WELLINGTON NORTH – What do giant pumpkins, barn quilts and grilled hot dogs have in common? They are all part of Wellington North’s Culture Days activities.
“There are quite a few things going on,” said township economic development officer Robyn Mulder.
Culture Days is a national celebration of arts and culture featuring free hands-on events that highlight the culture of communities across the country.
This year Culture Days officially runs from Sept. 20 to Oct. 13, but in Wellington North there are events falling outside those dates that are being promoted as part of the overall celebration of culture.
For example, the inaugural Arthur AutoFest will take place on Sept. 13 from 7 to 11pm at the Arthur Fairgrounds.
“We are bringing together the area’s best cars, trucks and bikes that are new, old, classic, antique and unique,” states the event website.
The free car show under the lights will include live entertainment from Taylor Moore, food trucks, a beer garden, 50/50 raffle and more, it says.
Both participants and spectators get in free, but organizer James Coffey asked that people make a cash or food donation to the local food bank if possible.
“Like most food banks these days, they also face challenges keeping up with the increased demand they face on a weekly basis,” Coffey stated in an email.
He said he and fellow sponsors hope to turn the event into an annual thing and believe it has the potential to expand each year as word spreads.
Visit arthurcarshow.ca to register as a participant.
The final days of the Wellington North Farmers’ Market season are also being promoted as part of Culture Days.
“It’s still going till Sept. 28,” Mulder said, noting that final day will be a “customer appreciation day.”
The market runs Saturdays from 8:30am to 12pm at the Victory Community Centre, 320 King St. E. in Mount Forest.
Sept. 28 will also be a special day in the rural community of Metz, outside of Arthur, where the Metz Pumpkinfest will take place from 3 to 9pm at Metz United Church, 8276 Sideroad 25.
Bring your biggest pumpkins and zucchinis for the weigh-in, try the pumpkin catapult, and enjoy food, music and kids’ activities.
The following weekend, the Mount Forest Museum and Archives will host a Heritage Barbecue and Open House on Oct. 5 from 11am to 3pm.
“Building on the theme of our very successful exhibit, ‘Saturday Nights in Mount Forest, 1950-1975,’ our event will include a few unique cars of the era, hot dogs the way Ted Linder did them at his famous hot dog stand in the ’50s including matching his home-made relish and mustard toppings,” volunteer managing director Kate Rowley stated in an email.
Linder’s stand, “Ted’s Place,” is recreated in the exhibit, and volunteers are closely following his recipes to recreate his toppings, Rowley said.
People can check out the exhibit during the open house event, grab some reading materials at the book sale in the reading room, and buy historical items in the silent auction.
“All the activities are by donation, and we hope to raise money to continue all our efforts to collect, preserve and share local heritage at the Mount Forest Museum and Archives,” Rowley said.
The Arthur and Area Historical Society, 146 George St., will also be open Saturdays during Culture Days, so people can stop in and check out local military, agricultural and community life exhibits.
And at the Mount Forest and District Sports Complex on Oct. 12 there will be an Artisan Showcase from 10am to 3pm featuring the work of various local artisans.
While people are in the area, they may also want to take in two self-guided tours.
The Barn Quilt Trail features more than 80 local barn quilts, all privately owned and created. For a map of locations, visit facebook.com/wcbqta.
The Arthur Downtown Murals and Banner Trail features outdoor artworks highlighting the village’s history, as well as a series of banners in the downtown area. Each banner has a QR code, and visitors are encouraged to take a stroll and scan the codes to take part in the interactive experience.
Just outside of Culture Days, there is at least one other event people might want to check out.
Mount Forest BIA’s Halloween Haunting will take place on Main Street on Oct. 26. The event is a chance to don costumes and visit local shops to score treats.
