Marionville has a strong core of volunteers and a lot of community spirit, so anytime there is an event scheduled, it always goes very well. Tinkess Photo

MARIONVILLE – It’s springtime in Ontario, and the sap is running, so why not have a party?

That is exactly what happened Sunday at the Marionville Sugar Shack (also known as the Marionville Community Centre) where the third annual Sugar Shack/Cabane a Sucre Brunch was taking place.

There was so much going on; LynneART was on hand doing face painting for the kids, while Group Duo Renaissance was providing the musical entertainment.

And then there was the food, so much of it, and so well prepared. There were beans (of course) and bacon, sausage, pancakes, potatoes, buns, eggs, coffee, tea, juices, and of course plenty of maple syrup. And if you still had room after all that, there were deserts as well. If you went home hungry, it was completely your own fault!

The event was very well attended, and according to organizer Francois Marion, President of the Marionville Citizen’s Committee, they expected to end up around 240 happy and well-fed attendees.

“We had 246 seats today,” said Marion. “And from the looks of it, there’s not too many empty, so we’re probably around 240 or so.”

The profits from the day’s events will be used for various community projects and events in the coming year, but making a huge profit was not the main idea behind the event. It is a matter of bringing the community together to celebrate each other.

The opportunity to meet for Brunch has proven to be very popular. Previously they held a dinner in the evening, but many people suggested that they try the brunch menu. It worked well the first year (2023) and it has grown in popularity since then.

“It’s a great day,” added Marion, “and great thanks to the many volunteers, the Marionville Citizen’s Committee and the Knights of Columbus who helped to prepare all the food.

“it’s not just today that requires a lot of work and planning, it’s days and weeks in advance.”

Marion gave special thanks to his wife Yvette for her help in organizing things. “Yvette was critical in the planning in the weeks in advance, and the setup of the hall today and the decorations,” said Marion. “Without her it would not have been such a big success as it is today.

“It’s great to see all the people here, all the familiar faces that come back year after year. This is what I define as a success, the smiles on the faces and everyone goes home with a full stomach!”

Marion mentioned one gentleman who had a special reason to celebrate. His name is Robert Levesque, and he was celebrating his 90th birthday with his family. A cake had been arranged, just to top things off.

According to Marion, the sugar bush and Sugar Shack Marionville goes back to the 1940s, and at that time they had three significant operations. Now in a small community, there are at least a half-dozen.

The music, the celebration, the comraderies, it is all an effort to make sure that traditions don’t get lost in the shuffle of modern-day life. In a year when so many people are rediscovering what it means to be truly Canadian, you wouldn’t have to look any farther than the Marionville Community Centre to find a community that understands how much stronger we are when we’re together, and if we can share a meal, do a bit of stepdance and sing a song, so much the better!