I’m a country girl. Born in the country, raised in the country, I love country villages and rural areas.
So I was glad to visit the village of Creemore, northwest of Toronto, last weekend. My husband, younger daughter, son-in-law, pet chug Julius and I stayed in a small farmhouse owned by friends of our older daughter.
We were surrounded by farmers’ fields, woods, birdsong, flowers, crickets and spectacular views.
It was also the weekend of the vintage festival and the village was dressed up for the event.
We walked along Creemore’s main street, stopping to make small purchases in the stalls and stores or to eat and drink. Creemore’s beer is deservedly famous.
At Chez Michel restaurant, the food was excellent and the staff attentive and friendly.
In fact, everyone we met was friendly. We chatted with many people and — as you can see, above, we were happily photo-bombed by some!
Creemore has that homey feeling that I associate with my favourite villages and small towns. (And yes, that’s really a cup-and-saucer chandelier below.)
But like most rural villages, Creemore needs outside support to thrive. Events like the vintage festival attract visitors and locals alike.
Outsiders who have fallen in love with Creemore also help by building/buying houses there and spreading the word among their networks.
Well-known interior designer Sarah Richardson and her husband are among the influencers who are big Creemore supporters. Sarah, one of HGTV’s stars, renovated a home in the village for her TV series, and she and her husband recently built and moved into an “off the grid” house in Creemore — also televised.
When it comes to helping our villages survive and thrive, every bit helps.
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Thanks to Hamlin Grange and Dan Leca for the beautiful photos.
Cynthia Reyes 
What a wonderful weekend! Great photos 🙂
You’ve whetted my appetite for a visit to Creemore! And I counted four teapots on the dinner table – that is a good thing!!
Haha! The tea sommelier would indeed notice such things!
I love small villages and towns. I am so NOT a city girl! Positively loved your photos. The farm house sounds amazing, and I got a kick out of the “pretend it’s 1995” sign. More people need to do that when they go out to dine!
Amen to that, Mae Clair.
This is marvelous, Cynthia! Thanks for taking us to the festival. I enjoyed all the photos. Hugs.
I’m glad! Thank you.
That looks wonderful. I like the sign about no wifi “talk to each other like it’s 1995.” And small-town festivals are about as good as it gets. Great photos, Cynthia. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you very much! I like that sign too.
What fun! Also enjoyed seeing pictures of your family, especially that darling Julius. (What a great name!)
Isn’t that a great name for a tiny dog? We did have fun. Thanks for commenting, Laurie.
What a great place to get away yet be close to a festival! Great pictures! Love the sign about unattended children. Time with family is always special!
We hadn’t been away anywhere for ages. And though it was just two days, we loved it.
I loved that sign ‘talk to each other, pretend it is 1995’!!!
Me too!
It looks like you had a wonderful time! The pictures are beautiful, and what an unusual chandelier!
Thank you for sharing!
Blessings~
Looks idyllic. You guys look well and happy.Good summering, looking forward to Hamlins veranda series.
I’d love it there. I can tell!
What a wonderful setting for a book, Cynthia! I’m also a lover of small-towns. I work in the city and that’s enought for me.
What a great visit! I love your photos and it’s nice to see some small towns thriving. Georgian Bay is beautiful.
Love these shots! They give us a real flavor for your stay and the town. I love visiting small towns and always wonder if I could live in them–but I know I couldn’t for long. I sure do like to visit, though. Thanks for letting me vicariously enjoy your trip:).
Wow! I think Jill is onto something here. I would so love to visit there. Your photos generate a feeling of happiness. I looked up the designer and have here bookmarked to view. Thank you. What a wonderful place to visit or live.
What lovely photos! I would love to visit Creemore!
Looks like you had a great time!
I had to look up ‘Chug’ as I’ve never seen one before. What a sweet little dog. 🙂
Creemore has a lovely, welcoming look–and the festival sounds very appealing! What a nice time you must’ve had, and better yet that you shared it with your family!
What a cute little town. I love the signs.
Creemore very much reminds me of the small town I grew up in Texas. Loved the “talk to each other like it’s 1995” sign. The town sounds like a nice place to visit if I go by all the smiles I saw.
It looks like the kind of place that is like a sigh of relief when you get there!
What a beautiful town, Cynthia! I love the sign about no WiFi. 🙂 Every little bit does help to keep a small town alive. Many thanks to Hamlin and Dan for providing the photos!
Creemore looks like a wonderful place to stay! You all look as though you enjoyed your time there. Thank you so much for sharing all the lovely photos, Cynthia!
What a beautiful place and a nice escape from the city life. A perfect way to spend some quality family time.
What a perfect two days – family, farm, and festivities. 🙂
Looks like a wonderful place and a lovely time!
Loved those pictures. It looks like a cracking place.
Cheers
MTM
What a cute town! I love the teacup chandelier, and I’d also love an excuse to wear a straw boater – I’ve always wanted one!
I understand you enjoyed this stay in this village completely surrounded by fields and woods ; and the vintage festival where everyone is participating . The Michel restaurant looked good too ! 🙂
Love ❤
Michel
Thanks for the visit to Creemore, Cynthia. I haven’t gotten around to trips such as this in a while and really enjoyed the wanderings through this lovely village. And no wi-fi – go Creemore! Jeanne