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Fall in Love with ELORA, Ontario's Beautiful Village - All Over
Again!
Elora's charms and
attractions change with the seasons. In the spectacular setting of the
Grand River and the Elora Gorge, stroll
and explore the village streets in
historic downtown Elora,
lined with century-old limestone buildings, now housing unique shops,
art galleries, cafes, pubs and restaurants on Mill Street along the
Grand River, and up Metcalfe Street.
 
You'll love shopping at the
ELORA MEWS unique shops at
45 Mill Street West, around a lantern-lit courtyard within century-old
limestone walls. A favourite place to shop for special and unusual
gifts, fashions and accessories, various styles of home decor, handmade
and vintage. Stop for
refreshments at our unique cafe and our ice cream shop and grill. In
warm weather enjoy our
patio in the courtyard, with a view of Mill Street and the new Grand
River pedestrian bridge right across the street..
The
Grand River runs through
the village of Elora, thundering down a waterfall around the famous
Tooth of Time landmark at the Elora Mill Hotel, into the Elora Gorge.
Experience the spectacular
Elora Gorge from lookouts at
the Elora Mill at the end of Mill Street West or from Victoria Park;
walking or rock-climbing on hiking trails within the park; or kayaking
or tubing along the river inside the gorge.
Elora has a long cultural heritage and
many resident artists, musicians and writers. Be sure to attend the
Elora Music Festival
which since 1979 has become an internationally acclaimed annual music
event in July and August each year.
A highlight every September-October is the
Elora &
Fergus Artists Studio Tour.
The Elora
Centre of the Arts also organizes various other art and cultural
events throughout the year.
 Every
October is MONSTER MONTH in Elora!
Tim Murton, local Elora artist, is the Master
Creator of the ghostly Halloween creatures who hang around town every
October, on buildings and on storefronts. His "Twilight
Zoo" of wire and gauze mache Halloween monsters are a popular
attraction day and night on the streets of downtown historic Elora.
Elora's "SENSATIONAL
ELORA - Festival for the Senses" now has events throughout the
year, including October - Monster Month. Featuring Elora's music, theatre, films, and local food, in addition to the
already popular art studio tour and monsters around town - so many
reasons for a Fall outing or longer getaway to Elora.
Be sure to visit Elora in November and
December for your Christmas or Holiday Shopping
Be
inspired for your holiday gift-giving! All the independent and unique
shops in Elora will have very special gift ideas that you won't find
anywhere else. And every year the Merchants of Elora organize special
"Starlight Shopping Nights", for a relaxed shopping experience at all
your favourite shops.
MORE INFORMATION
[click to go directly to your
area of interest]
 
World-class unique shops in a charming lantern-lit
courtyard within historic limestone walls. In the centre of Elora's Mill
Street on the Grand River and Elora Gorge. Enjoy our ice cream shop and
our cafe.
The Village of Elora website lists all the great
specialty shops and shopkeepers of the Elora Business Association (BIA).
You'll love exploring Elora's whole shopping district, along Mill Street
on the Grand, and up Metcalfe Street. Old-fashioned main street
shopping!
An internationally acclaimed annual music festival in
the beautiful setting of Elora Ontario. During July and August
enjoy great concerts and world-class performers in venues with wonderful
acoustics in this charming village on the Grand River and the Elora
Gorge. For more information and a ticket order
form visit the Elora Festival website at
www.elorafestival.com.
Enjoy concerts by the
Elora Festival Singers
all year
round. When the summertime Elora Music Festival is over, this
professional chamber choir and principal vocal ensemble for the Elora
Festival holds weekend concerts from October through May in the Festival
venues of St. Mary’s Church and St. John’s Church.
This annual festival was launched in 2008, for tourists and the local community
to savour the music, art, theatre, films, local food, beautiful heritage
architecture and scenic surroundings of the beautiful village of Elora
Ontario. The beautiful autumn weather around Canadian Thanksgiving is a
wonderful and busy time to explore the
Elora village
streets and shops. Other events are scheduled throughout the year.
During the annual Fergus
Scottish Festival, visitors from throughout the world enjoy all
aspects of traditional Highland Games with a wee bit of modern flare
tossed in. Heavy Events, Highland Dancing, Piping, Avenue of the Clans
as well as a variety of tents and vendors make for a perfect weekend for
local residents and visitors. Come and join the 30,000 visitors to
celebrate the rich Scottish Culture.
Elora’s Gorge Cinema, in a heritage limestone building
next-door to the Elora Mews, is the longest-running repertory cinema in
Canada. The cinema shows current big-screen productions year-round. It
has also been used during production of feature films like
Simon Birch
with Ashley Judd and
Trapped in Paradise with Nicholas Cage, with scenes
filmed on location in Elora.
Elora's spectacular setting has been featured in many
books and
movies, and has attracted
many famous musicians to
perform at the amazing Elora Quarry concerts, Elora's churches, and
acoustically-perfect country barn.
Many books have been written about Elora, the beautiful Elora Gorge and the
Grand River Valley. We have listed a few on our
shopping page such as "A
Heritage of Stone" by Nina Chapple,
"Grand River Reflections" by John Visser, "Elora
Gorge: A Visitor's Guide"
by
Ken Hewitt and more. We hope you
enjoy our products and please feel free to suggest any items that we have not
included here.
The Elora Festival has been making Sweet Music since
1980. Artistic director Noel Edison, founder of the Elora
Festival Singers, has put the Elora Festival and the Elora Festival
Singers onto the world stage. On our
shopping page are a few of the many famous
names that have appeared on the various stages of the Elora Festival
over the years, such as Jeff
Healey, Holly Cole,
The Nylons and more.
The beauty of the Elora Gorge with its spectacular
rock faces and white water, has attracted movie producers from around
the world. On our
shopping page
are a few of the many movies that have used the Limestone cliffs and
natural and historical scenery for the settings of such wonderful movies
as Mrs. Soffel,
Simon Birch,
Angel Eyes and more.
The ELORA GORGE is one of the most
beautiful natural wonders in Southern Ontario. A great getaway for the
urban hiker, camper or adventure sports enthusiast, or a romantic retreat.
Share
beautiful
pictures of the Elora Gorge.
Elora is a mecca for artists. A. J. Casson of the Group
of Seven “fell in love with Elora at first sight and became obsessed with
sketching it”.
This annual tour is a wonderful opportunity to visit
the artists of Elora & Fergus in their own studios, at your own pace.
The tour is held over two weekends - last weekend in September and first
weekend in October - a wonderful time of year to visit Elora and Fergus.
For more up-to-date information
regarding this self-guided walking or driving tour of actual working
artist studios in these exciting, creative artistic communities, please
visit the
Elora
Fergus Studio Tour Website.
This National Historic Site, recognized for its unique
history as the oldest House of Industry in Canada, offers many
interesting permanent displays and exhibits. Located between scenic
Fergus and Elora on the Grand River, home of many artists, musicians,
and unique homes and gardens. Don't miss the museum's Summer Art
Workshops, annual "Insights" Juried Art Competition, and "Grand Garden
Tour" and Herb Fair.
Elora Historical Tours
Al Koop's guided-tour company "Older Voices" and Gary
Bryant's tour company "Elora Tours" together lead dramatized "Village
Duo Walks" for history enthusiasts and tourists on a journey to Elora's
past. Stops include Mill Street and Lover's Leap. Local children also
participate in the tours, acting a number of characters. Call (519)
846-6685 or (519) 846-5567 to book a tour. Self-guided walking tour
guides are also available from the Elora Tourist Centre on Mill Street.
Featured are specialized are "Gorge Vistas" tours, A.J. Casson Tours
(sites painted by this Group of Seven artist in the summers of
1929-1931), Churches, Public & Commercial Buildings, Historical &
Heritage houses and settlements.
The
Wellington County Museum & Archives is holds many week-long Adult
Art Workshops every July, at the Elora Public School, 288 Mill Street
East, Elora Ontario. Study with some of Ontario's most talented
instructors, discover your artist within, and experience the beautiful
village of Elora and area, an inspiration for many famous artists.
Elora has a large variety of unique cafes and
restaurants in the heritage district of Mill Street and Metcalfe
Street, from fast food, to casual fare cafes, to pub food, to fine
dining restaurants, all in buildings with historic character.
The Elora Mill Hotel re-opened in July 2018, with an upscale
dining room and a pub-style lounge, with wonderful views over the
Elora Gorge.
The Elora Mill Hotel has added a large
event centre on Mill St. West with 2 banquet rooms to host large wedding
parties and other group events..
Drew
House of Elora, an enchanting 1 1/2 acre estate which was the
childhood home of Ontario Premier George Drew, is also a perfect setting
for weddings, corporate retreats, seminars and gourmet cooking classes.
The ELORA MILL HOTEL re-opened in 2018, with the
addition of a spa building and aditional cottage suites along the river.
.
Just a few steps from the Elora Mews and other shops on West Mill
Street.
Elora
Gorge Camping
The 200 hectare Elora
Gorge Conservation Area offers opportunities for camping, fishing,
hiking, swimming, tubing, picnicking and scenic vistas to view the
"Gorge".
Elora Area Bed & Breakfasts:
 Enjoy the warm hospitality of Elora
and area residents who will welcome you to
their homes and be your personal guide to all that Elora has to offer.
For full listing check the Fergus-Elora Bed & Breakfast Association
website at www.febba.ca.
The ELORA MEWS is right in the centre of HISTORIC ELORA, on the North bank
of the Grand River, at 45 West Mill Street, facing the pedestrian bridge
over the Grand River, steps from the ELORA MILL which overlooks the Grand
River Falls and the ELORA GORGE.
Driving distance from Toronto 67 mi. or 108 km., driving time 1 hr. 18
min.
View Larger Map
David St. Bridge
 Elora’s famous David St. Bridge in the
Elora Gorge is admired by thousands of tourists each year. In 2002 a
group of Elora citizens launched a passionate campaign to save the
beautiful and graceful architectural lines and century-old limestone pier
in the upgrading of the bridge.
A "Save the Bridge" interactive website
obtained support from people everywhere who admire this beautiful bridge
and the preservation of heritage icons.
Conservation strategy for Elora;' David St. Bridge, a community landmark
and engineering marvel.
The
award-winning restoration of the David Street Bridge in Historic Elora,
re-opened in December 2004, retains the heritage 1867 pier and the
graceful arches design, but now allows 2-lane traffic.
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The
Elora Gorge Bridge
Elora’s beautiful heritage icon, the David St. Bridge in Elora Gorge,
a treasure like the Tooth of Time.
Photo by:
Bruce Hogarth |
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Elora's Victoria Street Walking Bridge
 "Elora's
Victoria St. Bridge, a steel bridge built in 1899, was the historical
gateway to the downtown Elora business district, over the Grand River
which runs through the village. In 1970 funding was awarded to repair the
Victoria St. Bridge, but it was not until the 1984 filming in Elora of
MGM's "Mrs.Soffel" starring Diane Keaton, Mel Gibson, and 300 local
extras, that the bridge was repaired, by the film company.
 Until
it was closed down in 2003 for safety reasons, the Victoria St. Bridge
served as a footbridge, leading from the public parking lot next to Little
Folks furniture factory to the centre of Historic Elora's Mill Street
West, attracting thousands of visitors to enjoy the river-view from the
bridge and stroll and explore the shops, restaurants, and Elora Gorge
lookout and trails on the other side.
 In
the summer of 2001 hundreds of visitors gathered along the bridge and on
both banks of the Grand River to hear a brass band play from a barge on
the river, to hear street performers sing at the Mill Street foot of the
bridge, and to stroll along the streets exploring the shops and eating ice
cream. "
 Record
audiences gathered each day on both sides of the Grand River, along
the Victoria Foot Bridge, and down on the Boardwalk, for a front row
seat. Some canoers on the river had a perfect vantage point!
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Elora Festival Brass
on the River
During the Elora Festival a brass band plays from a barge on the
Grand River to front-row seats on the Elora Boardwalk.
Photo by:
Renee
Makino |
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Elora's
Victoria St. Walking Bridge
Swans glide by Elora Mill Street's boardwalk at Victoria Footbridge
over the Grand River.
Photo by:
Bruce Hogarth |
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Preserving Elora's Heritage on the Grand River
Heritage factory buildings facing Elora's Mill Street give
character to the Grand River scene.
Photo
by:
Catharina
Hogarth |
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