Annual Events, Toronto Events

The 2013 Toronto Mennonite Festival at Black Creek Village

The 2013 Toronto Mennonite Festival returns to Black Creek Pioneer Village on Saturday Sept. 21 from 10am to 4pm. The major attractions are the quilt auction at noon, and the food. (Updated Aug. 11, 2014): Please see my 2014 article, “Two Quilt Events at Black Creek Pioneer Village in Toronto” for the updates, including an August quilt show and sale organized by a completely different organization.

"A Quilt Hung for an Auction" image by Les_Stockton
“A Quilt Hung for an Auction” image by Les_Stockton

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What’s the Point of the Toronto Mennonite Festival?

The Toronto Mennonite Festival actually has several reasons to exist. Visitors can bid on authentic hand-made quilts, crafted and donated by Mennonite or Amish seamstresses in rural Ontario. (We may have some made by urban Mennonites…I haven’t checked the donor list).

Visitors can also buy food: stock up on whole pies before they sell out; then eat rosettes for breakfast; borscht, Sloppy Joes,  chicken legs or spring rolls (!) for an early lunch, and top it off with ice cream churned before your very eyes. Corn and vegetarian Sloppy Joes are among the non-meat dishes. Or try the empanadas and samosas. All the food is prepared by volunteers who attend Mennonite churches in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area).

The proceeds support MCC (Mennonite Central Committee), a world-wide service agency committed to meeting humans needs. It supports disaster relief efforts, sustainable community development and pursues issues of peace and justice.

A New Brand for the Mennonite Festival in Toronto

Formally known as the Black Creek Pioneer Village MCC Relief Sale, the new brand highlights recognizable words:

  • “Toronto” as the city with Black Creek Pioneer Village as a small enclave, just west of York University.
  • “Mennonite”, the group of Christian denominations behind “MCC” (Mennonite Central Committee).
  • “Festival”, because this annual event in Toronto is more than a “relief sale” to raise funds to help people in tough circumstances.

What do you think? Does a “Mennonite Festival in Toronto” carry more meaning than a “Black Creek Pioneer Village MCC Relief Sale”?

The Traditions Continue at the Toronto Mennonite Festival

The traditional festivities continue at this annual Toronto autumn event, regardless of the changed name. There will still be live music in the town square; jams and preserves on sale; and people to explain what MCC does in Toronto, Ontario, North America and overseas. If you’re looking for an service organization to serve as a volunteer, ask about the opportunities for service with MCC.

Black Creek Pioneer Village hosts the Toronto Mennonite Festival as part of its “Pioneer Harvest Festival” celebration. Many of the buildings, shopkeepers and craftspersons interpret pioneer life to the visitors. Personally, I like to check what the blacksmith is forging.

Official Sites, Directions and Costs

The official online sites are:

Black Creek Pioneer Village’s address is 1000 Murray Ross Parkway, east of Jane Street along Steeles Avenue. By TTC, it’s the Steeles 60 West or Jane 35 bus. If you’re driving, check the “Location” or “Directions” pages on the official sites.

Black Creek Pioneer Village charges admission. You can buy tickets online through their web site, or at the door. Family and season passes are good options. Once you’re in, it’s free to see everything; but be prepared to buy food (and bid for quilts!).

Disclaimer: DeHaan Services has no relationship to Black Creek Pioneer Village. However, in 2013 I still serve on the board of the Toronto Mennonite Festival charitable organization, and would be pleased to sell you a Sloppy Joe in the village square. I am not reimbursed for writing this article.

I’d written about this annual Toronto event before: “2012 Quilt Auction at the Black Creek Pioneer Village Relief Sale” last year, and “The 2011 MCC Quilt Auction and Relief Sale Event at Black Creek Pioneer Village” the year before.