It’s fall y’all! With sweater weather, the leaves changing colour, apple picking, baking, pumpkin spice lattes (yes, I’m a big fan) and so much more, it’s hard not to love autumn. And, there’s no where better to fall in love with the season than in #OurHomeSTC.
Here’s a quick list of some of the reasons fall is one of the best seasons.
Fall festivals
If you’re finding yourself surrounded by pumpkins and bushels of apples, then it’s time to start celebrating the fall harvest!
The Grape and Wine Festival is Canada’s biggest wine festival that has been an annual fall tradition in St. Catharines since 1951. Festival Discovery Passes are a great way to explore the heart of Ontario’s wine country, including award-winning wineries, including 13th Street Winery, Hernder Estate Wines and Rockway Vineyards.
Don’t miss out: the Sept. 25-26 weekend is the last weekend to enjoy Discovery Passes at the festivals participating wineries. Or, read our ideas for how you can enjoy Grape and Wine festivities in the comfort of your own home.
This weekend, Culture Days kicks off a month of fun free activities across St. Catharines. Culture Days features a mix of FREE in-person and virtual activities where you can participate in interactive arts and culture experiences, including printmaking, sculpting, puppet making, performances tours and more.
Find more things to do in St. Catharines here.
Baking
Are you on Team Apple Crisp or Team Pumpkin Pie? While more of an indoor activity, whatever your fancy, baking is a great excuse to visit the many on-farm stands and markets in and around the Garden City for apples, pumpkins and other fresh produce.
Another easy way to bake farm-to-table goodies is a visit to the St. Catharines Farmer’s Market. Find fresh fruits and vegetables from local growers every Thursday and Saturday at Market Square in Downtown St. Catharines. There’s also a number of small businesses offering farm fresh produce from local growers, such as The Peanut Mill and the Bushel and Peck neighbourhood farm shop.
Find more places to shop fresh in St. Catharines here.
Savour fall flavours
Who’s not looking forward to getting all cozy with comfort food? STC restauranteurs have already started adding fall dishes to their menus. Find everything from soups to pastries made with seasonal ingredients that make you feel like you’ve been wrapped up in a big flannel blanket.
To help you get started, check out some of our faves at Dispatch Restaurant (Aussie-style seafood pie), the Feathery Pub (pub-made cottage pie) and Incoho (Fall’s Bounty).
Find St. Catharines restaurants to try here.
Photo: Dispatch Restaurant
Go for a nature hike or bike
It’s always a good time to explore the outdoors in St. Catharines by foot or by bike, but the city is especially beautiful as summer changes over to fall. And there are many great trails to take in those fall colours.
Check out Short Hills, Rockway, Malcomson Eco-Park and the Waterfront Trail for great hiking and colours. The Welland Canals Parkway Trail is a paved multiuse path that offers a gentle ride along the canal from one end of St. Catharines to the other.
Working up an appetite? There’s a few spots along the Welland Canal that offer a quick bite, such as Flagship Fries (open on weekends) near the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre, and MJ’s Own Munchies near Happy Rolph’s Animal Farm – another great park to enjoy fall walks.
Fall Fashions
Warm and super comforting, there’s no question that sweaters are fall essentials on cool, crisp autumn days. And with trends pointing to bold colours, prints, graphic tops, oversized pants and jackets, Fall 2021 seems to be about clothes that bring you joy as the world continues to reopen.
We’re all ready to break out our snuggly socks and scarves, layer our button-downs and blazers and pull on our oversized pants and jackets. If one of your fall traditions is finding the latest collections, St. Catharines shops will not disappoint. Check out Honeys, Grandma’s Basement, Charlotte Boutique and Lousje and Bean to get your shopping fix.
Find St. Catharines stores to shop here.
