This June, The Beaver Family (@lovebeav on Instagram, and @lovebeav on TikTok) gathered in Guelph after their viral video wherein Amy (the mother in the trio) was told by ChatGPT that Guelph, Ontario was most similar to Fayetteville Arkansas, gaining 700k + views on TikTok. Guelph Tourism reached out with a gift bag full of Guelph goodies, and the family later booked their trip to Guelph! After a bit of rescheduling, the family made it to Guelph making stops at the Guelph Humane Society, the University of Guelph, and The Art Gallery of Guelph, The Boathouse, and the Guelph Grotto, before Guelph Tourism was able to steal them away for a day to take them on a Taste Detour Food Tour of downtown Guelph, to meet our prominent community figures, and visit the alpacas at Brae Ridge Farm Sanctuary. Join us as we tour Guelph!
First Stop: Taste Detour of Downtown Guelph
Our tour started later in the AM giving the family time to rest after a very busy few days in Guelph! We picked them up at their accommodation, and shuttled them downtown where Lynn (host of Taste Detours) met us with some delightful sausage rolls from Eric the Baker. We savoured them whilst Lynn explained Guelph’s rich history: serving as traditional lands and a place of refuge for many peoples, including the Attiwonderonk, and the Haudenosaunee, as well as its formation as a market town, from the first tree cut by John Galt, to its forming of inn’s as travelers came to buy and sell goods, to its current state as a city of 155,578 – all with the picturesque Old City Hall as our backdrop (and picnic table).
We continued on to the Guelph Farmer’s Market, where the Beaver’s were recognized more than a dozen times, and welcomed by each. We tried dumplings, donuts, squeaky cheese, and strawberry focaccia, and Amy found a blue scarf she adored and donned for the rest of the day. Emily, Amy, and Jeff all agreed the market was reminiscent of their own in Fayetteville, save that Guelph’s Farmer’s Market runs an extra hour past 12 PM (which served us well on that particular day).
Heading just up the road, we made our second stop at Atmosphere Cafe + etc. In honour of her belated birthday (which she originally had planned to spend with us in Guelph), Lynn presented her with a crown (which Amy wore with pride). We also presented her with a letter from Guelph’s Mayor, formally welcoming the family to the City! We clinked our Italian sodas together, cheers-ing to gathering in Guelph and to new friends. We spoke at lengths about Fayetteville and Guelph’s similarities, and the family explained to us how much fun they’d had in their 3 days in Guelph. They admitted they wouldn’t get everything they wanted done within their 5 scheduled days in Guelph! We then had some delicious Cubano sandwiches served with fresh greens, and made our way to our next stop.
After a quick stroll through picturesque downtown Guelph (and getting noticed by Beaver Family fans a couple more times) we found our way to Mijiidaa Cafe and Bistro’s ivy-laden back patio. “We’ve felt a genuine kindness from everyone we’ve interacted with” said Emily. Amy echoes: “I do alot of masking in my daily life in the United States – and I haven’t had to do that here”. Amy jokes she was on ChatGPT the night prior to check how to gain citizenship in Canada. We were then served with a delicious assortment of Mijiidaa specialties – including fried pickles (a favourite of the Beavers), chorizo pizza, and more. Lynn explains to us how almost all the ingredients sourced by Mijiidaa are ones that can be grown in Canada, and to their best efforts – sourced locally. We laughed as we dined, and Amy laughed as she revealed that she was relieved that the intentions of Guelphites were so surprisingly pure.
The Beaver’s were about full by now – but there’s always room for dessert. We set off for Wellington Cakes for some delicious maple tarts, which left us with a delicious aftertaste to remember our morning tour by. Bellies full of great eats, sweets, and laughter, we set off for City Hall for a meet and greet with Guelph’s community figures.
Meet and Greet at City Hall
With the sound of summer fun filling the air as children splashed in Market Square’s wading pool, we introduced our beloved Beaver Family to Cam Guthrie, Guelph’s Mayor, MP Dominique O’Rourke, and MPP Mike Schreiner. The 3 donned the Beaver’s with some of their favourite Guelph-themed pins, which Amy placed on her shirt right away. Mike was wearing a shirt showing a number of Guelph’s beloved landmarks, many of which the Beavers were able to recognize, including the Albion Hotel, The Basilica of our Lady Immaculate, the Begging Bear (which they had dressed up in Emily’s own knitted top). The six exchanged kind words, gratitude for gathering in Guelph, and well wishes for the rest of their trip.
Brae Ridge Farm Sanctuary Tour
After a break from our busy morning, we set out for a sunset tour of Brae Ridge Farm Sanctuary, where CEO and Alpaca lover, Penny, met us and began showing us around. The alpacas on the farm were so gentle, and the females instantly bonded with Amy and family – most likely due to their calm demeanour. The Alpacas began giving Amy kisses on her head as she sat with them, and it paid off – they were all fed grains and hay to their delight. All with different personalities, the Beaver’s laughed as some of them (including Acacia, the largest of the females) vied for Amy’s attention (and food). Emily and Jeff received similar attention from their resident horses, who showed their affection with gentle forehead kisses as well. Penny explained that alpacas are year-round ovulators, and so must be kept seperate from the males or Penny would have plenty more alpacas than she had planned for. She also explained how socially intelligent they are – taking turns staying up at night in shifts to watch over their sleeping friends and family, and communicating by grumbling to and clucking to signal their needs to one another. Alongside the horses and alpacas, we also met the farm’s the resident ducks, and extra-cuddly resident pig.
The visit brought smiles and laughter to us all, and was a truly heartwarming and healing experience. Penny explained she also does Yoga with Alpacas – which we will surely have to return for.
After our wonderful visit and goodbye to our new friends, we set off for Bardō Guelph, for some very fitting, very Guelph farm-to-table dining.
Dinner at Bardō Guelph
Having recovered from our morning food tour, we settled down for a meal at a locally loved Guelph restaurant – Bardō Guelph (formerly known as the Bread Bar). We ordered an assortment of wonderful salads, stone baked pizzas, and reminisced on the Beaver’s journey to Guelph. W spoke about the importance of mental health and LGBTQ2S+ awareness, art and self-expression, and gathering together with family to share moments of all kinds together. The Beaver’s wished they had more time in Guelph to visit all the amazing landmarks, businesses, and people who were welcoming them, but were content with how much they packed in within 5 days. We did our best to convey to them how heartwarming their trip had been to Guelphites and Guelph lovers alike. We came full circle as the family gifted us a tote bag + goodies from Experience Fayetteville, and we passed on some Gather in Guelph tees, which to our delight, they’ve been wearing! We said our goodbyes, and let them know that the Beavers are always welcome to gather in Guelph.
For more Beaver Family in Guelph content, check out our Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/gatheringuelph/! Let us know what you thought about their trip to Guelph!
