Doors Open in Gravenhurst

September 29, 2018

For over a decade Doors Open Ontario has been opening the doors so the public can enjoy some of the province’s most treasured heritage buildings. Gravenhurst is a destination of this province-wide initiative, offering a behind the scenes tour of 13 different locations in town.

You do not want to miss out on the fun and highly educational tours happening Saturday, September 29, giving insight to the area’s storied past. Browse them all on the 2018 Doors Open Gravenhurst Brochure and create your own heritage inspired itinerary. The theme this year is 100 years of women’s rights and the suffragette.

To make the day even better, fall colours are beginning to show. Although green is still the predominate colour, it is still a nice time for an early fall colour drive.

Opening ceremony: Lost Airmen in Muskoka

To kick off the day of tours there will be an opening ceremony at the Gravenhurst Opera House. They will be screening the 30 minute film, Lost Airmen in Muskoka, L.A.M.P. at 9:20am. Light refreshments will be provided in the Trillium room.

The film, produced by Muskoka’s Matt Fairbrass, is about WWII air crafts that collided over Lake Muskoka during a fierce December blizzard. One was quickly located and recovered, but the second air craft wasn’t found until 70 years later. The moving story of loss and recovery has become part of our proud local heritage.

To learn more about the L.A.M.P. story, watch this short video

Make your way around Town

After the opening ceremonies, spend the day discovering some of Gravenhurst’s hidden and historical gems. A must-do is the Historic Walk of Ship and Boat Building at Muskoka Wharf, a guided tour that highlights a bygone era of boat building in Gravenhurst. Visitors should also pay a visit to the Arts at the Albion, a collective gallery of 20 local artists situated in one of the town’s most beautiful (and historic) buildings. One of the most unique stops along the way is at the Little Norway Memorial at the Muskoka Airport. Learn about how the Muskoka Airport became a major training hub for the Royal Norwegian Air Force in 1942, an event of national and historical significance. Follow that stop up with a guided tour at Sawdust City Brewery. Be sure to try their Little Norway beer, a local craft brew that pays homage to the town’s WW2 connection with Norway.

There are just a few of the great stops along the way. Click here to see all 13 Doors Open locations in Gravenhurst