For more information about the Millbank area visit the following
pages:
of Amulree, Brunner, Milverton, Millbank, Newton, Gads Hill, Poole, Rostock, Shakespeare, Wartburg – a collection of communities that share a rich heritage of industry and agriculture. Share the road with horse and buggy too - this area is home to many Amish and Mennonite residents who settled here to maintain their traditional way of life. Nowadays visitors will find an antique-lovers Mecca in Shakespeare, just minutes east of Stratford along with the Welcome Centre’s artisan exhibit and marketplace. There’s historic Fryfogel Inn, the first establishment to welcome travellers along historic Highway 8. Find handcrafted quilts and supplies, stuffed animals and fur-coat teddy bears, handmade and homegrown foods, antique treasures, home décor and garden goodies and a family-style dining experience. Sample the menus in popular restaurants like Anna Mae’s in Millbank and Rose Marie’s in Shakespeare.
Recreation & Activities
Find your way to nearby Newton and set the kids free to explore
Ontario Maze - a corn maze and labyrinth
along with a straw museum and a paper
cutting exhibit too: www.ontariomaze.com
has all the season’s details. Mini-golf and
more means a family-friendly outing that’s
fun for everyone. Watch for events and
activities at the Perth East Recreation
Centre where you’ll find family fun.
Picnics and a pond: bring everyone for a
day of fun to the Shakespeare conservation
Area just north of the Hamlet. For events
and activities throughout the year drop into
the Perth East Recreation Centre.
Shopping & Treasures
A drive to Milverton, Millbank, Sebringville and Wartburg takes you to collectibles and antiques shops,
garden centres and music stores filled with
items to surprise and delight. Stop along
the way to pick up snacks and fresh baked goods at the local general stores. The
historic hamlet of Shakespeare is filled
with antique galleries and shop keepers are
always delighted to discuss the remarkable ‘
finds’ nestled in their stores. Calico quilts
and British treasures and treats just might
be the perfect gifts to pack in your trunk.
Natural Attractions & Architecture
The traditional Amish and
Mennonite way of life is an important
cultural component of Perth East.
Characteristic architecture can be seen at
the Carnegie Library in Milverton.
Distinctive churches, built by hardworking
congregations, grace every
community. North of
Shakespeare, beautiful
stone farm houses dot a
pastoral landscape that
rolls and folds along the
banks of streams. Watch
for events and call for a
tour of the tiny
Brocksden Country
School Museum, north of
Shakespeare, a place
where kids learn “what it
was like when”.The Old Post Office in Shakespeare and
the General Store in Millbank maintain
their original architecture complete with
creaking floors. For a truly rural retreat,
stay in an 1860’s stagecoach stop. For more information visit our website www.millbankandarea.com
Fabulous Food
Slow down for horse and
buggy traffic as you travel to the small,
iconic towns of Milverton, Millbank and
Shakespeare. The menu at Shakespeare’s
local eatery is chock full of the freshest of
ingredients. Down the street, you’ll find
homemade pies and baked goods, Perth
County pork, local cheeses, butter, jams,
jellies and honey…all the ingredients for a
family feast. In Milverton, sample the
delicious goodies on sale at the local
bakeshop and, on Thursdays, don’t miss
the Milverton Farmers’ Market. The counters of the country corner store in Millbank brim with a seasonal harvest of
fruits, vegetables and old-fashioned treats.
People come from miles around to dine at
Anna Mae’s famous restaurant or take
home delicious pies and pastries fresh from
the oven.
Arts & Crafts
The hamlet of Shakespeare is the gateway to Perth County. Stop at
The Welcome Centre to view the crafts,
artwork, gifts and goodies on display. Plan
a visit to the quilt shop in Shakespeare for
inspiration and supplies then enjoy a
leisurely drive to view the Amish quilts on
display in Millbank. Just outside
Millbank, feeders and seed available from
an Amish farmer are strictly ‘for the birds’.
At the Corn Maze near Newton, don’t miss the straw museum and an exhibit of
paper-cutting art. The lovely flower shop
in Milverton offers inspiration for creating
your own bouquets and planters.
Festivals & Fairs
Enjoy great food at Flavours
of Perth and the Shakespeare Fish Fry.
Travel to Milverton for the Fall Fair and
Horse Club Shows and see if you can pick
out the rodeo riders who will qualify for
the Dodge Rodeo tour. If you prefer
horsepower to horses, don’t miss the “Forbidden Ride” motorcycle event in
May which tours from Shakespeare to the
shoreline of Lake Huron. In July, bid for
bargains at the Amish School Auction near
Millbank.
October tours through the Amish homes,
farms and workshops of Millbank, Poole and Milverton offer a rare opportunity to
marvel at the beauty of items traditionally
crafted by skilled artisans.
Event Calendar
| May - Dec weekends |
Best of Perth County Artisans |
| May 23 |
Milverton Horse Club |
| May 30 |
Millbank Community Garage Sale |
| June 20 - 21 |
Milverton Rodeo |
| June 26 - 27 |
Southwestern Ontario Fiddle & Stepdance Championships, Tavistock |
| July 18 |
Amish School Auction, Millbank |
| August 8 |
Flavours of Perth Dinner, Shakespeare |
| August 22 |
Milverton Horse Club |
| September 18 |
Perth/Waterloo Counties Holstein Show, Stratford |
| September 18 - 20 |
146th Milverton Fair |
|