MILTON— Conservation Halton is hosting its annual outdoor fall festival, Hops and Harvest, this weekend following a year hiatus. The event will take place at Kelso Conservation Area from Octobre 1 to Octobre 3, where visitors can enjoy food, beverages, market vendors, live music, and a range of activities including chairlift rides.
Hops and Harvest has quickly become a favourite fall tradition since it started in 2018. The festival celebrates fall with family-friendly fun in the beauty of nature. In previous years, Hops and Harvest offered samples from local craft breweries and cideries. This year, the experience will be slightly different with a larger emphasis on the market portion of the festival. Hops and Harvest will welcome over 60 food, drink, craft, and market vendors to the grounds—one of the largest rosters to date.
As Conservation Halton is the host, there is an environmental lens applied to the event. Halton Environmental Network will be onsite managing and educating guests on personal waste habits. Vendors are encouraged to use recyclable or compostable materials, and single-use plastics are discouraged. Much of the décor for the event sources sustainable supplies where possible, utilizes upcycled materials and highlights local businesses; something the community is in dire need of through the pandemic.
In addition to an extensive marketplace, Hops and Harvest offers a variety of fun activities for all ages including the opportunity to hike the trails and admire the fall colours along the Niagara Escarpment. One of the highlights of the festival is the chairlift rides. Using one of the chairlifts that runs during the Glen Eden ski and snowboard season, it runs at half speed up the escarpment, providing a unique vantage point to view the changing leaves and scenic landscape. At the top, festival-goers can explore the trails and lookout points, and take pictures with the plentiful photo opportunities before hiking or riding the chairlift back down. Live music is scheduled all weekend and features local artists with a range of styles from country to folk, and Indigenous singers.
Conservation Halton takes the safety of its visitors and staff very seriously and has been working with Halton Public Health to adhere to the current COVID-19 guidelines. Guests must book a four-hour timeslot using Conservation Halton’s award-winning reservation system, which monitors real-time event capacity. They also must complete a pre-screening questionnaire before attending the event and will be encouraged to wear masks except when eating or drinking.
There are still tickets available for Hops and Harvest and can be purchased online through the event website. The website also lists all vendors attending, the live music schedule, and musician bios.
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Conservation Halton is the community based environmental agency that protects, restores, and manages the natural resources in its watershed. The organization has staff that includes ecologists, land use planners, engineers, foresters and educators, along with a network of volunteers, who are guided by a Board of Directors comprised of municipally elected and appointed citizens. Conservation Halton is recognized for its stewardship of creeks, forests and Niagara Escarpment lands through science-based programs and services.
Conservation Halton Media Contact:
Taryn Gingrich
Digital Marketing Coordinator, Parks
Conservation Halton
E-mail: tgingrich@hrca.on.ca