Goderich Salt and Harvest Festival triumphs at Festival and Events Ontario awards

GODERICH – The Goderich Salt and Harvest Festival received two provincial recognitions at the Festival and Events Ontario (FEO) awards gala on Wednesday, Feb. 25, in Kitchener.

The festival received the Best Promotional Campaign Award and was designated a top 100 event in Ontario.

“These honours recognize the festival’s marketing excellence, visitor appeal, and the strength of its community and corporate partnerships,” a press release from the Town of Goderich said.

The town’s mayor described the recognition as a reflection of what makes Goderich special.

“This recognition is a proud moment for Goderich,” said Mayor Trevor Bazinet. “We are home to the largest underground salt mine in the world, and we’ve worked deliberately to build tourism experiences that reflect what makes our community truly unique. I also want to thank our staff and volunteers for the tremendous work behind the scenes. This award showcases their volunteer spirit and pride in serving Goderich.”

Plans to establish Goderich’s salt tourism began in 2020, and the inaugural festival was held in 2023. The press release paid tribute to past mayors John Grace and Myles Murdock, as well as Bazinet and their respective councils, for supporting the event. The event is funded through community and corporate support, partnerships, sponsorships, donations and participant revenue.

“This recognition reflects an enormous amount of work behind the scenes,” said Goderich tourism and community development manager Jenna Ujiye. “Town staff lead the planning and delivery of the Salt and Harvest Festival — from building the program and logistics to marketing and on-site operations — and I’m grateful for the professionalism and commitment our team brings to this event. We also rely on strong partnerships and volunteers to make the festival sustainable and impactful.”

Last year’s festival took place over the Labour Day weekend throughout Goderich’s Courthouse Square area, as well as the waterfront, offering dozens of activities. This year’s will also be held over the Labour Day weekend, Sept. 3-6. More details will be released at the end of March. Those seeking more information can visit saltedgoderich.ca/festival.