Heritage: Etobicoke-York Heritage Fair

Hosts in period costumes tended to a fire outside Montgomery Inn's in Toronto, Ontario during the Etobicoke-York Heritage Fair on 10-September-2009

TORONTO, ONTARIO - One of the signs of the end of summer in the capitol of Ontario is the Etobicoke-York Heritage Fair. Before this event, most of the local historical societies take the summer off; afterward, their regular meetings resume throughout the autumn, winter and spring.


Montgomery's Inn in Toronto, Ontario as it appeared on Canada Day, 1-July-2008

Montgomery's Inn itself dates from 1832, one of the hotel stops along what is now Dundas Street heading west from Toronto. Saved by groups including the Etobicoke Historical Society, the inn now serves as a museum, regularly open and serving tea and dessert in its tea room. The Heritage Fair is just one of several special events held at its location along Mimico Creek.


Volunteers handled cobs during the corn roast as part of the Heritage Fair at Montgomery's Inn on 10-September-2009

Food is always part of events at Montgomery's Inn--at many events, the historic kitchen is busy coming up with homemade ice cream, cookies, or other baked goods. At the Heritage Fair, the focus is on the corn roast, as corn-on-the-cob rivals hot dogs as the food of choice for the evening.


Groups from New Toronto and Islington Village to Weston and Swansea had displays at the Heritage Fair in Toronto, Ontario on 10-September-2009

One of the great things about the Heritage Fair is that all of the western Toronto heritage groups attend, making it possible to collect information on their upcoming season of activities all at once without attending any of their individual meetings. This year, tables were staffed by the Etobicoke Historical Society, Weston Historical Society, Applewood, la Société d’histoire de Toronto, New Toronto Historical Society, the Village of Islington, Swansea Historical Society, and the Etobicoke-York Community Preservation Panel.


Folk music was played outside Montgomery's Inn in Toronto, Ontario during the Heritage Fair on 10-September-2009

The finishing touch of the evening was live folk music performed outside the inn throughout the event. It was almost enough to forget that summer is almost over--but at least I know what to look forward to at the next Swansea Historical Society meeting.