Welcome to Perth & District

Not just another pretty place!

‘It must be something in the water’ is a phrase often used to explain extraordinary results. So it’s no surprise our beauty runs far deeper than The Prettiest Town in Ontario award might suggest - the Perth area is literally surrounded by hundreds of waterways including the World Heritage Rideau Canal!

Centrally located in Eastern Ontario’s Lanark County, between Kingston and the capital city of Ottawa, the Perth area is steeped in military and manufacturing history dating back to the early 1800’s. Visit our museums to learn more about our past, and perhaps your genealogy too!

Our heritage architecture is renowned. Perth is home to Algonquin College’s Heritage Institute, and the recipient of the Prince of Wales Prize, a national heritage award for architecture preservation. There are 146 designated heritage buildings throughout Lanark County, many of which you can tour during the bi/annual Doors Open event.

We relish our strong agricultural roots. Long known for The Mammoth Cheese and maple syrup, you can now savour the flavour of fresh, locally grown food at one of several farmer’s markets and farm gate operations throughout the area. For more info check out ecoPerth and Lanark Local Flavour. For a different kind of food fest, attend Perth’s Garlic Festival, a celebration of the stinking rose in August where it’s ‘chic to reek’, or one of many fall agricultural fairs throughout the area.
Hungry for more dirt? You’ll enjoy learning how to live lightly on the earth at the Village of Lanark’s Art of Being Green Festival in July.
Hungry? We have plenty of dining establishments to choose from, to suit every taste, occasion and budget!

And your choice of accommodation is as varied, ranging from rustic campgrounds and cottages, quaint B & B’s and country retreats, to an elegant boutique hotel and luxury inn.

Recreational activities abound! Whether you choose to walk, hike, cycle, tour, golf, boat, canoe, kayak, sail, ski, hunt, fish, snowmobile, or shop - or simply relax, reflect & read - there are four good seasons to visit our beautiful neck of the woods! Play a round at Perth’s Links o’ Tay, Canada’s oldest continuous operating golf course. View the largest colony of Showy Lady Slipper orchids in Canada at the Purdon Conservation Area in June. Hike the Tay River Trail, a historic pathway and portage site dating back to 1816, or step back in time and experience a Victorian-era Christmas celebration during Perth’s Festival of Good Cheer in November.

Fine art and the performing arts have been at the heart of our culture since the days of the theatrical Marks Brothers family. High-calibre live theatre and music, arts and crafts continue to play a noteworthy role in our communities. Every July you can enjoy 3 FREE days of music at Perth’s Stewart Park Festival; and every spring and fall, you can tour the studios of some of Canada’s most creative talents. Did you know that the Perth Citizens’ Band is the oldest continuously performing town band in Canada?

Planning a wedding, family reunion or convention? Perth and District has everything you will need to make your event memorable.  Everything from beautiful venues, florists, photographers, tux rentals to the perfect location for capturing your day in a photo is at your finger tips.  Many families travel from the surrounding region to celebrate their event in Perth.

Come grow with us! When you combine high-speed telecommunications, transportation links, proximity to major Canadian and American markets along with our progressive municipal practices, competitive tax base and inventory of space, you have a great place to do business. Add top-notch health-care, educational and recreational facilities to a full range of goods and services and you have a quality of life second to none. Perth and District is a choice place to put down roots - and build a future!

And, did we mention that the Perth area is home to FOUR Canadian Olympic atheletes?
There must be something in the water!