If you are busting for butter tarts, make your way to downtown Barrie.
The city is hosting the first Barrie Butter Tart Festival, in conjunction with the Downtown Barrie BIA and Gotta Luv Butter Tarts.
It's taking place on Saturday, July 13, 2024 on Dunlop Street East and Meridian Place, featuring more than 70 local and small business owners showcasing everything from butter tarts, baked goods, and sweet treats, along with marketplace vendors.
Helen Prisa, owner of Gotta Luv Butter Tarts, says they dabbled in Barrie last year at a local mall and it was crazy busy.
"Some of the BIA came out and said Barrie is the home of the original butter tart recipe and it would be perfect for downtown Barrie, and they asked me a few times and I finally said yes."
The event is supporting the RVH Keep Life Wild Campaign, as part of a future expansion of the Barrie hospital.
The earliest published Canadian recipe for the butter tart dates back to 1903 in Barrie and can be found in The Women's Auxiliary of the Royal Victoria Hospital Cookbook. According to Wikipedia, the recipe was submitted by Mary Ethel MacLeod for a butter tart filling, and the original cookbook and recipe is housed at the Simcoe County Archives.
Saturday's event is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will feature several guests taking part in a butter tart judging including 107.5 KOOL FM's drive show host Amy Aust, as well as Barrie Police Chief Rich Johnston, Mayor Alex Nuttall and others.
Butter Tart Festival Line-up:
- 10:00am – 4:00pm Open Air Dunlop Butter Tart Festival and More – over 75 butter tart makers, bakers, and a variety of craft and retail vendors along Dunlop Street and Meridian Place. Additionally, family friendly art activities, street performers and DJ Music at Meridian Place.
- 11:00am – 1:00pm Butter Tart ‘Best Of’ Judging
- 1:00pm – 1:30pm Butter Tart ‘Best Of’ Winners Announcements
- 7:00pm – 9:00pm Live Music Headliner: Terra Lightfoot in Meridian Place
