The pretty heritage village of Pakenham, with its unique stone bridge spanning the Mississippi River, is the heart of the Maple Run Tour, with a cluster of 4 tour stops to welcome you. Visit Keepers Coffee Bar, located in a charming yellow Victorian building and offering upcycled tea cozies and hats from a local artisan, as well as coffee, pastries and snacks, vintage items, and plants. Paddye Mann’s clothing design studio, in a heritage stone building, will give you a whole new look, with custom designed and ready to wear clothing from this award-winning designer. The sunny and welcoming Pakenham branch of the Mississippi Mills Library hosts an Ottawa Valley landscape painter, a mosaic artist, a paper artist, and a children’s book author. St. Andrew’s United Church is a perfect spot for a light lunch after visiting the 5 artists who will present miniature quilts, weaving and felting, handmade soaps, artglass jewelry, and fibre art.
Head east from Pakenham to visit Farmgate Cider, a family-owned and operated cidery with its beautiful reconstructed heritage post and beam cider barn. At Farmgate your will find the tour’s largest group of artists, featuring basketmaking, pottery, animal portraiture and barn quilts, natural skin care, watercolours, woodturning, garden sculptures, artistic blacksmithing – and cider tasting (cold or hot) and sales. For visitors from the Ottawa or Arnprior and the Ottawa Valley, this location is easily accessed via the 417.
Heading west from Pakenham, make a short drive to Cartwright Springs Brewery at the base of the Pakenham “Mountain” and visit a ceramic artist and a vibrant tie-dye artist. While there, you can of course enjoy a tasting – the brewery is known for offering fine craft brews and even bottled maple sap! – as well as pulled pork on a bun and wood-fired pizza. Then take in the warm and entertaining Chris van Zanten studio where you can see demonstrations of the fiery art of glass making – an experience of colour and drama.
South of Pakenham, Maple Run’s 8th tour stop is the heritage Cedar Hill Schoolhouse, which is on the way to Almonte or Fulton’s Sugar Bush. Step back in time and visit this one-room schoolhouse which still retains its school maps, blackboards, and bell. The Schoolhouse will host artists presenting leatherworking, hand painted pottery, gemstone jewellery, baking, honey products and wildlife photography.
Pakenham Maple Run Tour 