Sensational Elora - Festival of the Senses is the brain child of an amazing woman Rhoda Lipton. We lost Rhoda in June of 2012 and her husband (and Sensational Elora's greatest supporter) Benny Di Zitti in 2019.
Sensational Elora - Our annual award-winning Festival organizes events throughout the year featuring the renowned music, art, drama, film, food, scenery and architecture of historic Elora, culminating in our core festival events running throughout Thanksgiving weekend, including our Empty Bowls project, Pumpkin Day, and the Sensational Soup-off, raising money and awareness for the fight against poverty and hunger throughout Centre Wellington.
We strive to work with a wide variety of community partners to create fabulous events that showcase what Centre Wellington area has to offer. All our programming is designed to entice all of the senses. To accomplish that our events incorporate food and drink, provided by local restaurants, caterers, growers and retailers.
“Over the years, the support from Sensational Elora for the Centre
Wellington Food Bank has been amazing. The thousands of dollars raised
allows us to continue our essential grocery program which provides meat,
dairy and other products to families. It also helps support our kitchen
which provides many ready to go food options. We received this year's
donation when we were amidst plans for our Angel program and holiday
grocery gift card program and when client numbers were at an all time
high. Thank you! What is truly great about Sensational Elora is that
their events are fun, inclusive, and community-based. Bringing people
together, having fun with pumpkins, sharing great food at the
Soup-off....and raising funds for the Food Bank! We are so grateful for
Sensational Elora!”
Curt McQueen, Executive Director, Centre Wellington Food Bank
“I am writing this letter to share my experience with Sensational Elora.
It has been my privilege to bring students to compete in the Sensational
Elora Soup Off Competition over the past 12 years. In that time, this
organization has allowed my students the opportunity to demonstrate
their culinary abilities, perform valuable volunteer service within their
community, and to build lasting connections with industry professionals.
Most importantly, Sensational Elora has impacted our school community
by generously donating thousands of dollars over the years to our
CW Eats breakfast program. These funds have greatly enhanced my
ability to ensure that no student goes hungry during the school day at
CWDHS and can instead focus their attention on student learning.
I am entirely grateful for the support we have received and cannot speak
highly enough of the Sensational Elora Team.”
Nicole DeBeyer, Chef Instructor, CW Eats Breakfast and Lunch Coordinator
Centre Wellington District High School
Our films are paired with themed food and drink prepared by local chefs. FOAP is a unique way to truly experience a movie with more than just the usual popcorn and candy. As an example in 2022 we showed the film "The 100 Foot Journey", a delightful cultural-clash comedy featuring French and Indian food. So take a food themed film featuring 2 food styles, wonderful food from a local Indian restaurant plus french style dessert, add a choice of wine and beer and you have FILM ON A PLATE. How much food is there you may ask... we like to explain it as "not quite dinner, but more than a snack"
A progressive dinner through 3 Fergus pubs. Special three-course menus are offered at each of the fabulous Fergus pubs and groups are led from pub to pub by local entertainers (typically a combination of pipers, historic tour leaders and/or other musicians).
A free family event at Bissel Park with the Elora Farmers Market, we celebrate the fall harvest, featuring "The Pumpkin". Scheduled the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend each year, this event is aimed at children of all ages; we feature a professional pumpkin carver, plus a combination of other attractions. that may include a bouncy castle, face painting, a reptile show, great music and pumpkins for carving. We ask attendees to please bring cash or food donations for the Food Bank.
Thanksgiving Day each year The wellington County Museum and Archives hosts 18 soup makers; professional, amateur and youth, competing to become the "Super Souper" of the year in their category. Come out and warm your tummy, sit back with your soup and a glass of beer or wine and enjoy some wonderful music throughout the afternoon. We are also very grateful to local potters to donating bowls each year as part of our "Empty Bowls" program. You can purchase one of these beautiful, one-of-a-kind bowls, have it refilled with soup up to 18 times, vote for your favourite soup, listen to music and help us combat hunger. Is there a better way to spend Thanksgiving, we think not.
This free non-motorized parade is scheduled the 2nd last Saturday of October each year. It has become a very popular parade for the whole family (including pets). The 2022 parade had an estimated 1000 participants. It's a great opportunity for the whole family to get in disguise. In 2022, we added a "wicked wagons" contest where participants could create a decorated wagon to pull throughout the parade route with a winner to be announced at the end. The parade ends each year with free treats for everyone. We ask parade participants and viewers to please bring cash or feed donations for the Food Bank.
These musical events are scheduled at various times throughout the year. While we have hosted various styles of events throughout the year, our recent focus has been jazz shows at the Elora Centre for the Arts with all funds raised being donated to the Centre for the Arts. Follow this web site or follow us on social media to be be aware of these show featuring some of the top jazz musicians in Ontario.
Monster Month is, as the name suggests? a full month ao spooktacular events. Started over 20 years ago by local artist Tim Murton with sculptures he created from wire, paper & glue, referred to as the "Twilight Zoo", Monster Month has expanded to many events and attractions with our community partners. The "Zoo" has expanded over the years and Sensational Elora purchased it a few years ago and continues to manage to storage, repair and installations throughout town for the month of October. Because Monster Month now incorporated many events, we have started a separate website: monstermonth.ca, as well as separate social media. Please join us on those platforms to stay current on Monster Month events.
We invite you to let your senses come alive as you immerse yourself in all that is Elora. Plan on truly sampling Sensational Elora by staying at one of our inns or B&Bs, shopping in our unique stores and experiencing the charm of Elora and its environs.
