East Elgin

This unique small store is a cornucopia of gifts, garden decor, home-style preserves, jams, pepper jelly, chili sauce, relishes and pickles, summer sausage, salsa and locally made tortilla chips, bean chips and Shaw's ice cream. Fresh and frozen meat pies are made from scratch and to order. Come and visit!

For 130 years, this family-owned independent business has been a newspaper publisher and leading commercial print plant. The newspaper is an award-winning, full broadsheet – the biggest in the country. The commercial print division is the head office for the largest graphic services group in southwestern Ontario.

The Aylmer Police Station was built in 1997 and is currently occupied by 20 full-time and part-time police officers, auxiliary officers and support staff serving the Town of Aylmer. The fleet of police vehicles and related technology are housed inside the station.

The Elgin Innovation Centre provides 93,000 square metres (1,000,000 square feet) of warehouse and office space in the former Imperial Tobacco plant. The space is divided into different and separate blocks, depending on tenants’ requirements. The Elgin Business Resource Centre, a tenant, is a partner for Doors Open. A photography and memorabilia exhibit will be featured.

Farmtown Canada features a c. 1850 heritage log cabin and hobby farm, antiques, fields with horses, and animal stations and displays, making it a great place to visit. Bring a picnic and savour the rural atmosphere. Stop by the Log Cabin Shoppe for a souvenir. Hand-led horse rides and wagon rides will also be available.

This veterinary service caters to the needs of both large animals (horses, sheep, goats and cattle) and small ones (cats and dogs). The reception area has an open cottage-like design. The clinic contains three exam rooms, an adoption room, two surgery suites, a large prep room and three kennel rooms. Large animals are treated in a barn behind the clinic.

M & R Orchards, a family-operated business, has a cider mill on the premises. Fresh apple cider is pressed every week and sold in the on-site farm store. The orchard produces 20 varieties of apple, as well as honey and bee products from its apiary. Ice cream made from scratch is available from May to September.

The Harvest Festival at Rush Creek Wines coincides with Doors Open East Elgin. This event will feature horse-drawn wagon rides, wine and cheese tastings, craft vendors, a corn maze, a pumpkin patch and a predatory bird show. All of these activities are free!

Trinity Anglican Church, constructed entirely of wood, is 177 years old this year. It had a wood-burning heater in the early years but is now heated by natural gas. The seating capacity of the church is about 120. The beautiful stained-glass windows are original, as is the church bell.

Wieler's Furniture Gallery markets fine, handcrafted Mennonite furniture made by neighbouring craftsmen. These skilled workers make stunning, solid, custom furniture that will last more than a lifetime. Come for a visit and admire the beauty of this furniture in a friendly, family-welcoming atmosphere.