Bala Information: Tickets, Venues, Events and More

‘Bala’ community is located in Muskoka Lakes Township. It is the same township where Lake Muskoka drains into the Moon River. This township is considered a hub of cottage country in the north of Toronto, Ontario. Interestingly the year-round population of this area counts many a hundred, and is often swamped by thousands of seasonal residents and day-trippers. Bala is also famous as Cranberry Capital of Ontario.

Thomas Burgess settled Bala community that was named after the town of Bala in Wales with which it is officially twinned in 1868. As the city of Bala was located on the Canadian Shield, it proved unsuitable for farming purposes. Unfortunately this area began to decline when logging turned into a less economic viable.

Bala began to develop with its first elected mayor in 1914. A small hydroelectric dam was set up on the river three years later. The town saw tremendous progress with its large surroundings. It also had vigil by the Ontario Provincial Police. This city was ultimately amalgamated with other townships and municipalities in 1971 to form the Township of Muskoka Lakes. This town has been graced by several eminent personalities. Lucy Maud Montgomery, author of the Anne of Green Gables books, came to Bala in 1922.

This city still maintains a link with its agrarian past though hosting the Bala Cranberry Festival every year on the weekend after Canadian Thanksgiving. It enjoys cultural programmes including live musical entertainment shows since 1942. Rock musicians David Wilcox, Kim Mitchell, the Ramones, April Wine, Burton Cummings and Jeff Healey have played at The Kee to Bala since 1960. Bala and Port Carling feature in a hilarious skit by The Frantics on Boot to the Head in 1980. This skit projects a man on his way to Bala, who bores his companion by partial distraction and endless enumerations about this community.