While we have had a warm beginning to the autumn season, we are starting to see some of the leaves in the trees turn colour, a nice complement to the many scarecrow displays that have been created in this municipality in recent weeks, in preparation for Meaford’s Big Fall Weekend, which is now just a week away.
With another successful Meaford International Film Festival (MIFF) having taken place last weekend, the Big Fall Weekend, which includes the popular Scarecrow Invasion & Family Festival along with the Apple Harvest Craft Show, is top of mind for many in this community, as it is the last big weekend of events in this municipality before Thanksgiving, and the winter months to follow.
The Scarecrow Invasion and the Apple Harvest Craft Show are not just wildly popular events in this community, they are events that have withstood the test of time. The Scarecrow Invasion has brought smiles to the faces of residents and visitors to this community for 28 years, while the Apple Harvest Craft Show has been part of our community fabric for 41 years, raising more than $1 million for local organizations and events over those four decades.
Before the big weekend arrives, we will first observe the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, on Monday, September 30. A sombre but important day that causes us to reflect upon the horrors of this nation’s past, and the impact of the residential school system on our Indigenous population. While it can be uncomfortable to step back into that dark period in our history, it is important to do so if we are to acknowledge our errors of the past, and to ensure that similar travesties are avoided in the future.
If you’ve been in the urban area of Meaford in the past few weeks you have no doubt noticed the numerous scarecrow displays married with cornstalk decorations embellishing the lamp posts, signalling that the community is ready for this year’s Scarecrow Invasion & Family Festival. It’s set to kick off at 6 p.m. on Friday, October 4, with the traditional Scarecrow Parade, before thousands of onlookers follow the parade to the Rotary Harbour Pavilion, where the ever popular family festival is held.
The following day, Saturday, October 5, is the start of the craft show, which runs both Saturday and Sunday at the Meaford & St.Vincent Community Centre and the Meaford Curling Club.
The importance of these two events to this community cannot be understated. Both events draw huge crowds, and they have done so for decades. As we know, large crowds tend to have money in their pockets and they spend that money at our local businesses, and for any small municipality, that is a good thing. Both of these events are loved not just by those of us fortunate enough to live here but also by many visitors who flock to Meaford for the Big Fall Weekend in order to enjoy some small town charm.
While the Scarecrow Invasion, with its obvious presence in the community thanks to the hundreds scarecrows on display, might be the traditional headline grabber of the Big Fall Weekend, once the festival is over, the remainder of the weekend belongs to the annual Apple Harvest Craft Show.
The huge craft show is an annual event that has grown in size and popularity over its more than 40-year history. From its humble beginnings in 1983, the Apple Harvest Craft Show has grown to be one of the largest in southern Ontario. It attracts roughly 200 artisans who feature a wide range of arts and crafts items, with a little something for everyone. The event has become a popular early holiday shopping destination for many in search of unique gifts for special people on their lists. The many local events and organizations that have benefited from the more than $1 million dollars that has been distributed to them over the years as a result of the craft show can attest to the power of the event to benefit the greater community.
The Apple Harvest Craft Show begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday morning, October 5, and the doors will be open until 6 p.m. On the second day of the craft show, Sunday, the doors will be open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
If big events aren’t your scene, don’t forget that the Net Shed, which at 30 years has also withstood the test of time, is still open, and will be through Thanksgiving. With the cooler weather approaching, now is a good time to stock up on books for the winter. What better way to do so than to support the Friends of the Meaford Library?
While Meaford’s urban core will be buzzing with activity next weekend, our rural areas are the perfect place for a weekend drive in order to take in the autumn colours that have been creeping in over the past week.
And don’t forget the many trails that we are fortunate to be able to enjoy in this community. The Big Fall Weekend is a perfect time to take the family on a hike. as fallen leaves crunch beneath your boots and the fresh air fills your lungs and clears the soul.
Whatever you choose to do next weekend, whether it be taking the family to watch the Scarecrow Parade followed by some family festival fun at the harbour, or getting an early start on some holiday shopping at the Apple Harvest Craft show, or if you prefer to spend the weekend enjoying some time outdoors, soak up the transition from summer to autumn, and enjoy the weekend, as Meaford says goodbye to summer and welcomes autumn to the neighbourhood!
