By Cyndi Ingle
Enjoying nature is a rare pleasure in itself, but strolling through the beautiful trails of the Dundas Valley Conservation Area in Ancaster holding a wine glass and a plate overflowing with delectable local cuisine elevates the experience to the ultimate level. All this, and musical entertainment, is yours to experience when you attend Autumn Stroll 2012 on Sunday, September 9/12 from 1:00 pm. to 5:00 pm. taking place behind the Rotary Centre, at 385 Jerseyville Road, in Ancaster.
Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Ancaster A.M. this is the 15th year for Autumn Stroll, which is annually attended by close to 700 people. According to Marty Schure, one of the event’s organizers, Autumn Stroll is one of the major fundraisers that the club presents yearly.
As Schure explains, “We have three major fundraisers: Autumn Stroll, A Cosmopolitan Affair Fashion Show and the Rotary Club of Ancaster A.M. Golf Tournament. Over the past ten years we’ve raised approximately $800,000 that has been donated to charity. Our club’s mandate is to aid youth and community endeavours, and to help people internationally.”
Some of the funds raised by Autumn Stroll are earmarked for Rotary International which works on the eradication of polio. On a local level the Rotary Club of Ancaster is closely involved with Dr. J.E. Davey School in Hamilton providing a soup lunch once a month for the kids, and an annual Christmas party. Approximately 600 kids attend the party and this year marks the Rotary Club’s 10th year of hosting the party. Another of their projects will be helping to raise funds for a spray pad to go into the park behind the library in Ancaster.
So now that we’ve established that our money will be used wisely and for the benefit of our community, what’s in store when we enter Autumn Stroll?
Guests hop on a hay wagon for a scenic ride down to the Conservation Area and then have hours to stroll around the area sampling to their heart’s content. Set up as a horseshoe with restaurant booths interspersed with beverage booths, there will be three different musical experiences to savour. In the middle of the field the Dunn Brothers will be performing, and at one arm of the venue Cavallo Nero, features a jazz band, and at the other arm Faloney’s has a DJ.
“People go from station to station and then they start again. Very few people leave before the end of the event,” explains Schure.
To date there are 17 wineries, 20 restaurants, and 6 micro-breweries confirmed to attend.
Wineries include: Coyote’s Run Estate Winery, Joseph’s Estate Wines, Lailey Vineyards, Palatine Hills Estate Winery, Reif Estate Winery, Reimer Vineyards Winery, Strewn Winery, Sunny Brooke Farms Estate Winery, Pelee Islands Winery, Rockway Glen Estate Winery, Aure Wines, Colio Estate Wines, Kittling Ridge Wine & Spirits, Kacaba Vineyards, Peller, Chateau Des Charmes, Puddicombe Farms.
Restaurants include: Cavallo Nero, Celli’s Ancaster, Celli’s Burlington, Coach & Lantern, Cumbraes, Cafe Domestique, Saving Thyme, Faloney’s of Ancaster, Vicar’s Vice, India Village, Mickey McGuire’s Cheese Shop, My Thai, Quatrefoil, Red Canoe Bistro, Rockway Glen Winery Restaurant, Rousseau House, Chef and Wife, The Brassie, Ancaster Mill, The Little Gourmet.
Micro-breweries include: Better Bitter, Molson, Grand River Brewing, Camerons, Mill St., Highlander.
After enjoying delicious food, wine, and beer, guests return to the Rotary Centre for coffee, lattes and espressos provided by Café Domestique, and baked treats from Oakrun Bakery.
Says Schure, “It’s a showcase for the restaurants that participate and since it’s our 15th year the restaurants feel that it’s a beneficial venue for them. The number of repeat clients that we have indicates to us that it’s a great event for them, and that they get their money’s worth. People certainly appreciate the work that Rotary does and the fact that we donate to major charities is very, very important in the community.”
Come and experience Autumn Stroll for yourself, and buy your tickets today since they are selling fast!
Autumn Stroll 2012
Sunday, September 9/12
1:00 pm. to 5:00 pm.
Rotary Centre, 385 Jerseyville Road,
Ancaster
Tickets: $110 per person
Buy tickets via Paypal or credit card at www.autumnstroll.ca
