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Every year on Thanksgiving, the Wellington County Museum and Archives hosts 18 soup makers; professional, amateur and youth, competing to become the “Super Souper” of the year in their category. Come sit back with your soup and a glass of beer or wine and enjoy wonderful music throughout the afternoon.
We are also very grateful to local potters for donating bowls each year as part of our “Empty Bowls” program. You can purchase one of these beautiful, one-of-a-kind bowls, have it refilled with soup up to 18 times, vote for your favourite soup, listen to music, and help us combat hunger. There’s no better way to celebrate Thanksgiving.
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.
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BOO!! Ah! Don’t be scared, the Halloween Haunt Street Walk brings the fun of Halloween out in to the daylight and invites kids of all ages to head to downtown Fergus for a frightfully fun time! There will be witches, ghosts and spooky creatures amongst us, wondering in the shops, creeping through the streets and possibly checking out books at the public library too, (because even ghosts like a good ghost story).
The Halloween Haunt Street Walk invites trick-or-treaters to roam through Downtown Fergus on Saturday, October 27 between 10am – 12pm.
It’s all about the spirit – or spirits – of Halloween brought to you by the Fergus BIA. Get your costume on and head to Downtown Fergus, where participating shops will open their doors and welcome in little monsters, princesses and super heroes too (and even their parents), to enjoy sweet treats and enjoy some Halloween fun!
Follow the balloons for stores ready to greet the trick-or-treaters. Along the way be on the look-out for these Halloween Haunt Street Walk events:
Wicked Witches
Animal balloons
Live outdoor music
Face painting
Sweeties
Haunted House
Custom removable tattoos
Fright Bike Rodeo
Apple bobbing
Cookie decorating
Haunted Alley
The Halloween Haunt Street Walk is geared for younger children and is all about family-friendly fun. So bring the little monsters and wander about our historic downtown. We’re sure you’ll have a Spooktacular time!
The 182nd annual Fergus Fall Fair is this weekend celebrating our “Country Roots.”
September 14, 15 and 16.
Come on and get your country on!
Sure, most people come to Fergus to see the beauty of the Grand River, our beautiful historic downtown or the many events that have put our community on the map, but one thing we really have to be proud of here are our “Country Roots.” It’s what started this community and it’s what feeds us today.
You don’t have to be from here to feel welcome at this community tradition because that’s the whole point. Here we celebrate the farmers who feed us, the next generation learning the value of working the land and the growing importance of agriculture in our changing world.
As progress and growth changes the landscape, we know that agriculture is the bedrock of our community and we are thrilled to see the Fergus Fall Fair thrive without losing the charm that is the 182 years of tradition and a heritage worth saving.
Get out of the city and get back to your country roots.
Here’s our pick for the things you absolutely must do to get a real Fergus Fall Fairexperience:
1. Walk around the animal rings and watch the 4-H youth prepare their animals for the show ring, because any kid who never got to spend time on a farm really needs to watch the work it takes to get a cow ready for the big event. Hair dryers, colour sprays, clippers – the beauty of a fall fair is there is no behind-the-scenes. It’s all about the work and the care that goes into it.
2. Cheer on the 4-H youth as they compete in the show ring with their farm animals, like the dairy competition or the sheep show. You will begin to appreciate the hours and hours of chores, animal care and dedication it takes to get these animals show ready. Plus, watch the work it takes to walk a cow into a ring and ask it stand still! We’re totally fascinated by watching these young people work so hard. It’s serious business.
3. Don’t chicken out. Tour the barns and check out the birds. Seriously, everybody gets a real kick out of this. Up close and personal with some of the most beautiful chickens, ducks, geese and more. It will make you appreciate all the variations of birds and what it takes to keep them healthy
4. The Midway, because whether you ride a vomit-comet or just laugh at those who do, there is something so nostalgic about the sights and lights of the midway as the September sun sets.
5. Pies. Crafts. Cooking. Admit it, you want to see who won. And for those of us who have no idea how to bake, sew or glue anything to anything, this is impressive.
6. Four words: Farmer Olympics/Redneck Games. Tell us the curiosity of just exactly what that entails isn’t enough to inspire you check it out.
7. Truck pulls. We have no idea why these are so awesome, but there is something about them that brings us back every year. It’s exciting and we have no idea why.
8. The Extreme Bike Show is fun to watch. And then to realize that you probably shouldn’t try anything you saw at home.
9. Horses. And more horses. Because, they’re horses.
10. Eat a candy apple and cotton candy while you enjoy the live music, because a sugar rush AND live music? Right?!
It doesn’t matter how old you are, where you’re from or whether you know a Holstein from a Limousin, (those are cow breeds, folks), we are sure you’ll find the Fergus Fall Fair a jam-packed weekend of fun for the whole family.
Come celebrate our “Country Roots” – see where we come from and where we’re going at the 182nd Fergus Fall Fair.
A unique town deserves a unique music festival. There is only music festival like this.
Riverfest Elora 2018 will be held in Bissell Park on Friday, August 17, Saturday, August 18 and Sunday, August 19. Don’t miss your chance to dance down by the river.
Get ready for three days of art, food trucks, arts and craft vendors, community and of course, music! Celebrating ten years of the little music festival that grew to attract major headliners, this year promises to be spectacular.
Where else can you see a line-up like The Flaming Lips, Carly Rae-Jepsen, Blue Rodeo and July Talk – just to name a few?
They say it’s like visiting Scotland, without the airfare. We think they’re right. So pack your bags, your kilts and your Scottish pride (hey, you can even borrow it – be a Scots for a day!) and come to one of the best festivals in the province.
The Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games is a true celebration of Scottish culture, in the spirit of promoting and preserving the cultural heritage, from the arts and ancestry to the traditional competitions of sport. For the town of Fergus, rooted in Scottish history, this event is a source of great pride for the community, volunteers and organizers.
And it’s party to be had! With a full line-up of music performances, dance and pipe band competitions, the traditional Tattoo and even some celebrity guests, we like to think of it as “Scotland without the jet lag.”
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Bring the kids, pack a picnic and introduce them to inspiration of Mozart’s most famous opera!
This is an ideal introduction to the beauty of this musical art form. Through the power of music and make-believe, Allegra and Papageno embark on a magical adventure of sharing and self-discovery.
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The sweet sounds of summer rise above the village when the Elora Festival brings the world of music to our door, for three full weeks of world-class performers and performances in a variety of music genres from classical and choral to opera, jazz and contemporary sounds and so much more. It’s not just a series of concerts – it’s a series of experiences as diverse as the audiences themselves.
We’re opening the doors to some of the coolest sites in Fergus and Elora. With 10 locations on the self-guided tour, each with their own unique history and experiences to be had, plus more than a few with local tales of great woman who have helped shape our nation’s history, you’ll be inspired by new experiences and a peak behind the scenes.
Coordinated by the Township of Centre Wellington in association with Heritage Centre Wellington, the Wellington County Museum and Archives and Ontario Heritage Trust, Doors Open is a celebration of our community’s heritage. It is part of the provincial Doors Open events that take place across Ontario from April to October each year.
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 Club. This 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
