City of Orillia See You On The Patio Program

As of April 3, 2021, the Province of Ontario has prohibited indoor and outdoor dining. Restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments will be permitted to operate by take-out, drive-through, and delivery only.

Welcome to the City of Orillia's 2021 #SeeYouOnThePatio program!

Launched in 2020, the See You on the Patio program is a City-wide initiative that provides Orillia businesses and residents a safe way to dine outside while adhering to COVID-19 guidelines.

The See You on the Patio program also features live performances, street closures, late night shopping, and more. See below for dates, patio locations, entertainment information, and more.

Are you a business wanting to participate? Click here to visit our Business Information page.

What is the See You on the Patio Program?

The See You on the Patio program is designed to provide residents a safe, outdoor opportunity to gather, dine and support local businesses. The program consists of five elements:

  1. Promotional campaign highlighting local dining and take-out options.
  2. A streamlined patio process, which will allow more restaurants to feature and use outdoor dining space.
  3. A downtown street closure, which will take place Friday evenings from 5-11 p.m. from July 2 to September 3, 2021.
  4. Late-night shopping during downtown street closures.
  5. A municipally funded animation program, which will feature artists and musicians performing on Orillia patios between July 2 and September 3, 2021.
Participating Restaurants with Patios
Check back here for more information.

2021 Patio Performance Schedule

The 2021 Patio Performance Schedule will be announced by May 31, 2021.

Take the Visitor Survey for a Chance to Win a Shop Local Prize Pack

A Visitor Survey will be available on this webpage as of May 31, 2021. Be sure to check back for your chance to win a Shop Local Prize Pack!
See You on the Patio COVID-19 Safety Plan

All participating businesses and performers are required to following the Provincial and Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit COVID-19 Guidelines. This includes measures related to table and seating spacing, social distancing, wearing of masks and personal protective equipment, screening of customers, and more. 

If you're visiting a local business or the downtown street closure, please be advised that you will need to adhere to COVID-19 safety guidelines. This includes wearing a mask in public and indoor areas (except when seated at a restaurant table), social distancing from others, participating in restaurant and business screening, and ensuring that you're staying home if you're experiencing any COVID-19 related symptoms. To assist with sanitization practices, sanitization stations, which include hand sanitizer, will be placed along Mississaga Street during Friday night street closures. 

Your adherence to these safety guidelines ensures the safety of you, our community and our businesses and ensures that programs like the See You on the Patio program can be delivered safely for the enjoyment of all.

For self assessment and safety guidelines and more visit the Provincial COVID-19 webpage.  

 

A See You on the Patio COVID-19 Safety Plan will be available on this webpage as of May 31, 2021.
Frequently Asked Questions for Visitors (FAQs)

 

Are reservations required to enjoy local patios?
Visitors are encouraged to make reservations in advance. While not all restaurants will accept reservations, most restaurants will accommodate reservations, and some restaurants in the downtown core have coordinated seating times in order to accommodate the large volume of visitors during the street closures. Reservations also reduce crowding at restaurant entrances and ensure that you are not disappointed when you arrive. 
When are restaurant patios open for the season?
This depends on the type of patio. Permanent patios (patios that are in place year round) may open any time. Seasonal patios (temporary patios that are placed during nice weather) may open as early as April 1 and may remain in place until November 15. Businesses are required to get municipal approval, and other factors such as weather, staffing requirements and Provincial COVID-19 guidelines must also be considered. It is best to contact the restaurant of your choice in advance to ensure their patio is open. 
What if I don't feel comfortable dining out?
Most Orillia-area restaurants offer take-out options. You are encouraged to support local restaurants by ordering take-out and/or delivery. There are several food delivery services that operate within the Orillia area. Please keep in mind that delivery services do charge local restaurants a fee so picking up your food is a great option to enjoy take-out while minimizing costs to local restaurateurs. 
What if we move into a different colour zone under the COVID-19 Response Framework?
The City will be carefully following the COVID-19 Response Framework and has a COVID-19 Safety Plan in place for the See You On The Patio Program. Be sure to follow the City of Orillia on Facebook and Twitter to ensure that you receive any time-sensitive updates related to the See You On The Patio Program.
Information for Businesses and Performers

Visit the See You on the Patio Information for Businesses webpage for more information for businesses and performers.

Contact(s)