Lake Simcoe & Kempenfelt Bay is the backdrop to Barrie's 6th annual Waterfront Festival this weekend!

The weather is supposed to hold up as...'gorgeous' in all of cottage country Ontario! and for the whole weekend too! How would you like to stroll along the sandy shoreline of Lake Simcoe while doing some shopping, eating and people watching or take a swim, a carnival ride or play a game of chance? You're thinking it about it aren't you? When was the last time you had a corn dog on the beach?

The 6th annual Barrie Waterfront Festival is held in the downtown area on Kempenfelt Bay and is great for all ages. There's lots of parking, just pack your beach stuff, sunscreen, water and wallet etc ;) then head out to the blue skies and blue waters of Heritage Park. There will be lots of live entertainment, a B101 & FM93 stage, midway, buskers and street vendors galore!

Festivities kick off at noon on Saturday, May 29th and continue until 11:00pm. On Sunday, the events start off at noon and wrap up at 6:00pm.

At last year's festival we chowed down on the best Poutine ever (twice), lost money on the games, did get a bit of a sunburn, bought some trinkets and we all loved it especially the kids! Everything at the park is somewhat contained yet you're outside so it's spacious, it's also busy yet fun and if we get a chance to go this weekend we'll make a day of it.

Safe journey wherever you're headed and thanks for visiting; feel free to leave a comment!

Vacation planning? ...get your Ontario Travel Guide publications for free!

Whether planning a long weekend getaway or a full summer vacation inspiration and information regarding what to do, how to get there and what's it going to cost, all become pertinent. That's where the Ontario Travel website and free written documentation comes to the rescue!

Ontario Travel offers full colour, informative travel guides that are available for download or you can request a physical copy to be sent to you for free.

Travel Guide publications available... 

- Summer Getaways
- Festivals & Events
- Official Road Map of Ontario
- Great Ontario Outdoor Adventure Calendar
- Ontario: The Land of the Great Freshwater Seas
- Ontario Snowmobiling Trail Guide
- Ontario Snowmobiling Tour Planner

They allow one copy of each guide to be requested, if you require more or have further inquiries give them a call at 1-800-ONTARIO 


Canoeist on Lake at Sunrise, Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada

Maple Syrup Festivals & Harvesters

When glorious Maple trees are adorned
with metal buckets you know Spring is in the air,
 at least in cottage country Ontario!

Nature's alarm clock rings loud and clear in the sugar bush as Maple forests become a buzz with harvesters catching a fleeting moment in time to capture the inner goodness of the Maple tree. With oodles of fresh made Maple Syrup just waiting to be tasted, it's time to gather your friends and family to join in the celebrations with local harvesters this Spring.

Maply Syrup Festivals... 

18th Annual Wye Marsh Sweetwater Harvest Festival

The Wye Marsh offers a chance for syrup worshippers to view both the traditional and modern process for harvesting syrup while in the great outdoors. Each day there will be an open fire for warmth and an all day pancake breakfast with fresh Bannock accompanied by live folk music. Live animals and horse drawn wagon rides will also be present to enhance the whole families experience.

Wye Marsh
16160 Highway #12 Midland, Ontario
Phone# 705-526-7809

Saturday, March 27th & Sunday, March 28th, 2010
10 am to 4 pm
Admission is $5
Breakfast is $5
Children 5 & Under are Free

 

45th Annual Elmvale Maple Syrup Festival

Visit Elmvale's spring festival and partake in an entire town's celebration! Enjoy fresh pancakes, sausages and Maple Syrup served up for breakfast all day long. Local vendors bring their shops outside and live bands will entertain on two different stages. There will be a pancake eating contest and a log sawing for those energetic folk along with dancing, pony rides, a Firefighter's display, craft and quilting shows, a book sale at the library. There will also be sugarbush tours and a Midway of rides!

Town of Elmvale
Elmvale Maple Syrup Festival
Saturday April 17, 2010
8 am - 5 pm
Phone# 705-322-6613

Midway Rides
- Friday April 16th 3:00 pm until close
Wrist Band, Pay One Price: $15.00
- Saturday April 17th  9:00 am until close
General Admission all day!


Spring Tonic Maple Festival

Enjoy the taste of spring by visiting the Tiffin Centre for their annual maple syrup festival and enjoy an all day long pancake and sausage breakfast. Tour the sugar bush, take a ride in a horse drawn wagon, view historical reinactments and get your face painted!

Tiffin Centre
Nottawasaga Valley Conseration Authority

8195 Line 8
Utopia, Ontario
Phone # 705-424-1479

Saturday April 10, 2010 & Sunday April 11, 2010

9 am - 3 pm (Breakfast served until 2 pm)
$10 per adult; $5 per child


Go for a scenic drive to...

Killbear's Provincial Park to the 4th Annual Maple Syrup Festival

Mclean's Berry Farm to the 17th Annual Buckhorn Festival

Maple farms...
Shaws' Maple Products & Pancake House
Your hosts Tom & Terri-Lynn Shaw
#493 Oro-Medonte Line 14 South
RR #1 Orillia, ON
L3V 6H1
Phone # 705-325-4347

Call ahead for boiling times and sleigh or wagon availability
Pancake House - March thru April
8:00 am to 4:00 pm

Visit the Ontario Maple Syrup Producers Association (OMSPA)

for information on Ontario wide Maple Syrup production, festivals and sugar bushes.

Call ahead to any of the venues if you have any questions and remember to dress appropriately, it's still quite chilly in the forests even on sunny days. Enjoy your family fun everyone!

Orillia's Annual Perch Fish Festival - Lake Simcoe & Lake Couchiching

Fishin' Fun for Everyone...Grab your Family, Friends & Fishing Gear

Join in the 29th Annual Orillia Perch Festival!

Toss your Line into the Beautiful Waters of Lake Simcoe & Lake Couchiching

for a chance to Win Great Prizes...if your Catch is the Lucky One!

The Orillia Perch Festival is one Canada's largest fishing derbies and it takes place right here in cottage country from Saturday, April 17th right thru until Saturday, May 8th 2010.

Pick your favorite fishin' hole and catch tagged Perch for awesome cash prizes or win daily, weekly or even the grand prize draw... you'll be grinnin' and braggin' with even more fish stories! ;)

Register once, but fish often for more chances to win! This fishing derby is registered as 'catch & release' so be sure to have a live well at the ready for storing your fish. Your Perch must be living, breathing and healthy enough that once weighed in, can also be released knowing it will survive.


Perch Headquarters
Tudhope Park
Hwy. 12S & Atherley Road

Orillia, L3V 4S7
Adults: $15.00 / Children Under 16: $5.00 - GST included
Registration & Weigh In's - Open daily between the hours of 7am to 7pm.

- Parking available on site
- Pets allowed
- Picnic areas (food and drink closeby)
- Public Washrooms


Opening Ceremonies
Friday, April 16, 2010
Starts at 7pm

Located at ODAS Park
500 Fairgrounds Rd.
Orillia, ON L3V 6H2

Phone # 705-325-0353


Special OPP Kids Day
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Starts at 11am thru 2pm
Located at Perch Headquarters (Tudhope Park)


Closing Ceremonies
Saturday, May 08, 2010
Starts at 7:00 pm
Located at the Best Western Mariposa Inn & Conference Center
400 Memorial Avenue
Orillia, ON L3V 6J3
Phone # 705-325-9511


Perch Festival Live Release Program
Operated by the Orillia Fish & Game Conservation Club
For club information - Phone# 705-826-4263 or John 705-325-2864


To Register by Mail
Each person must register with their name, address, phone number, date of birth and payment.
You may mail in information for more than one person within the same envelope.

Send information and chegue to:

Orillia District Chamber of Commerce
150 Front St. South
Orillia, Ontario
L3V 4S7
Phone# 705-326-4424

Please pick up your registration at Perch Headquarters before you start fishing!

or

register at Trombly's Tackle Box
595 West Street South
Orillia, Ontario
L3V 5H7
Phone # 705-327-3474

Invading Species Awareness Program

Ministry of Natural Resources

Check out these Lake Simcoe perch caught in January 2010