LOCAL GETAWAY

FALLING IN L O V E WITH BALA

The Bala Cranberry Festival

Every year, cottagers anxiously await the official opening of summer: Victoria Day Weekend. And as soon as the calendar hits May 24th, cars packed with coolers, pillows, and fishing rods make their way up Highway 400 toward the recreational promise of Muskoka.

Muskoka is a collection of wonderful towns that together make up the most popular cottage country area in Ontario. With over 1,600 lakes, thousands of acres of green forest, and lots of great restaurants and places to stay, it’s no wonder everyone wants to be there.

But after every last smore, campfire song, and cannonball off the dock has been had, as lake temps drop and leaves start to change, cottagers prepare for the unofficial closing: The Bala Cranberry Festival.

The Town of Bala – often referred to as the Heart of Muskoka – is a picturesque small town where Lake Muskoka empties into Moon River. The Town itself is Canada’s smallest incorporated town with a population of approximately 370 year-round residents. But throughout the summer and into the festival weekend, this small town sees anywhere from 5,000 to 15,000 people.

Besides being Canada’s smallest town, Bala is home to the largest cranberry marsh in Ontario (the Johnston Cranberry Marsh) and known as the Cranberry Capital of Ontario. And what should one do when famous for cranberries? Throw an epic festival around it.

Every year since 1984, on the weekend after Thanksgiving, Bala hosts their annual (and world-famous) Cranberry Festival. Every year except for 2020, of course. However, in previous years, when the festival rolled around, the town would explode with music, events, and food – and the theme through it all: cranberries.

The 2022 event will feel similar to the traditional large-scale event pre-pandemic. Visitors will discover handmade Muskoka and Canadian artisans’ products, pick-up fresh cranberries, enjoy epicurean delights, tantalize their taste buds with fresh cranberries dipped in candy, and be entertained with many different zones and attractions. See the power of Lake Muskoka flowing into the Moon River high up on a Ferris Wheel and enjoy merchants on the Bala strip.

Along with the festival, Bala and surrounding towns, Gravenhurst and Minett, have stunning sights, incredible restaurants, and cozy accommodations.

The Oar is a casual restaurant located in downtown Gravenhurst, a stone's throw from the Marriott Residence Inn - offering traditional and vegetarian dishes from burgers, fish, pasta to steak using fresh, simple and tasteful ingredients. Intown, there’s Sawdust City Saloon. Among the adult-friendly beer taps, you’ll find a family-friendly food menu (and if you’re lucky, the outdoor food truck and ice-stream truck will still be in season).

CRANBERRY.CA

Local Links

1 Bala Cranberry Festival balacranberryfestival.on.ca 2 JW Marriott/Marriott Residence Inn marriott.com 3 The Oar theoar.ca 4 Sawdust City Brewing Co. sawdustcitybrewing.com 5 Clear Lake Brewing Co. muskokabeerspa.com 6 Muskoka Lakes Farm and Winery cranberry.ca

In Muskoka Lakes, you can find Clear Lake Brewing Co., just a hop-skip-andjump down from the festival at the corner of Hwy 169 and Southwood Road. Their Beer Spa offers the perfect accommodations. Their cabins are cozy for a group of friends or a family and only minutes away from the Cranberry Festival, it’s a perfect weekend spot. Enjoy spa amenities for 19+, live music, a brewery, and two restaurants on-site.

Then, there’s not to forget the small shops in these little towns. Explore, shop small, and bring home a piece of Bala.

The 2022 Bala Cranberry Festival will take place the weekend after Thanksgiving – October 14th to 16th. LL