Discovering Community - A Day in Grand Lake
Last week my colleague Sonia and I spent a day in the Municipality of Grand Lake. While an unexpected bridge closure led to us exploring more of the region than we had planned, it also gave us an opportunity to slow down and enjoy a beautiful summer day in Grand Lake.
Our late start to the day had us searching for a caffeine fix. At the Ivory Mug Cafe convenience meets comfort. Whether you're doing a quick drive-thru order or sitting down to enjoy a drink, you'll leave happier and full of goodness. Artfully decorated and perfectly located on Chipman's Main St., this cozy spot offers a little of everything - strong brews, sweet treats, and quick bites. We treated ourselves to an Oreo donut and a maple pecan danish for an extra sugar boost. If I could have sampled the entire display, I would have. That just means another trip to Chipman is in my near future.
We then decided to finish our coffees enjoying the sunny afternoon at Stewart McLeod/Turtle Park.
This scenic lookout offers plenty of shade and spaces to sit and enjoy the scenery. You can venture down by the water to look at the views over the lake or simply enjoy being surrounded by nature on one of the sturdy park benches.
Just down the road is another lookout with direct water access. Launch your canoe or make use of the Kayak Rentals from the Municipality of Grand Lake for a day of exploration and water adventures. If you're an avid paddler, check out the Wolastoq Watershed Paddling Trails to plan an adventure across the Capital Region.
Refreshed by the open air (and the earlier caffeine boost), we then headed back to Minto to attend the Trail Folk Music Festival hosted by Tiny Trails - a beautiful boutique campground and mountain biker's paradise. With over 45km of incredible trails with stunning views plus access to campsites, a taproom, and other campsite amenities, this is the perfect place for cyclists to ride and rest in style.
While the cozy campground atmosphere drew us in, the music kept us there. The third annual Trail Folk Music Festival brought together community members for four days of incredible performances and great energy.
We arrived at the campground to find that since parking spaces were limited, neighbours along the street all pitched in and opened their driveways to make more room for festival parking.
It was clear to see how much locals enjoyed this opportunity to gather and listen to the incredible lineup of country, blues, and rock music. Thursday night's performance started off with the popular Ella Campbell and later featured the powerful voice of Theresa Malenfant.
Though our day in Grand Lake didn't go exactly to plan, we still had plenty of time to enjoy the views and find comfort in the community. We left refreshed, energized, and touched by the power of communities coming together.
Want to see what else the Municipality of Grand Lake has to offer? Check out our last visit here.