Perth is a very popular day trip from Ottawa—after all, it’s only an hour’s drive away, and it’s full of fun things to see and do. But did you know these 10 fun facts about Perth, Ontario?
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They like to run in kilts
In 2016, the Perth Kilt Run set a Guinness World Record for the largest kilt race (traditional kilt), when 3,670 kilted runners pelted through the streets to celebrate the town’s 200th anniversary. The 2022 race is currently on hold due to ongoing pandemic uncertainty, but check the organizers’ Facebook page for the latest news.
Perth is home to an annual garlic festival
Do you love the aromatic little bulbs nicknamed the “stinking rose”? Then head to Perth in August for the Perth Lions Garlic Festival, which celebrates all things garlic at the Perth Fairgrounds for one tasty, pungent weekend. Garlic bread, garlic spread, even garlic ice cream—if you can make it with garlic, you can probably find it here. In 2022, the festival is scheduled for August 13 and 14; check the festival’s Facebook page for updates.
Stewart Park is the result of a generous gift
Stewart Park is a gem right in the middle of Perth, with picnic tables, flowering trees and a cute little arched bridge over the Tay River. It’s also the site of many public events, including the aptly named Stewart Park Festival each July. But did you know that it came about as the gift of a wealthy widow named Jessie Mabel Stewart? She gave the scenic parcel of property to the town in 1947 in memory of her husband, John Stewart, whose distillery once stood here.
Perth’s first European settlers walked there (mostly) from Brockville
In April 1816, a 21-year-old veteran of the War of 1812 named John Kilborn led a group of about 40 immigrant families on a walk from Brockville to Perth, where they became Perth’s first European settlers. Although the 63-kilometre road trip takes about an hour today by car, the 1816 trek was a multi-day affair, partly because there were no roads along parts of the route. The settlers hacked out one five-kilometre road themselves, and boarded a scow for a 22-kilometre trip across half-frozen Big Rideau Lake at one point. The entire journey has been well researched by Ken W. Watson and the Perth & District Historical Society; here’s the detailed story, packed with pictures and maps.
You can see an abandoned mine in a provincial park
Murphys Point Provincial Park is popular for many reasons: It has two beaches on Big Rideau Lake, a campground, and trails for hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. One of its more unusual attractions is the Silver Queen mica mine, which operated in the early 1900s. (In case you were wondering, mica is used to make cement, electrical insulation and other things.) Today, you can take a 2.3-kilometre loop hike past the abandoned machinery and the miners’ bunkhouse. It’s weirdly eerie to see all this old equipment just rusting in the woods.
Ontario’s last fatal duel was fought in Perth
Some accounts say it was Canada’s last fatal duel, but fights in other parts of the country lay claim to that dubious honour. However, the Ontario Heritage Trust does believe that the Perth shootout between law students John Wilson and Robert Lyon on June 13, 1833, was the last fatal duel in Ontario (then called Upper Canada). The two former friends duelled over a woman; isn’t it always the way?
In this case, Lyon was fatally wounded. Wilson, meanwhile, married the object of their mutual affection, schoolteacher Elizabeth Hughes, and went on to a career as a judge and a member of Parliament. Amazing how the definition of “career-destroying incident” has changed, eh?
Interestingly, debate remains about the actual location of the fatal fight. The indefatigable Ken W. Watson has published an extensive account of the possible sites, and he argues that it didn’t actually take place in what is now called Last Duel Park. (Even so, the 27-acre park is a nice place for a picnic or a walk beside the Tay River along the Wendy Laut Ribbon of Life Trail.)
The pistols used in the duel are now displayed at the Perth Museum, but they did have a bit of an adventure in September 1974, when they were stolen during a burglary. Oddly, police found them buried in a local backyard a week later.
One other tidbit about the whole 1833 incident: Perth Brewery has created a beer called Last Duel Lager.
You can buy handmade chocolates
Attention, sweets lovers: The McKeen family uses Callebaut chocolate from Belgium to make chocolates with fillings like lemon-lime cream, pistachios or salted caramel. You can pick up a selection at Perth Chocolate Works, along with coffee, cookies, croissants, cheesecakes and other treats.
There’s a restaurant run by a winning TV chef
In 2016, chef Nick Valliquette took top prize on the TV cooking show Chopped Canada. Today, you can taste his creations at Perth’s Stone Cellar restaurant. Here’s an interview with Nick Valliquette on the Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization website.
Perth, Ontario, is far from the only Perth
The Perth in Lanark County was named for Perthshire, Scotland, a nod to the roots of acting governor-general Sir Gordon Drummond. However, it’s far from the world’s only Perth. In fact, it’s not even the only Perth in Ontario, as there’s also a Perth County in Southwestern Ontario. The largest “other” Perth is the Australian city of Perth, the capital of Western Australia, which has a population of over 2.1 million. There’s also a town of Perth, New York, on the southern edge of the Adirondacks, a Perth River in New Zealand, and lots of other Perths. The Scottish city of Perth lies on the River Tay, which is how “our” Perth’s Tay River got its name.
Three words: Butter tart liquor
Forget your Baileys and forgo your Grand Marnier: If you’re looking for a quintessentially Canadian liqueur, Perth’s Top Shelf Distillers makes butter tart liquor. Yes, you read that right. And what more do I need to say, really? ???? Well, I could add that the company also makes a range of other beverages, including gin, vodka and whisky.
Accommodations in Perth, Ontario
A short drive south of Perth, Pine Brae Wilderness Escape offers two secluded off-grid cottages (open spring through fall).
About 15 minutes southeast of Perth, you can stay in an oTENTik (a semi-permanent tent with a floor) at the Upper Beveridges Lockstation on the Tay Canal, not far from its intersection with the Rideau Canal (weather and COVID regulations permitting, of course).
You can use the map below to find other places to stay in and around Perth, including inns and B&Bs.
Read more
Planning a day trip to Perth, Ontario? Check out these two posts for inspiration: Perth, a great day-trip destination and Road tripping to Perth for Pi Day.
You might also enjoy these posts about two other Lanark County communities: 10 things you didn’t know about Carleton Place and 10 things you didn’t know about Almonte. And here’s another spot quite close to Perth: 10 things you didn’t know about Smiths Falls.
And if you love learning about Eastern Ontario, West Quebec and other destinations within an easy drive of Ottawa, subscribe to my free weekly e-newsletter for more stories and tips, or pick up a copy of my local guidebook.
As the owner of Ottawa Road Trips, I acknowledge that I live on, work in and travel through the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.