Welcome to the City of Orillia's 2021 #SeeYouOnThePatio program!
Launched in 2020, the 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 launched on Friday, June 11 when outdoor dining was permitted to reopen. The program highlights restaurants throughout the city which offer open air dining, through a promotional campaign, animation program and summer street closure on Fridays and Saturdays in the downtown core starting on July 2.
As conditions allow, the #SeeYouOnThePatio program features live performances, street closures, late night shopping, and more. See below for dates, patio locations and application information once it is safe to do so.
Have Your Say: 2021 See You on the Patio Feedback Surveys
Two surveys have been launched to gather feedback about the 2021 City-wide See You on the Patio program: one survey for visitors, and one survey for businesses. Even those who didn’t get a chance to come out to a patio or participate as a business are encouraged to take the survey so that we can understand how the program can be adapted in the future to attract even more patrons
Anyone who takes the survey is eligible to qualify for a draw to win one of two prizes of $100 Downtown Dollars. One winner will be drawn from the visitor survey responses and one from the business survey responses. The surveys will be active until Friday, Nov. 5, 2021 at noon.
| General Public Information |
The See You on the Patio program is designed to provide residents a safe, outdoor opportunity to dine and support local businesses. The program consists of five elements:
- Promotional campaign highlighting local dining and take-out options.
- A streamlined patio process, which will allow more restaurants to feature and use outdoor dining space.
- A downtown street closure, which will take place Friday and Saturday evenings from 5-11 p.m. from July 2 to September 3, 2021. For further details, read the news release about the downtown street closure.
- Late-night shopping during downtown street closures.
- A municipally funded animation program, which will feature artists and musicians performing on Orillia patios. NEW As a result of the new provincial Roadmap to Reopening, the program start date has been tentatively moved to July 9, 2021, provided COVID-19 health and safety regulations allow, and is scheduled to run until September 3, 2021.
| Orillia-Area Restaurants |
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The Orillia area has many great restaurants, cafes, bakeries, takeout dining, and beyond!
Discover local restaurants with the Eat and Drink list from Orillia & Lake Country Tourism.
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| Frequently Asked Questions |
| 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 Step under the Roadmap to Reopen? |
| The City will be carefully following the COVID-19 Roadmap to Reopen 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. |
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| Take the See You on the Patio Feedback Survey for a Chance to Win $100 Downtown Dollars! |
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Take the 2021 See You on the Patio Visitor Feedback Survey.
Take the 2021 See You on the Patio Business Feedback Survey.
Two surveys have been launched to gather feedback about the 2021 City-wide See You on the Patio program: one survey for visitors, and one survey for businesses. Even those who didn’t get a chance to come out to a patio or participate as a business are encouraged to take the survey so that we can understand how the program can be adapted in the future to attract even more patrons
Anyone who takes the survey is eligible to qualify for a draw to win one of two prizes of $100 Downtown Dollars. One winner will be drawn from the visitor survey responses and one from the business survey responses. The surveys will be active until Friday, Nov. 5, 2021 at noon. The draw will take place at the City of Orillia on Nov. 5, 2021 at 1 p.m.
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| #OrilliaFoodiesUnite |
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 Calling all Foodies!
The City of Orillia Economic Recovery Task Force is calling upon foodies in the Orillia area to unite to support local restaurants by taking part in an online contest by posting photos of the local meals they love!
To enter, the community is encouraged to post a photo of their favourite meal on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #OrilliaFoodiesUnite for a chance to win a Shop Local prize pack valued at more than $500.
The Orillia Foodies Unite online contest will run from June 7 through Sept. 27, 2021. Photos of food throughout Orillia and Lake Country (Orillia, Oro-Medonte, Severn, Rama and Ramara) are eligible and entrants may post multiple entries by using the hashtag #OrilliaFoodiesUnite.
Post settings for the images entered must be set to “public” in order to be eligible.
The winner will be randomly selected in a draw on Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021 at the City of Orillia City Centre.
Read the Orillia Foodies Unite News Release.
| Shop Local Prize Pack |
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When you enter the #OrilliaFoodiesUnite contest, you'll be entered for a chance to win a Shop Local prize pack valued at more than $500!
The prize pack includes:
- City of Orillia swag
- A wheeled duffle bag, courtesy of the Orillia Area CDC
- $100 Downtown Dollars and a Downtown Orillia T-Shirt, courtesy of the Downtown Orillia Management Board
- A Rapala T-Shirt, Rapal Fish & Game Shears and two Zebco Rod and Reel combos, courtesy of the Orillia District Chamber of Commerce Perch Festival
- A prize pack from the Orillia Museum of Art and History (OMAH), including six OMAH exhibition catalogues, an OMAH magnet, OMAH's custom blended tea (Sir Sam Strong), Orillia Younkers T-Shirt, and two free passes to OMAH
Businesses who participate in the #OrilliaFoodiesUnite contest will also be entered to win a Shop Local Prize Pack, including:
- City of Orillia swag
- Gift certificate from CC Fashions
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Contest Rules and Regulations
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View the Orillia Foodies Unite Contest Rules and Regulations here.
The Orillia Foodies Unite contest winner will be required to fill out the Declaration and Release form before the prize is awarded.
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| Patio Permit Application |
| Visit the See You on the Patio Information for Businesses webpage for more information for businesses. |
| COVID-19 Safety Plan |
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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.
Updated June 28, 2021
View the City of Orillia's See You on the Patio Program COVID-19 Safety Plan:
See You on the Patio COVID-19 Safety Plan as of June 28, 2021
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