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Perched on the edge of a spectacular gorge and nestled along the banks of the Grand & Irvine River lies enchanting Elora — Ontario’s most beautiful village.
Visiting Elora
An integral part of Riverfest is our home community of Elora. We invite you to come to Elora for Riverfest and stay for the weekend, exploring all of what our beautiful village has to offer! There are an abundance of things to see and do, run by our Riverfriends and family … come stay for a visit!
Getting Here
Getting to Elora is easy! We are only 30 minutes away from several major centres including Guelph, Kitchener and Waterloo. Downtown Toronto is just 90 minutes away down the 401 and through Guelph! Riverfest is held at Bissell Park in Elora, Ontario on the banks of the Grand River, located just two blocks east of downtown at 127 Mill Street E. The park is located across the street from the Elora Centre for the Arts. Look for signage guiding festival-goers to Bissell Park from downtown Elora.
What To Do
There are a slew of things to do in the Elora area. The town is famous for its rivers (the Grand and the Irvine) and massive limestone cliffs which run through the centre of town. You can camp, swim and fish at the famous Elora Gorge Conservation Area and swim amongst 40 foot cliffs at the Elora Quarry Conservation Area.
The town is chock full of boutique and unique shops throughout the downtown core. Elora is an advocate for the culinary arts. You can grab a fabulous meal and a drink, pull up a stool and watch the river float by on one of our many restaurant patios or try the taste of Elora at our craft brewery or distillery.
We are renowned for our arts and culture. This on full display in our galleries, through our Elora Sculpture Project and at the Elora Centre for the Arts, located across the street from Bissell Park (and home to the Riverfest office). Catch the latest documentary or an art house film at the historic Gorge Cinema.
For the outdoorsy, the area is home to some of the world’s most preeminent fly-fishing. Hike our scenic trails along the Trans-Canada Trail, the Elora-Cataract Trailway or through Victoria Park, with Elora’s iconic Tooth of Time. For the adrenaline junkies, you can zipline across or rappel down the Gorge, tube down the river rapids or take a paddle on the Grand.
The town is chock full of boutique and unique shops throughout the downtown core. Elora is an advocate for the culinary arts. You can grab a fabulous meal and a drink, pull up a stool and watch the river float by on one of our many restaurant patios or try the taste of Elora at our craft brewery or distillery.
Photography by Mark Heine.