Horse, Hound and Harvest Parade through the Village of Creemore

It has become an annual tradition to line Mill Street in Creemore to await the Toronto and North York Hunt as it rides to hounds the Saturday of every Thanksgiving long weekend, against a backdrop of fall colours.

The hunt, located just south of Creemore, considers the parade as a nod to its neighbours, a show of thanks for the community’s support.

You will delight in watching riders of all ages attired in formal hunting dress, (some even riding side-saddle), riding a diverse variety of horses and leading the parade, are the Toronto and North York Hunt hounds ably managed by the huntsman, Rosslyn Balding.

Riding to hounds is an English fox hunting tradition. The Toronto and North York Hunt, founded in 1843, is the second oldest hunt in Canada.

In England, riders would meet in a small village with their horses and hounds and go off to hunt. It became so popular that people formed hunts where the hounds would be kept together in a kennel and cared for by the huntsman. It remains a popular activity today.

The Toronto and North York Hunt rides regularly during the season, heading out on parcels of land where they have permission to ride. The riders do not carry weapons. The hounds sniff out and chase their quarry, usually coyotes in these parts.

The parade has become an annual community event and a tourist attraction.

To see the hunt on parade through the village, in the English tradition of riders meeting in a village with their horses and hounds before going off to hunt, be on Mill Street on Saturday, October 6, 2018, by 11 a.m. A blessing of the hounds will be held afterwards in the Gordon Feed and Seed property across from Foodland. Hope to meet you there!