Wellington County has made it safe for people to enjoy the outdoors while supporting local restaurants.
Residents and visitors can discover over 100 locations with plenty of food options through an online picnic map.
Christina Mann, the county’s taste real coordinator, said it offers people a chance to discover the countryside and to support local businesses.
“It’s harder to travel and go abroad for holidays so a lot of people are opting to stay closer to home and take day trips, which has been really great for our local area,” Mann said.
Mann said restaurants have suffered during the pandemic, going through multiple closures and heavy public health restrictions. She said they wanted to make it as safe as possible for people to engage and buy food from restaurants without having to necessarily stay inside.
Various restaurants will hand out over 1,000 picnic kits as well to help promote the new initiative, which launched on Aug. 5.
She said these picnic baskets are the restaurant’s way of saying thank you.
“There’s some information in there that people might find interesting,” she said.
“But I think there’s also some little gifts in there that they can continue to use throughout the summer and hopefully are useful for a picnic.”
Mann said you’re encouraged to also share photos of your food on social media with the #Wellingtoncountypicnics, for a chance to win one of seven picnic hampers valued at $250.
Through this initiative, she said the county is hoping to raise awareness and deepen that understanding about the outdoor spaces available in the area, whether you live there or are just visiting.
Mann said the county is hoping to continue to promote the initiative for years to come.
The picnic map, along with a food takeout map, can be found on the county’s website.
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