The late Anita Stewart’s legacy will continue with Food Day Canada, with the recently nationally recognized event taking place this weekend in Wellington County.

Stewart, founder of the event that was originally known as the World’s Longest Barbecue, passed away in 2020 at the age of 73.

Food Day Canada, per their website, is "a grassroots movement that comes to life with thousands of individuals and partners from coast to coast to coast each year. It’s free and inclusive, and meant for all who believe in the vision to engage and inspire everyone to shop, cook & dine Canadian."

Stewart began the idea by creating a national event in support of agriculture within the country. The broad span of this "grassroots" movement blossomed, eventually, into Food Day Canada.

Senator Rob Black, a  former Wellington County Councillor, was the one to make things official for Stewart, who was given the Order of Canada in 2011 for her work trailblazing the Canadian culinary scene.

Black passed the event into the senate back in May.

The day (Aug. 5) in Elora will have a fresh twist this year as recipes of Stewart's will be utilized by local businesses and restaurants.

Christina Mann, manager of Economic Development in the county, says it was nice to see Stewart's family witness the pivotal moment in May when parliament recognized the significance of Food Day Canada.

Mann reminds people Stewart's reach extended far beyond her stomping grounds of Elora.

"Anita, locally, was an incredible supporter of local food, always has been. She was a resident of Elora, but I think through Food Day Canada, Anita managed to inspire a whole nation to be proud of our food culture, and the incredible food we can grow and harvest here in Canada," Mann said.

Anita Stewart was long an influence in Wellington County, and her legacy will carry on through her recipes at this year's Food Day Canada. Photo by Food Day Canada website.

Mann added we have lots to be happy and grateful for when reflecting on Stewart's impact.

"We can be very proud of her accomplishments and how it has this unique Wellington County connection," Mann stated.

"While Anita wasn't around to see this occasion, her family was and they were very excited and proud. It's a lovely testament to our deep culture and our deep roots in agriculture here in the County," she added.

There are several local events scheduled for the now-nationally recognized event on Aug. 5, including a walking food and drink tour of Elora.

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