Nestled on the shores of Kempenfelt Bay and conveniently located in the Greater Golden Horseshoe area of the Province of Ontario, the city of Barrie offers a wide variety of activities, including craft shows and community events. Regardless what time of year you visit this vibrant city, you can find something to do that will not only suit your tastes, but every member of your family.
Kempenfest
Barrie hosts one of the biggest craft shows in Canada at Kempenfest. Hosted annually during the Civic Long Weekend in August, not only does Kempenfest features a midway, musical entertainment and activities for children, nearly 400 artisans gather to sell their creative and artistic wares during the four-day festival. Pottery, jewelry, portraits, photographs and clothing can be found at the craft sale. Artisans and craftspeople at the sale have undergone a selection process to ensure they meet the important benchmarks set by organizers of the event. Money raised through this event is reinvested back into the local arts community.
Christmas Craft Show
Attending a Christmas craft show not only helps you get a start on your Christmas shopping, but you can find one-of-a-kind gifts for loved ones as well. The Christmas craft show at Barrie's Molson Center happens every year in early November. Taking place over a period of three days, close to 150 crafters and artisans attend the sale every year. Items featured at the sale include Christmas crafts, stained glass, jewelry, ceramics and handcrafted wood products.
Food
If shopping for crafty items isn't your idea of fun, entertaining your taste buds with delicious food may be more pleasing to your palate. Barrie has several community events that feature food, including the Barrielicious Festival and the city's annual Ribfest and Craft Beer Show, which takes place in July. At Ribfest, patrons can taste the delectable ribs created by teams of rib chefs before washing it down with beer featured at the show. During the Barrielicious Festival, foodies visit participating restaurants to sample featured dishes at a reasonable price. This festival happens in January, February and July.
Fall Outings
One of the best times of the year to explore Barrie is during autumn. Various events celebrating fall and the changing of the colors occur during September and October. Colours of Music kicks off the fall season. This music festival takes place in several historic churches throughout Barrie and features top name Canadian talent. Celebrate the fall colors outside by participating in Pumpkin Mania, the Thanksgiving Harvest Festival or the Halloween 'Spook'tacular at Barrie City Hall.
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About the Author
Edith Quinn has been writing since 1998 when she landed her first newspaper reporting job. Spending most of her career working for community newspapers, she has covered everything from ribbon cuttings to criminal trials. Her work has appeared in "The Daily Observer" and "Nepean This Week." Quinn has diplomas from both the print and photojournalism programs at Loyalist College.
