Adult Halloween Fun at the Museum! Great for a Spooky Date Night!
Cemetery Tours – October 21, 22, 28 and 29 at 7pm and 9pm.
It’s that time of the year where everyone loves hearing scary stories, but real history holds some of the scariest and unnerving stories. Join us as we take a trip through the real history of the House of Industry and Refuge and explore some of the more unsettling stories of inmates and staff that called this place home.
This tour takes place outside on museum grounds and at the Poor House Cemetery where over 200 inmates were laid to rest. Please be aware there are no accessibility routes for this tour. This tour is designed for a 14+ audience.
Tours begin at 7pm and 9pm on the front steps of the Wellington County Museum.
Tickets are $15 + HST. Tickets will be available for purchase online soon!
Comments Off on Our museum is awesome. We’re not just saying that.
The Wellington County Museum and Archives isn’t just another landmark building – it’s one of the most stunning and historically significant buildings in our area, set high atop a hill, stoically perched in the center of Fergus and Elora.
The building itself is a testament to time. Built in 1877, the Poor House and Industrial Farm offered lodging for the homeless and poor in Wellington County. It operated until 1947. It is the oldest remaining House of Industry and Refuge in Canada, earning its status as a National Historic Site.
If genealogy is your hobby, the modern archives are a treasure trove of history from communities across Wellington County. Inside the museum, a host of exhibits, some that travel and others that proudly share the artifacts and personal mementos that tell the stories of the people who shaped this land. Explorers and pioneers. Innovators and aggravators. Those who sought refuge and those who gave it. Heroes and heroines. Legends in time.
Tour the exhibit halls, gallery space, the gift shop and step back in time, into the meticulously restored heritage barn. Wander through the fragrant blooms of the many gardens including the Victorian garden, and Butterfly Garden, Woodland and Cottage Garden, bringing the flora and fauna of the past into the present.
Walk the path into a forest that lends land to the Poor House Cemetery, a tribute that honours the almost 300 souls who were buried on the grounds of the former Poor House. If you listen, you may hear their voices in the wind. The ghost stories of this grand old building are legendary. And true. Boo! Cool, right?
This is also a great place to park the car and tour the Elora Cataract Trails, walking/cycling trails that lead you to Elora, Fergus and beyond. Be sure to experience the Aboyne Trail adjacent to the museum, leading you through the forest to the riverbanks of the Grand River, with spectacular views atop the Trestle Bridge over the Grand River. From this vantage point, you can imagine the grand structure of the former Poor House and Industrial Farm as it was stood, before the towns around it were built up to modern day. www.wellington.ca
Comments Off on Four seasons. Two towns. One awesome destination.
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 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.
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-10thwww.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
Bring your blanket and stretch out in Bissell Park to enjoy live theatre with Shakespeare in the Parkwww.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 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 MarchParade 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.
Bring the whole family to celebrate Halloween in true New Orleans style! Join us for a magic show, costume parade, ghost tours, New Orleans crafts, games and more!
Admission is by donation. Admission to the magic show is $5 per person. Tickets sold at the door.
A must-see exhibit at Wellington County Museum and Archives, ‘On the Button’ is coming this fall! Opening Saturday, October 19, this exhibit features over 900 buttons from local button collector Roger Miller, displayed alongside rarely seen garments from the Wellington County Museum’s collection.
The exhibit’s opening reception will take place on Saturday, October 19 from 1pm to 3pm at the Museum. As an added feature, Roger Miller will give a personal tour of the exhibit at 2pm. All are welcome, admission by donation.
Roger Miller’s buttons will be on display at the Museum until April 12, 2020.
Come and visit one of THE most haunted sites in Wellington County. Long reputed for numerous ghost sightings and paranormal experiences, you really don’t want to miss this.
Meet the spirits of the Poor House and hear the stories of the people who lived, worked, and sometimes died on site!
Stir it up! It’s time for the annual Sensational Elora Soup-Off!
Now celebrating its 10th Anniversary, the competition is boiling over with delicious flavours, creative recipes and an aroma of fun.
The Sensational Soup-Off, a signature event of Sensational Elora’s calendar, part of their Empty Bows/Empty Glasses Project. It’s an important fundraiser to combat hunger and poverty in our community.
Watch as chefs, home-cooks and time-tested traditional recipes are put to the taste test – and the judge is YOU! Using local ingredients and a whole lot of creativity, this is truly a feast for the senses.
But there’s more to it!
Sample soups from the competitors
Enjoy entertainment from the Elora Acoustic Cafe
Purchase a one-of-a-kind bowl or glass hand-designed by local artisans
Vote for the best soup!
Entry to the Sensational Soup-Off is:
$15 for adults
$5 for children under 12
and $35 maximum for a family of two adults plus children.
Purchase one-of-a-kind bowls and glasses, donated by local artists for only $25.00.
Voting will take place during the event and prizes will be awarded.
November 11th – Remembrance Day is honoured in many ways locally each year and if you find yourself in Fergus or Elora over this weekend, we invite you to take part in our many events.
Without a doubt, the most spectacular display to honour our fallen takes place on front lawn of the Wellington County Museum and Archives. In partnership with our local Legions, we honour the 526 fallen from Wellington County. Those who died in the First World War, World War Two, Korea and Afghanistan are remembered with a marker on the front lawn.
This informal and poignant tribute takes place at dusk on November 10, (5:30pm) and the candles will remain lit until November 12. Candles are provided by the Museum and everyone is encouraged to attend.
Listen for the pipes
Early on Sunday, November 11th, members of the Fergus Pipe Band will be taking part in the 100th Anniversary of Armistice by performing at the Fergus Legion.
At 6am pipers will perform the piece Battle’s O’er to commemorate the end of World War One and pay tribute our fallen. All our welcome to start the morning of Remembrance with this important event.
Remembrance Day Services
Elora – Remembrance parade Nov. 11 starting at 11am, followed by a ceremony at the cenotaph in front of our municipal offices.
Fergus – Remembrance parade Nov. 11 starting at 10:30am, followed by a cenotaph service.
Salem – Remembrance parade, Nov. 11, starting at 9:30am; with a service at the cenotaph.
Bells of Peace
This Remembrance Day marks the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War.
On Nov. 11 1918, after four long years, the guns had fallen silent. In their place, across Canada church bells rang out to share the news that the Great War, regarded at the time as “the war to end all wars,” was finally over.
To commemorate the occasion, The Royal Canadian Legion, in partnership with the Government of Canada, is encouraging all communities across the country to participate in the Bells of Peace initiative.
The Legion is awaiting confirmation from other churches in Elora.
Fergus – The Fergus Legion will ring the bell from the WWII corvette HMCS Fergus, usually on display in the club hall, in front of the Legion at 5pm on Nov. 11.
Comments Off on The Elora Singers Unplugged: Museum Series
Enjoy music under the stars with the finest voices in town, the Elora Singers. Curated by Michael Cressman (Bass), the Elora Singers let their hair down in this rocking “house party” showcase. Performing Broadway tunes and other personal favourites, they present a casual “this is us” showcase that will bring you closer to your Singers than ever.
Hosted by the Wellington County Museum, in the Exhibit Hall, this show is perfect for the whole family.
