Tickets are now on sale for the first annual Sensational Elora Festival, which will start with a Gala evening on Oct. 2.
Entitled A Celebration of the Senses, that event will offer a taste of what is to come over the course of the festival.
The 11-day event, running between Oct. 2 and 13 will feature treats to excite the senses of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch through world-class art, music, drama, food, and breathtaking scenery and heritage of the village on the Grand River.
The festival includes the 22nd annual Studio Tour to a Film on a Plate series that will feature food-oriented films paired with tastings and other surprises.
The event will also give guests an opportunity to make a donation to the Empty Bowls Project, the underlying theme of Sensational Elora.
In exchange for a donation, participants will receive a handcrafted bowl and a Scoop of Soup, from one of the chefs at participating local restaurants.
All proceeds go directly to the Centre Wellington Food Bank.
Empty bowls
The Empty Bowls Project is a fundraiser between local potters and soup-making chefs in aid of the food bank.
Potters volunteer and create soup bowls, which are then exchanged for money in support of local charities. The area has no shortage of potters.
Everyone will have a number of opportunities to buy a bowl and taste superb soups from area chefs and restaurants. As well, during the festival bowls are for sale at Stÿll gallery, the Elora Farmer’s Market, participating restaurants and the “Sensational Soup Off” event on Thanksgiving Monday, organized by the Centre Wellington Rotary and Slow Food Elora.
The project is perfect for Thanksgiving.
When many have an abundance of family, celebration, and food, there are others who need a little help. The Empty Bowls project is an opportunity to share.
In August, ten area potters congregated and crafted over 500 bowls of all styles and textures.
The glass blowing community will be contributing hand blown drams to be sold to patrons of the festival’s A Celebration of the Senses These drams will be used for scotch and wine tastings.
Proceeds from the sale of glass drams, the hand crafted pottery soup bowls, and the Soup Off will result in a contribution to the Centre Wellington Food Bank.
The Elora Empty Bowls Project has set a goal of raising $10,000 in 11 days for the local Food Bank.
On Thanksgiving Monday Bissell Park will be the place to be. Starting at 10am visitors can meet the potters and glassblowers who participated.
At 1pm the Centre Wellington Rotary Club and Slow Food Elora will kick off the Sensational Soup Off.
There will be live entertainment, and at 2pm the Fergus and Elora Bed and Breakfast Associations will hold a bed race.
To select the events to attend visit the website.
To purchase tickets to all of the Sensational Elora events or to make a donation to the Empty Bowls Project visit the Elora and Fergus tourism office, call 519-846-5638 or toll free at 1-877-746-5638, by mail to Sensational Elora, P.O. Box 911, Elora, Ontario, N0B 1S0, or visit the web site.
