It’s that time of year when Callander’s collective thoughts turn to all things cranberry because once again, Cranberry Day is just around the corner. The event takes place on Saturday, October 1st, from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. and begins at the head of the Cranberry Trail, which is down Cranberry Road off Pinewood Park Drive.
If you like, you can park at Centennial Park and a shuttle bus will take you to the event. The main point of the day is celebrating the cranberry, and what better way to do so then walking along the ol’ Cranberry Trail and making your way to Callander’s cranberry marsh?
It’s one long walk to the cranberry delights, as the trail is about 2.5 kilometers. You might be wise to pack your walking stick and bring some water along. The organizers also suggest you bring rubber boots and a pail if you plan to get into the marsh and claim some of the berries for your Thanksgiving sauce.
But that’s not all. Besides the glory of observing the cranberry in the wild, there will also be food and retail vendors dotted along the trail. Prepare for live music along the way as well, as organizers have set up a few band areas to keep you entertained as you trek to the marsh.
There will also be kids’ activities hosted by the Callander Library, the Callander Museum, the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority, and others. Will they be cranberry related? You’ll just have to wait and see.
The Nipissing Model Airplane Club will also be on site giving flying demonstrations at their airfield adjacent to the trail head. Will they be dropping cranberries from the sky? You’ll have to be there to find out.
Admission is free although you’re welcome to bring some food or donations to the Callander Food Bank—perhaps a can of cranberries.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
