As published in Fishwrapper newspaper by Laura Byrne Paquet, OttawaRoadTrips.com
Seeking a good reason to hop in your car and take a local road trip this summer? Just northeast of Brockville, communities in the North Grenville area are hosting terrific events that are well worth checking out—and they’re closer than you think.
From spring through fall (May 12 to October 27 this year), the Kemptville Farmers’ Market is bringing local farm-fresh meats and produce, flowers, baked goods and more to the parking lot of B&H Your Local Grocer in Kemptville, from noon to 4pm. Enjoy live music and monthly theme days, eat lunch, and browse for items by artists and crafters—everything from pottery to soap. You can even bring your dog!
The Spencerville Mill and Museum is hosting the Father and Daughter Ball on Saturday, June 1, from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. It’s a fun chance for fathers to enjoy a day out with their young daughters, with face painting, nail polish stations, bracelet making, pizza, dancing and more. The event is geared to girls aged 2 to 8, but all are welcome.
The next day, NG Pride Parade (Saturday, June 2) starts at Riverside Park in Kemptville at 10:30am and winds its way through town to wrap up at the Kemptville College campus, where a joyful, family-friendly After Party will run throughout the afternoon.
Attention, bargain hunters! The Kemptville District Hospital Association is holding Hey Day, a huge sale of gently used items—clothing, china, golf gear, bikes, small appliances, you name it—at the North Grenville Municipal Centre in Kemptville on Friday, June 7 (6pm to 9pm) and Saturday, June 8 (9am to 1pm).
On National Indigenous Peoples Day (Saturday, June 22), you can enjoy a fundraising lunch at the Ferguson Forest Centre in Kemptville. Money raised will go toward building an Indigenous Forest Space at the centre.
That same day (June 22), the Surya Yoga Festival is taking place at the Kemptville Campus. You can choose from a wide range of yoga classes and meditation sessions, browse for yoga gear, and fuel up with nourishing local food.
On Saturday, June 27, Mayhem at the Mansion is a murder-mystery evening at the Spencerville Mill and Museum. The fundraiser for the mill’s elevator campaign includes food, drinks and music, and guests are invited to don their best Old West duds.
Music fans will descend on Kemptville in July for the Kemptville Live Music Festival (July 18 to 21). Acts ranging from rock to roots are taking to the stage at Kemptville College this year, including Burton Cummings, Dean Brody, Sam Roberts Band, Suzie Vinnick and Glass Tiger.
Concert lovers might also enjoy the South Grenville Bluegrass Festival, coming to the Spencerville Fairgrounds from August 8 to 11.
Meanwhile, literary lovers can check out the Kemptville Youth Centre Annual Book Fair, a huge sale of used books at the Ferguson Forest Centre from August 16 to 18.
And from September 12 to 15, the popular Spencerville Fair returns. Billed as “the biggest little fair in Eastern Ontario,” the fair features agricultural competitions, a pet show, a baby show, live music and much more.
If you’d like to enjoy a scenic drive on your way to one or more of these events, why not Follow 44? If you follow Leeds-Grenville County Road 44 from Spencerville to Kemptville (as described in last month’s issue of The Fishwrapper), you can visit farms, beaches, shops and more along the way. See https://www.northgrenville.ca/follow44.
