergus gets into the spirit of Halloween with their downtown Halloween Haunt Walk for the kids, and by night, the Fergus Ghost Walks. Ghost stories in real time! Watch out for the shadow. Visit www.centrewellington.ca for dates and times.
    • Our haunted house is way bigger than yours! And it’s haunted for real. Ask anyone. Join in the October Spooktacular festivities, like the Poor House Spirit Walks at the Wellington County Museum. If this doesn’t give you a tingle up your spine, then don’t look over your shoulder. Boo! www.wellington.ca.
    • Abracadabra! Magic anyone? We are home to the Magic Festival, with a slate of internationally renowned magicians who bring the mystery, the awe and the showmanship of the artform to town. Open your mind to the possibilities and the wonder, part of the Monster Month fun. www.magicfestival.ca.
    • Get on your boots and head to the The Fieldstone Barn to pick your perfect pumpkin right out of the farm field. Tour the Corn Maze and enjoy the autumn vibes. Check the calendar for seasonal events on the farm. www.thefieldstonebarn.com
    • When the autumn foliage turns to vibrant reds and oranges, our trails are a pathway through the season with beautiful views. That crunch of the leaves beneath your feet and the smell of autumn in the air, there is nothing like it. Get out, explore and kick up the leaves.
    Monster Month Elora Submitted photo

    Wonderful Winter

    When the snow falls and ice forms long sharp teeth against the limestone rocks that envelope the Grand River, the view is spectacular. The Elora Gorge is an icicle fortress, where ice climbers gear up for a climb to the top, and the trails are set for cross-country skiing and snow shoeing.

    The view of the Grand River through Fergus is picturesque, as the water rushes through leaving a frozen mist on the trees. When the ice is thick, Belwood Lake offers ice fishing, and snowmobiles tour special trails to get out into the countryside.  It’s cold out there, but it’s warm inside our pubs, restaurants, specialty coffee shops. 

    ‘Tis the season to be merry and we can help with that too. Christmas shopping will become a special tradition.  Begin your holiday memories here.

    • The best way to enjoy winter is to get out and play in it. We’ve got the best trails to strap on the cross-country skis or the snowshoes and make the most of the season. 
    • When the ice is thick, Belwood Lake’s ice fishing is a fun winter tradition that every should try (weather permitting of course) www.grandriver.ca
    • Winter fun includes two key components: outdoor ice skating and tobogganing. We excel at both. From the free outdoor rinks throughout the community to some excellent steep hills to launch your sleigh down, there is nothing like getting outdoors here.
    • Up for a winter challenge? Dig in and try Ice Climbing in the Elora Gorge. This is the ultimate winter adventure designed for beginners, but fun for experienced climbers. One Axe Pursuits offers 60-foot ice manmade climbing routes along the limestone cliffs of the Elora Gorge, with the rush of the water of the Irvine and Grand Rivers below. Learn to climb new heights with an epic winter experience. oneaxepursuits.com
    • Christmas shopping is cozy and fun in our downtowns, where the shopkeepers are friendly and the selection is great. Be unique and shop unique. Elora hosts two nights of Starlight Shopping and Fergus rolls out the specials with their annual Late Night Sip’n Shop event. www.elora.info / www.downtownfergus.com
    • Nothing brings the harmony of Christmas in the Village like the internationally renowned voices of the Elora Festival Singers. Their annual Christmas in the Village and Festival of Carols have become a lovely holiday tradition here and are sure to make your spirits bright. www.elorafestival.ca
    • The Wellington County Museum celebrates the festive season with a Christmas Festival each year, welcoming families to learn about the traditions of this holiday throughout our past. www.wellington.ca
    • Celebrate the life of the Scottish bard Robbie Burns in Fergus with an annual celebration where haggis is as much a guest as it is the heart of the meal. It’s a memorable Robbie Burns Night and a fabulous party. Entertainment like no other. Kilt up and get down there. http://www.fpb.burnsnight.ca

    As you can see, we pack a lot in here, because life is Grand and Gorgeous all year round. There’s more. Much more. But you know, we didn’t want to overwhelm you. We suggest you check our calendar of events for new and upcoming events, locations and details.

    Winter in downtown Fergus Photo by Bill Longshaw

    Our landscape is changing as we grow to become a premiere destination, but that just means you’ll find new things to explore when you return. So plan to come back. Often.

    We miss you already.

  3. Grand adventures in Elora & Fergus

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    Thrill Rides

    Forget amusement parks, our thrill rides are the real deal and Mother Nature is in control. You’ll never get a better view of the Elora Gorge than from the waters of the Grand River, and you’ll never have more fun than doing so than on a big, bouncy inflatable inter-tube.

    Choose your own adventure to suit your thrill tolerance. From the rush of water rapids in the echo of the Elora Gorge, to a more relaxed go-with-the-flow of a journey on the Grand River between Fergus and Elora, you’ve got options. And if you’ve got time, why not do both?


    Tubing in the Elora Gorge Conservation Area

    Tubing is fast, fun and unforgettable. Prepare to make a big splash and scream a little, (or a lot) on a self-guided journey that moves fast over rapids and slows down in the smooth warm pools between the limestone cliffs inside the Elora Gorge Conservation Park. There is no view like it.

    Start your journey by renting your equipment at the launch point inside the Elora Gorge Conservation Area and launch yourself into the river rapids for a twisting, turning journey. You wanted adventure? You’ve found it. Book online at www.grandriver.ca 

    Make a splash in the Elora Gorge Conservation Area! Photo by Bill Longshaw

    Elora Rapids

    Elora Rapids gives you two options to experience the Grand River. Book your inflatable tubes and gear online and then select the route best suited for you. If you’re up for the rush of river inside the Elora Gorge Conservation Area, you can rent your equipment from them and venture into the park’s tube launch site.

    But if you want to a more relaxed river experience, with less bounce and more go-with-flow, tubing is equally as fun. Elora Rapids will send you down river, but first they’ll drop you off upstream. Their shuttle bus drop-off service will take you to launch point in downtown Fergus, where you and your friends will board your tubes and meander along the expanse of the Grand River in casual comfort, enjoying the views of the homes, greenspaces and surely some wildlife along the shorelines all the way to the Elora. You’ll get a rivers edge view of Fergus and Elora; a unique perspective for two distinctive towns.

    Tubes and safety gear from Elora Rapid Rides
    Submitted photo

    Elora Raft Rides

    Maybe you’d prefer to ride the rapids on a River Bug. Not an actual bug, of course. That would be silly. We mean a River Bug, from the Elora Raft Rides. River Bugs are a one-person catamaran raft that puts you in the driver’s seat right on top of the water for a journey of fun you won’t forget. Take the trip down the Grand River from Confederation Park in Fergus to Bissell Park in Elora to enjoy an experience that is better than smooth sailing and is sure to be a blast.

    Admit it, you really want to tell your friends you’ve been on a River Bug. Yeah, you do. www.eloraraftrides.com


    Elora Paddle Company

    Paddlers know the pleasure that comes from exploring the beauty of the Grand River from the smooth glide of a canoe so close to the water that your sensory becomes one with nature. The rest of the world seems to fall away with the motion of the paddle stroke dipping into the shining water and the shared experience of maneuvering a canoe with your fellow adventurer. It’s a very Canadian thing to do.

    Get close to nature with the Elora Paddle Company.
    Photo by Devlin Macpherson

    Don’t know how? No worries. There’s no experience necessary. The experienced team at Elora Paddle Company will suit you up and give you easy instructions to set your course on this gentle stretch of river. The 45-minute rental gives you a self-guided tour from the dock ideally located in the heart of Elora. From here you can set a course eastward to beautiful Bissell Park, where you can paddle up to be waterfall and tour past the natural beauty of rocks and find treasure in the fossils on the shoreline, or paddle west out to the centre of town get a view of the historic town from the water.

    The Elora Paddle Company has created an authentic family-friendly Elora experience for those who know there is nothing like getting out on the water. Book your canoe online and get ready for fun. www.elorapaddlecompany.ca.


    Elora Raft Rides

    Sit back and let someone else navigate the waters, learn about local history, see the natural beauty of the area and tour the town from the waters of the Grand River with Elora Raft Rides. Their unique, locally-fabricated watercraft will take you and yours on a pleasure cruise in the comfort of their Classic Punts. They have so many cruising options we don’t have room to explain all the cool things you can do with Elora Raft Rides, so visit them at www.eloraraftrides.com and create a memorable experience all your own.

    Riverbugs are river-friendly.
    Photo by Bill Longshaw

  4. Riverfest Elora 2018

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    Happy 10th  anniversary
    Riverfest Elora,
    you charmer, you.

    We’ve waited all year for this party. ALL YEAR. And we’re okay with it because, we already know that Riverfest Elora 2018 is totally worth the wait.

    How can we be so sure?  Experience. We haven’t missed a Riverfest yet, which means we have TEN years of adoring the little backyard festival that grew into an epic summer music festival and yet, has never lost its charm. True fact.

    You have likely been to many concerts in many venues and taken part in music festivals in all kinds of venues from sports stadiums, outdoor arenas and maybe a few big parties held in cow pastures. Yep, us too. Good times, but no charm there.

    But when you plan a giant party in Elora’s Bissell Park, with the beautiful Grand River running alongside it, complete with three stages, food trucks and vendors galore, an Artisan Alley, beer and spirits, art exhibits and beautiful greenspace all around, in the heart of one of the prettiest villages in Ontario, honestly, you cannot beat that. You just can’t. Because, when you imagine the ultimate music festival with the audience experience in mind – you grow it organically. And well, you can’t go wrong.  So come and get charmed.

    Because the Riverfest Elora organizers turns this ….

    Into this ….

    TEN ways we believe Riverfest Elora will charm you
    into becoming a true heart Riverfriend:

    1. They care about the environment. Riverfest Elora is a bottled water free and waste conscious event. They were awarded the Live Music Industry Awards’ Green Operations Festival of the Year 2018, for all their efforts to keep the festival environmentally-friendly. You won’t find packaged water here. Period. Festival-goers are encouraged to bring their own refillable water bottles, or to bring their reuseable Riverfest Elora mugs from previous years. But if you are new to the scene and plan to enjoy a beverage or three, you can purchase your very own Riverfest Elora Mug for $6. Free water stations are on-site to keep you hydrated. Just a head’s up though – this year, plastic straws are banned too.
    2. Riverfest Elora loves their beer, wine and cider They only serve the good stuff. So, remember – bring your resuseable Riverfest Elora mugs from previous years, or buy a brand new one for $6. Drink tokens are $7. The line-up moves fast, so no worries there. And just think of all the friends you’ll make in line.
    3. Three stages. Back-to-back performances. Triple bang for your buck. Be sure to plan your bands with the FREE Riverfest Elora App … and you won’t miss a thing
    4. Foodies love Riverfest Elora. It tastes good! Check out the complete list of vendors tucked into the food village set a short walk down the boardwalk. The food options are as diverse as the acts playing the festival, so we’re pretty sure your taste buds will be charmed too.
    5. Riverfest Elora is joining the Keychange Pledge, a European initiative that aims to empower women to transform the future of the music industry, encouraging festivals to achieve a 50-50 gender balance by 2022. Riverfest has always strived for gender parity and for 2018 features 55 per cent of the acts that will take the stage fit the female-fronted band goal.
    6. Yoga. Mind. Body. Soul. Sun Salutations. A little downward-dog. Stretch that musical festival experience with the incredible sessions of Yoga with Tania. You’re welcome.
    7. Karaoke makes everyone a star, right? Sure it does. So sign up your friend or let out your inner Carly Rae Jepsen out and join the Boo Radley Project as you belt out your emotions in song. Or, just keep up with the live band. These guys are hilarious and they’re here for you.
    8. Ukuleles make everyone happy. Admit it. That’s why Riverfest Elora is featuring the Big Bag o’Uke’s with Adrian Jones. Strum along. Get happy. It’s that simple.
    9. Artisan Alley is full of unique treasures by unique artisans, because who wants the same-old, same-old? Nobody, that’s who. Browse. Chat. Shop. Get inspired.
    10. Hockey. Yep, hockey. On Friday, August 17, the crew from Riverfest Elora are getting involved in the McGinn Brothers BIG Game in support of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Centre Wellington. This charity ball hockey tournament takes place in the groovy town of Fergus, (just a slap shot away) and will welcome NHL players Jamie, Tye and Brock McGinn, Ryan O’Reilly, Nathan Beaulieu, Lawson Crouse, Tyler McGregor, Korey Jarvis, Rich Peverly and more. Doesn’t get more Canadian than this really, does it? And nobody will yell “car!” because the street will be closed, so it will just be hockey, hockey and more hockey. And then rock’n roll. Sigh. It’s good to be Canadian.

    Oh – and there’s like a whole bunch of awesome bands playing too. You knew that right? There’s about 60 bands. And after parties.
    Check out the 10th anniversary Riverfest Elora line-up!

    (Photos: Dear Rouge and Blue Rodeo will return to Riverfest Elora to help celebrate the big anniversary!)

    So trust us when we say, you’ve never experienced anything like Riverfest Elora. When we say EPIC, we mean it! Pack in as much as you can. Enjoy Elora. Visit Fergus. Charm on every corner.  You’ll be a Riverfriend in no time!  Rock on, people. Rock on.

  5. 2018 Canadian National Fly Fishing Championship

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    We’re hooked!

    Throw on the hip-waders and tie one on. Fly Fishing Canada will host the 16th Annual National Championship  in Fergus and Elora, (Centre Wellington) from June 3-8, 2018.

    Test your skills and sportsmanship in search of Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout and Brook Trout.

    Watercourses include the beautiful Grand River, Conestoga River and the Upper Credit Trout ClubThis is the second time that the Nationals have been held on the Grand and Conestoga Rivers. One cast and you’ll know whyThe Grand and Conestoga rivers are tailwater fisheries, stocked annually each Spring with up to 40,000 Brown Trout, many of which hold over from year to year, producing some of North America’s best trophy brown trout approaching the 30-inch size.

    The Upper Credit Trout Club has operated as a private members’ club for over 40 years. It features a pond large enough to provide beats for rotational bank-fishing, is stocked with trophy Rainbow Trout and Brook Trout.

    We’ll be welcoming competitive anglers from across Canada to compete in the waters that flow through our community, surrounded by beautiful views like limestone cliffs and rocky shore lines, waterfalls and the prettiest towns too.

    Schedule:
    Opening Ceremonies: Sunday June 3, 6pm-9pm
    Official Practice Days: Sunday June 3, Monday June 4
    No-fishing Day: Tuesday June 5. Captain’s meeting, Conservation Symposium
    Competition Dates: Wed June 6 through Friday June 8: 6-session format (one spare session per angler)
    Closing Ceremonies: Friday June 8, 6pm-10pm
    Check-out and Depart: Saturday June 9

    Local Charity Beneficiary of proceeds from silent- and live-auctions, raffles, etc.:
    Big Brothers Big Sisters of Centre Wellington (BBBS-CW) https://centrewellington.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca/

     

  6. Belwood Lions Pike Derby

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    “Fish on!!”  That’s what you want most to hear when you’re in the Belwood Lions Pike Derby, because the prizes and bragging rights are worth reeling it in. The longest pike takes the win, but it’s the longest fishing tales of the one that got away that keep this family tradition alive and swimming.

    Every spring since 1980, on the weekend after the Victoria Day holiday, Belwood Lake is a busy spot with boat loads of anglers looking to cast out for the big win. First prize is $2000.00, but there is even more prizes in both adult and youth categories, including early bird draws, door prizes and draws. Be sure to bring the kids, because every angler under the age of 8 years old is guaranteed a prize.

    Reel it in and take part in this annual competition, the biggest annual fundraiser for the Belwood Lions Club – supporting local initiatives for youth and community in the Township of Centre Wellington.

    Whether you catch a pike or just make memories with your pals, this is great event with a proud history.  So, fish on!

     

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