Sample the variety of Brant’s diverse food & beverage industry at inaugural Brant Eats event

By Casandra Turnbull

Take a bite out of the best Brant has to offer during the inaugural Brant Eats Food and Drink event taking place next month

On Friday, October 27th from 5 pm to 9 pm at the Gaukel Community Centre in St. George will host a culinary cabaret for residents to sample some of the best kept culinary and beverage secrets – and some not so secret – in Brant County. The event is a partnership between the Paris and District Chamber of Commerce and the St. George Business Association. County of Brant Economic Development is an official sponsor of the event, offering the space at the Gaukel Centre to host the 30-34 food and beverage vendors on display.

Sue Morton, Executive Director of the Paris and District Chamber of Commerce, was before council this week asking councillors to designate the event as municipally significant so they could apply for a Public Special Occasion Permit from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.

“We know vendors took a big hit during the pandemic…. We know slower tourism months are tough on them The idea is to drive sales and create local interest,” explained Morton, who was joined for the delegation by Sherri Barna, owner of Purple Bean Media and a Director and Marketing Chair for the Chamber of Commerce.

“We have a lot of new residents in the community, and this would be a nice way to bring everyone together and create a sense of community between long time and new residents,” Morton told councillors.

Barna explained that the idea for the event extends from a similar event in Brantford, which was hosted pre-pandemic. Brantford Bites was an instant hit with the community, highlighting amazing local vendors, said Barna. So, with that concept in mind, it was decided there should be a similar event to shine the light on what’s available in the county.

The St. George Business Association will be working the Chamber on the event and the Paris BIA has offered their support in promoting it. If successful, Morton says they hope to make it an annual event, rotating venues throughout the county to ensure it’s not just a strictly Paris centric event. “We value our small businesses and want them to thrive, so this event is part of our focus to remind residents to shop local.”

The event space is equipped to hold between 30-34 vendors who will provide a vast array of gastronomical delights

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Local restaurants, delicatessens, caterers and craft beer, wine, cider, tea and coffee coinsures are invited to register to participate. The event organizing committee will select vendors from the applications to ensure there is a good mix of both food and drink offerings

The Brant Eats committee is also looking for event sponsors. There are three levels of sponsorship that include a variety of perks from brand awareness to social media exposure, signage, and free tickets. Anyone interested in purchasing tickets, becoming a vendor or sponsor is encouraged to reach out to the Paris Chamber via email at info@pariscoc.ca

The facility has a capacity of 300 people so make sure you secure those tickets, so you don’t miss out on the chance to take a great big bite of the most flavoursome businesses in Brant! Tickets are $57.52 a person, which covers entrance and all the samples you can responsibly eat and drink.

Woodland Culture Centre Hours

Paris Horticultural Society members are busy bees!

The Woodland Culture Centre museum and galleries is open to the public today, September 30th, for our regular hours of 9:00am - 4:00pm. We respectfully ask that the hands-on programming, film showing and any guided tours are reserved for Survivors and their families. Survivors and their families are being prioritized for programming these two days. There is public programming being organized by Brantford Native Housing at Mohawk Park on Saturday, September 30th. The museum will be closed Sunday, October 1 and Monday, October 2 to the public.

You could say the Paris Horticultural Society members were busy bees this month! They did some more public planting at the Paris Fairgrounds on Tuesday, September 19th. A total of 123 (mostly) native perennials, plus 1 tree, was planted. These pollinator plants are establishing along the bank. A variety of perennials included Blue False Indigo, Popsicle Red Lupine, Anise Hyssop, Butterfly Milkweed, Smooth Aster, Lance-leaved Tickweed, Pale Purple Coneflower, Dense Blazing Star, Gloriosa Daisy, Hoary Vervain, Short's Aster and Turtlehead. Volunteer members of the Horticultural Society, pictured left to right: Pat Moore, Nancy Burkholder, Dave Collins, Larry Stewart, and Doug Hanna. And on September 23, 11 volunteers showed up to door their part in keeping Paris beautiful by cleaning their stretch of Road program, organized by Nancy Chipman. Pictured is Patti Gladding, Paula Barker Atkinson, Anne Vernon, Tony Atkinson, Pat Moore, Edith Stone, Pat Hasler-Watts, and Serryn Stephenson.

Photos submitted by Paris Horticultural Society