20+ Amazing Things to Do in Orangeville That You'll Love

The town of Orangeville is a charming community in Dufferin County (south-central Ontario), and here are the best things to do in Orangeville when you visit. There's more than enough activities in Orangeville to fill an entire day, and you may be tempted to visit again and again. Going hiking in nature, browsing the cute shops on its adorable downtown main street, dining at fantastic restaurants, and checking out public art are some of the reasons you need to visit Orangeville ASAP.

Do you love visiting small towns in Ontario? Here's my list of the best small towns in Ontario that make for awesome day trips and weekend getaways. While you're at it, you may want to check out these fantastic road trips in Ontario, too.

Where to Stay in Orangeville

I only live about 45 minutes away from Orangeville. If you're looking for a day trip from Toronto, Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo or others, Orangeville is located within a reasonable driving distance so you can easily make it back home at night.

However, if you're coming from farther away, you may want to book a hotel. Orangeville is also a fantastic stopover if you're making a road trip from afar before continuing up to the Bruce Peninsula and Tobermory.

Things to Do in Downtown Orangeville: Boutique Shops

Shopping on Broadway, the main street within the downtown core, is one of the best things to do in Orangeville, Ontario. It's where you'll find boutiques with gifts, things for the home, locally produced wares, handmade treasures by local artists and artisans, and so much more. There's something for every taste. Be sure to take a stroll along these picturesque historic buildings to browse the shops and get a dose of retail therapy.

Blumen on Broadway

Blumen on Broadway is a one stop shop for garden inspired gifts, antiques, art and more. There are so many unique finds in this creative and inspiring shop. Decorate your house and garden with collectibles and intriguing wares that you'll only find at Blumen on Broadway.

Reader's Choice

Reader's Choice is a bookstore on Broadway that's been a staple of downtown Orangeville for over 20 years. You'll find fantastic deals on used books, and there are great sales happening all the time. There are also toys, puzzles, journals, day planners, t-shirts and more. This is a store where you can easily spend hours browsing its numerous shelves.

Pear Home

Pear Home in downtown Orangeville is one of my favourite shops there. There are numerous beautiful displays that simply make you want to fill your home with everything there! In addition to home decor, you can find unique gifts, jewelry, baby items and other curated treasures.

Glasscraft

Glasscraft is a must visit shop for glass lovers and collectors. I've never seen such an impressive display of stained glass windows and glass decorations, and it's right here in Orangeville. In addition to the shop itself, you can also take courses and workshops to learn the art of stained glass for yourself.

Dragonfly Arts on Broadway

Dragonfly Arts on Broadway features the works of over 200 Canadian artists with an emphasis on local talent. You'll find paintings, pottery, jewelry and works of art from many different genres. You may even have a chance to meet the artist themselves, as we did with a glass jewelry maker who described her methods to us. We ended up purchasing several Christmas gifts here on our last visit.

Sproule's Emporium

Sproule's Emporium is a fair trade gift shop with beautiful items from all over the world, including Canada. They've been a member of the business community for over 50 years (formerly as a pharmacy). Take a little trip around the world when you shop here, and feel good about the fact that the artisans are paid a fair wage for their products.

The Chocolate Shop

Love chocolate and sweet treats? You can't miss a trip to The Chocolate Shop! You'll find mouthwatering, handmade chocolates at Orangeville's cute confections store. Many of their dark chocolates are vegan, just ask the chocolatier while you're there.

Aardvark Music and Culture

If you love music, you need to drop by Aardvark Music & Culture. Not only are there musical instruments lining the walls, but there's a fantastic selection of new and used vinyl records. We always stop by Aardvark Music while visiting Orangeville as they always have new vinyl at great prices.

Things to Do in Orangeville: Go for a Hike

One of the most fun things to do in Orangeville is go for a hike. There are several hiking trails within the town of Orangeville, and there are many more within a short drive away. In fact, there are 15 awesome places to go hiking within a 20 minute drive of Orangeville. I'll show you two trail systems within Orangeville, as well as a few others that are close by.

Island Lake Conservation Area

Island Lake Conservation Area has several wonderful hiking trails and the park is right within the town limits. It's not too often that you can visit such a beautiful natural setting so close to an urban centre. The main loop trail of the park is the Vicki Barron Lakeside Trail, an 8km path that encircles the lake. You'll cross expansive boardwalks, wander between rows of tall trees, and fully immerse yourself in nature.

Aside from walking and hiking, Island Lake Conservation Area is also a great place to go cycling. The Vicki Barron Lakeside Trail is a relatively flat path and perfect for biking. There is also a unique feature at Island Lake, the natural playground. This is a playground that inspires imagination and creativity using natural materials for a variety of sensory experiences and unstructured play.

Monora Park

Menora Park is a 40-acre space with 18km of walking trails, a picnic area, and a large grassy field. In the winter, many of the trails transform into cross-country ski trails. You can check out a detailed trail map here. If you have some extra time in Orangeville and you've already hiked Island Lake Conservation Area, I suggest exploring Monora Park.

More Hiking Trails Near Orangeville

One of the best things about Orangeville is that there are so many protected greenspaces, conservation areas and parks within a close drive of one another. In fact, you can even hike between some of the parks.

Some of my favourite conservation areas and provincial parks include Mono Cliffs Provincial Park, Hockley Valley Provincial Park, Boyne Valley Provincial Park, Split Rock Narrows Nature Reserve, Belfountain Conservation Area, Forks of the Credit Provincial Park, and Cheltenham Badlands.

Things to Do in Orangeville: Orangeville Farmers Market

The Orangeville Farmers Market is an all-season market with a large outdoor market on Saturdays in the spring, summer and fall, as well as an intimate indoor winter market between November and April. No matter when you decide to visit, you'll find farm fresh produce, handcrafted goods, delicious preserves, sweets and baked goods, and so much more.

When I travelled to Orangeville, I visited during the winter months, so I was able to check out the Orangeville Winter Farmers Market. It's inside the Orangeville Town Hall building. While I ended up purchasing some locally made jam and some veggies, here are a couple of stalls that stood out to me.

Shine Baking Co

Shine Baking Co is a small bakeshop offering vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free delights that are suitable for those with various food allergies and dietary preferences. Once you see their desserts and sweet treats, you'll know that you'll need to try them. They all look amazing. Try their Nanaimo bars, brownies, bars, rice krispie squares and cookie sandwiches.

Shine Baking Co also offers savory meals that are ready to heat up and enjoy at home. The menu changes weekly and you can pre-order these dishes from their website for pickup at the market. When I visited the farmers market, they had a harvest grain bowl and vegetable biryani.

Rasmi's Falafel

Rasmi's Falafel isn't actually a stand inside the Orangeville Farmers Market. It's a food truck that's parked right outside the Town Hall building on a side street off Broadway. This is a fantastic spot to grab some lunch on the go. Enjoy their falafel, hummus, baba ganoush, tabouleh, rice, and more.

Things to Do in Orangeville: See the Public Art

As an artsy town, one of the best things to do in Orangeville is witness the beautiful outdoor public art. Orangeville is known for its tree sculptures, and you can also admire painted utility boxes and murals, especially ones acting as crosswalks on Broadway. There are over 70 works of public art on display throughout Orangeville, so it's a fantastic destination for art lovers.

By using the free Driftscape mobile app, you can go on self-guided walking tours to explore and discover the outdoor public art in Orangeville. There are three itineraries in particular that I highly recommend: the Top Ten Public Art Tour, Central West Public Art Walking Tour, and Central East Public Walking Tour.

Tree Sculptures

There are over 40 tree sculptures in Orangeville, each entirely unique and delightful to discover. Many former trees are carved and transformed into animals, people, characters or creatures. Some are dedicated to a moment in time and others follow a particular theme. Go for a walk around Orangeville to see as many tree sculptures as you can.

Murals and Utility Box Art

Functional utility boxes are usually pretty bland or unsightly, but not in Orangeville. Utility boxes are wrapped in works of public art, bringing bursts of colour and imagination to the town. Local artists have enhanced public spaces since 2016 and new works of art are continually added to the list. You'll see a few painted utility boxes on Broadway, as well as other places in Orangeville.

There are also a few colourful murals in Orangeville, most notably the ones you'll find painted as crosswalks on the ground. There are pride crosswalks with rainbows painted across the streets, and there's a special orange crosswalk in commemoration of the Indigenous children who were stolen from their families and forced to attend residential schools.

Things to Do in Orangeville: Heritage Walking Tour

Orangeville was first incorporated as a village in 1863 with a population of 1200. Nowadays, it's a vibrant and award-winning town, being awarded the Canadian "Great Street Award" for Broadway, a Five-Bloom silver rating at national level at the Communities in Bloom contest, and the national Community of Gardeners award.

There are three different self-guided heritage walking tours that you can take by following the itineraries set out by the town. The "Booming Broadway Tour" (2.2km) highlights businesses that helped Orangeville grow, the "Founders Tour" (2.5km) celebrates the founders of Orangeville, and the "Prosperous Years Tour" (2km) focuses on the successes of the local business people surrounding Zina Street.

On these tours, you'll visit designated heritage properties, structures with distinct architectural styles, and historic homes around Orangeville. Learning about the town's history and then seeing the buildings firsthand is one of the top things to do in Orangeville for history buffs.

Things to Do in Orangeville: Parks and Gardens

As a wonderful town to explore nature, Orangeville is home to a few parks and gardens to add to your list. The best time to visit these parks and gardens is between spring and fall, especially if you'd like to see the flowers in bloom.

Kay Cee Gardens

We've only visited Kay Cee Gardens in December when Christmas in the Park was happening, so I haven't seen the park by daylight. It is a 2.7 acre park with quiet pathways, tall trees and beautiful flowers. It's one of the best places to go for a stroll in Orangeville, so be sure to add it to your itinerary.

Bravery Park

Bravery Park is a local park dedicated to the bravery of Canadian soldiers. It is the first Bravery Park in Canada, with the second being in British Columbia. The hope is to have Bravery Parks all across the country. There are a number of interesting features, like statues, a memorial stone, a public art installation, allergy-free plants, a medicine wheel garden and a playground.

Dragonfly Park

Dragonfly Park is a great place to go for a little walk when you visit Orangeville. It consists of a lengthy boardwalk trail near a marsh and you may have the opportunity to see some wildlife. It's a really peaceful place in town that I'm sure you'll love.

Things to Do in Orangeville: Go Cycling

While Orangeville has numerous walking paths and hiking trails, it's also an amazing destination for cycling. While the Vicki Barron Lakeside Trail at Island Lake Conservation Area is a popular place to go ride your bike, there are several other trails and cycling routes in town.

The Rotary Way is a 4.5km trail that connects to Route 2 (2.8km) and Route 3 (4.3km). Be sure to check out this Orangeville cycling trail map before you head out. The map even shows where to find bike racks and bicycle repair shops in town.

Things to Do in Orangeville: Theatre Orangeville

Theatre Orangeville is the centre of Orangeville's performing arts scene, and you can see many live performances at the Opera House inside the Town Hall building. This beautiful historic theatre with its iconic red plush seats is an inviting space to enjoy professional and musical performances.

You can choose from classic favourites and new Canadian works, and there are programs featuring performers of all ages and abilities. Theatre Orangeville also celebrates diversity. Check out their website to see which shows are on their calendar during your trip. It's a fantastic evening activity in Orangeville.

Things to Do in Orangeville: Restaurants and Cafes

Orangeville is home to many amazing restaurants and cafes that are surprisingly vegan-friendly. During our day trip to Orangeville, we managed to try three different establishments that we highly recommend. We'll have to return to Orangeville in the future because there are many more restaurants to try.

Euphoria Cafe Orangeville

Euphoria Cafe Orangeville is a healthy eatery and smoothie establishment with fresh and delicious offerings. Enjoy one of their fruit smoothies, sandwiches and wraps, and baked goods. Justin and I stopped by Euphoria Cafe for lunch and ordered two smoothies and two vegan wraps (the vegan breakfast wrap and the vegan black bean wrap). Everything was so good and I highly recommend you start your day off right with a trip here.

Mochaberry Coffee

Mochaberry Coffee is a cafe and roastery in Orangeville, and it's a must visit place for coffee lovers. Stop by this cozy cafe for an espresso beverage, looseleaf tea drink, or one of their seasonal selections. Their baked goods and lunch options are made in-house and fresh daily. They are a long-standing local and independently owned business in town.

RJ's Taste of Asia

RJ's Taste of Asia is a modern Asian restaurant in a casual atmosphere, and it's my top pick for places to go for dinner in Orangeville. Justin and I adored our meal here. The menu is very vegan-friendly and there are many gluten-free options, too. Definitely try the veggie lovers platter, the curries, or the fried noodle dishes. Yum!

Things to Do in Orangeville: Special Events and Festivals

Depending on the time of year that you visit, one of the best things to do in Orangeville may well be one of their festivals or events. I'll break down how and when you can attend one of these annual events. You might end up planning your visit to Orangeville around one of them.

Christmas in the Park

Christmas in the Park takes place each December at Kay Cee Gardens. Organized by the Optimist Club of Orangeville, Christmas in the Park is a holiday celebration that happens all long month long. There are millions of Christmas lights strung all over the park, as well as illuminated characters and community displays. Best of all, this annual event is always free to attend every night.

Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival

The Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival is an annual event celebrating blues and jazz artists with concerts taking place at both indoor and outdoor venues. It's an affordable community event that's accessible to all, and it's a fantastic place for both local and emerging performers. The Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival takes place during the first weekend of June.

Celebrate Your Awesome

Celebrate Your Awesome is a celebration of pride and diversity in Dufferin County. It's Orangeville's Pride Day and it takes place on June 17th, 2023. This is a comfortable and safe space where everyone can be proud to be themselves. Join the party on Broadway this June.

Maple Syrup in the Park (Island Lake Conservation Area)

Orangeville is home to an annual maple syrup festival at Island Lake Conservation Area called Maple Syrup in the Park. There are demonstrations by Indigenous partners, take walks through the forest, tour maple syrup demonstrations and enjoy the sweet tastes from the sugar shack. Try pancakes, maple taffy, maple treats and more.

Taste of Orangeville

Taste of Orangeville is an annual culinary event in downtown Orangeville. There's a big white tent on Mill Street where you can celebrate the delicious food prepared by local chefs from the region. Taste the food of over a dozen restaurants, shop at the sidewalk sale on Broadway, enjoy live entertainment, street performers and more.

Boo on Broadway and Halloween Events

Boo on Broadway takes place on the final day of the outdoor Orangeville Farmers Market, usually on a Saturday in mid-October. It's described as "spooky fun for everyone" and happens all Saturday morning. Just in time for Halloween, wear a fun costume and pick up a treat bag.

Continuing with the Halloween theme, the Great Pumpkin Popup takes place right before Halloween. Decorated pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns will be on full display at local businesses in downtown Orangeville.

Christmas Tree Lighting and Santa Claus Parade

There's a really magical weekend to kick off Christmas festivities in Orangeville in November. On Friday evening, attend the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony with Christmas caroling, live entertainment, and an appearance by Santa. On Saturday, the annual Santa Claus Parade travels down Broadway with entertainment, strolling performers and music, and St. Nick himself.

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