Get ready to shake off the winter blues and welcome spring at the 2025 Pakenham Maple Run Tour this April 5 and 6, with 9 stops presenting a select group of 30 Ottawa Valley artists. A tour like no other, Maple Run is a unique blend of art, fine craft, heritage buildings and spectacular spring scenery, all set within a 40km tour route that runs right through maple syrup country. This delightful self-guided free tour, where you can experience the charm of Pakenham and area and connect with the creators of exceptional art and fine craft, is truly a breath of fresh air after a long winter. Check http://www.mapleruntour.com for more information, artist bios, images, and more. Find us on Facebook and Instagram at Maple Run Tour.

Handcrafted pottery, intricate jewellery, unique textile art, hand dyed yarns, fine leatherwork, traditional basketry, baking, confections, honey products, clothing design, artistic blacksmithing, garden sculpture, paper art, fine art originals, clothing, woodturning, natural soaps and skin care, glass art, expressive and sometimes quirky painting and drawing – these are a sample of the one-of-a-kind treasures you can discover at the Maple Run Tour. You can visit all the stops in a day, and add to your experience with a visit to Fulton’s Sugar Bush and Maple shop – our newest tour stop.

Wondering where to start? The pretty heritage village of Pakenham, with its unique stone bridge spanning the rushing Mississippi River, is the heart of the Maple Run Tour. A cluster of 4 stops welcomes you here. 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 plus fine art originals from a local artist. The sunny and welcoming Pakenham branch of the Mississippi Mills Library is your next stop, where you can discover 3 artists presenting landscape painting, paper art, and handpainted jewellery. St. Andrew’s United Church, a local architectural gem, is a perfect spot for a light lunch from the church ladies after visiting the 6 artists who will present miniature quilts, weaving and felting, handmade soaps, artglass jewellery, candies and cards, nature photography and fibre art.

Heading west from Pakenham, a short drive takes you to Cartwright Springs Brewery, hosting a ceramic artist and a vibrant tie-dye artist. While there, be sure to enjoy the brewery’s fine craft brews and even their unique bottled maple sap. After, continue to 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 which for many visitors is a highlight of Maple Run.

Head east from Pakenham to visit Farmgate Cider, a family-owned and operated cidery with its beautiful 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, woodturning, fabric sculptures, artistic blacksmithing and hand-stitched leathergoods, plus a food truck to satisfy any hunger pangs. Cider tasting (cold or hot) and sales are also a highlight of this location, and a food truck will be on site. For visitors from Ottawa, or Arnprior and the Ottawa Valley, this location is easily accessed via the 417.

South of Pakenham you will find the last 2 stops: the heritage Cedar Hill Schoolhouse and Fulton’s Sugar Bush and Maple Shop. Step back in time and visit the one-room schoolhouse which still retains its school maps, blackboards, and bell, and which hosts artists presenting leatherworking, hand painted pottery, gemstone jewellery, hand dyed yarns, baking, honey products and wildlife photography. At nearby Fulton’s, a family-owned sugar bush for generations, experience a springtime tradition of maple syrup production, and visit the Maple Shop to stock up on freshly-made maple treats, gourmet food products, and unique artisan candles.

Bring your family and friends, and plan for a great spring daytrip through art, craft and the sweet traditions of maple season.