Fall colors, scarecrows on parade, and one of Ontario’s most popular craft shows. Meaford welcomes Autumn this weekend with all of the above.

It kicks off at 6 p.m. today with the Scarecrow Invasion and Family Fun Festival – a parade of colourful scarecrows down the main street and down to the Harbour for fun, games and refreshments. This year, the scarecrows are “going to the movies.”

At 10 a.m. tomorrow, the annual Apple Harvest Craft Show opens at the Meaford Arena and Meaford Curling Club. This juried craft show features close to 200 artisans from Ontario and beyond.

And the blaze of autumn foliage has just begun in the last week or so, heralding fall and apple season.

Lakeview Cemetery is a quietly beautiful place tucked away on a hill overlooking Georgian Bay. A restful, reflective place, it’s shaded by ancient trees, ornamented with carefully pruned evergreens and set off by a quiet pond enjoyed by two swans.

This weekend, as part of Culture Days, the Meaford Museum offers guided walking tours of the cemetery.

It’s an opportunity to learn about the history of the largest cemetery in the Municipality, the “residents”, the age-old mausoleum and much more.

Tours will be held at 2 p.m on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday. No need to register; just meet by the Cemetery sign. (Donations are gratefully accepted.)

If you’ve had enough of this long hot summer, and are getting in the mood for a Meaford autumn, we discovered a nice video by “drofluf” down at the bottom of this post (with some stills from it gracing our page).

Meaford autumn country road (by drofluf)

(If you didn’t spend the summer here, you might be surprised at how perfect it was. While the south sweltered in smog and humidity for much of the season, Georgian Bay worked its magic, moderating temperatures here so that few days left us panting in heavy heat. The lack of rain was another story for farmers….)

A Meaford farm in autumn (by drofluf)

We came across this video by the mysterious drofluf (who is also apparently an avid cyclist), which showcases some of last year’s fall splendour. He (that’s an assumption we’re making) was testing out a new long lens for his video camera, so there’s a lot of nice pulled focus and selective focus shots (check out the Canada geese!).

Rolling hills in Meaford autumn (by drofluf)

The blue Blue Mountains (by drofluf)

And note the shot of a jet overhead. The crickets drown out its distant noise. Something else you notice when you live in quiet Meaford: while you’ll sometimes see distant planes and contrails, you rarely actually hear the airliners – they’re too far away.

With beautiful sunshine and summery temps predicted for Thanksgiving weekend, this is the perfect time to enjoy the vibrant fall colours of the Beaver Valley from the vantage of a canoe or kayak on the Beaver River. The river meanders gently through the Beaver Valley, curving through forests and meadows making a delightfully relaxing paddle for everyone, from beginners on up. And with three access points, you can choose the length of your journey. In addition to the fall colours, you’ll likely catch glimpses of wildlife, and if you like, you can drop in a line.

Upriver, the highest access point is just north of Kimberley west off the Beaver Valley Road (Grey Road 13). For 10 kilometres, you wind through mainly mature forest, shaded by large hardwoods. While seeming wilderness, the foliage is quite a bit different from the northern paddling most Ontarians are used to, making it a unique experience. You’ll likely encounter the odd log jam, but don’t worry; if you can’t pull the boat over, your portage won’t be more than a few yards.

When you reach the next access point near the Epping road, or when you put in here, you’ll see the canopy open above you, drift through more open spaces with views of the valley, and enjoy the odd slightly swifter current.

The Heathcote dock is on the right bank before the bridge. You can pull out here, or continue through the hamlet to “Slabtown”, a favourite swimming hole. You might encounter a few small rapids and eddies in this section, before you pull out on the left bank before the dam.

Find more paddling info and maps here.

And you can rent a canoe or kayak, and even book a guide and learn some tips at Free Spirit Tours.

The first flares of fall have caught our eyes in the last few days, as a few eager maples show their autumn colours early. While the Beaver Valley drive, just a few minutes south of Meaford, is great at any time of year, an autumn tour of this grand, scenic vale should be in your plans for the coming weeks.

To whet your appetite, check out the video.

Stock up in town for a picnic lunch at Eggcitement Bistro, McGinty’s, the Earth Harvest Café or The Kitchen, or plan a stop in Eugenia, up the far side of the valley, for a quick bite at the Eugenia Falls Emporium or a delicious meal at the Flying Chestnut.