October has arrived, and autumn has moved in. This week I have seen the first leaves changing colour in my neighbourhood, and that means that it’s time for Meaford’s Big Fall Weekend, featuring the ever popular Scarecrow Invasion & Family Festival along with the Apple Harvest Craft Show.
Over the past few weeks we have seen numerous scarecrow displays along with seasonal cornstalk decorations that have livened up the downtown and harbour areas preparing the community for the Big Fall Weekend.
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 is celebrating 30 years this year, and the Apple Harvest Craft Show, established in 1983, has been part of our community fabric for more than four decades, raising more than $1 million for local organizations and events over those 43 years.
These two events are two of the largest events held in this municipality each year, and they will certainly prepare us for Thanksgiving, which arrives next weekend.
The Big Fall Weekend begins with the Scarecrow Invasion parade, which will begin at 6 p.m. on Friday, October 2. The parade will travel along Sykes Street en route to the harbour pavilion where there will be fun for young and old at the Family Festival.
The Scarecrow Invasion, with its annual scarecrow display and apple pie contest, is always eagerly anticipated by many in the community, and like the Apple Harvest Craft Show, it is an event that is driven by the hard work of volunteers. Information about the Scarecrow Invasion & Family Festival can be found at scarecrowinvasion.ca.
After all of that scarecrow fun on Friday, the Big Fall Weekend continues with the Apple Harvest Craft Show, which will be held on Saturday, October 3 (10 a.m. until 6 p.m.), and Sunday, October 4 (10 a.m. until 4 p.m.), at the Meaford & St. Vincent Community Centre and the Curling Club. As always, the craft show will feature a large number of unique artisans and crafters, pottery, games, candles, spinning and weaving, and much more. Admission is $5 for adults, and $1 for those under 12. Information about the Apple Harvest Craft Show can be found by visiting Appleharvestcraftshow.com.
As I have written in previous years, 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 of 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 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 tradition 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 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.
Not everyone loves large events or the crowds that come with them, so if you prefer a more laid back Big Fall Weekend, consider stopping by the Net Shed, operated by the Friends of Meaford Library. The Net Shed is another long-time fixture in this community, having been operating for more than 30 years, raising funds for the Meaford Public Library through their book sales. The seasonal pay by donation book shop opens each May, and operates on weekends from 10 a.m., until 4 p.m. This year’s Net Shed season ends on Sunday, October 11, so the Big Fall Weekend is a great time to stop in to the Net Shed to stock up on books for reading on those frosty winter days to come.
While Meaford’s urban core will be buzzing with activity this weekend, our rural areas are the perfect place to escape for a weekend drive in order to take in the autumn colours that have been creeping in over the past week. So hop in the car, and take a drive to Sydenham or St. Vincent for that relaxed Big Fall Weekend experience.
We also have 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 this 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 officially welcomes autumn to the neighbourhood.
Happy autumn everyone.
