Weekend special: Elora

[vaneramos]

Yesterday afternoon Danny and I headed to Elora, a remarkably scenic village on the Grand River 15 minutes north of Guelph. In the 70s it was a mecca for artists and craftsman who unfortunately outgrew themselves. By the mid 1980s it had become a tourist trap, rents had skyrocketted and none of them could afford to keep their shops and studios downtown. They have been replaced by a long row of expensive boutiques and gift shops. The village still flourishes, Elora Mill Inn is one of the most notable hotels in the area, and the artists have all moved elsewhere. I imagine many of them still live in town. In 1990 when I lived in the village of Paisley, 90 minutes north on Elora Road, the Elora Soap Company and a Basque bakery had set up shop there. Elora soaps can still be found at upscale art and craft shows around Ontario. While no longer unique as it once was, Elora remains an interesting weekend jaunt.

The Elora Music Festival draws world class chamber and choral ensembles every year in early August. The feature performance always takes place on a raft in the middle of the small lake in Elora Quarry.

Elora Gorge is one of the most scenic spots in Ontario west of the Niagara Escarpment. And the village, despite having lost its grass-roots appeal, retains its old-fashioned charm.

The following scene has been widely painted, particularly by one Guelph artist. Picture Monet's paintings of canals in Venice and you'll get the general idea.





One of the most memorable features of the area is the falls below Elora Mill, which you can see in the distance of the previous photo. To see the rapids you'll have to pass behind the veil. In total, four more images await you.














This does not exhaust my supply of memorable images from Elora yesterday. The rest fall neatly into two series, which I plan to post separately over the next few days.