Goodbye 2025: 7 Beautiful PEC Moments This Year

Name: Countylicious Fall Edition 2025
Start: 2025-10-23
End: 2025-11-16
Location: Prince Edward County

PECConnect
Dec 30, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Apr 9

Four silhouetted people stand arm in arm, raising fists against a sunset sky. The mood is triumphant and the background is a landscape.

If you spent any time in Prince Edward County this year, you probably felt it, 2025 had a different kind of energy. The festivals got a little fuller, restaurants found their rhythm, new wineries stepped confidently into the spotlight, and the County quietly landed on global travel lists. It wasn’t a loud or showy year. Instead, it was full of small, beautiful moments

that reminded locals and visitors why this community is special.

As we wrap up the year, here are 7 moments that made 2025 shine in PEC.

1. PECelebrates Brought the County Together

Stylized sun with colorful rays above red text "PEC Celebrates" on white background, conveying a joyful and festive mood.

This year’s PECelebrates series made the start of summer feel like a true community moment. Spread across 10 days, the festival mixed local arts, cultural programming, and Canada Day events in ways that felt relaxed and welcoming.

Families, newcomers, long-time residents, everyone found something to show up for. It wasn’t the biggest festival the County has ever hosted, but it was one of the warmest!

2. Spring & Fall Countylicious Gave Us Something to Look Forward To

Illustrated map of Countylicious Spring 2025 with green landscapes, towns, roads, colorful sailboats, trees, and labeled areas: Picton, Milford.

Countylicious continued its two-season format this year: a spring run in late March and early April, followed by a fall edition from October 23 to November 16. Both sessions saw restaurants roll out thoughtful prix-fixe menus built around local ingredients, vegetables from nearby farms, County cheeses, seasonal proteins, local wine, craft beer, and cider.

The result? Two great excuses to book a table, try something new, and reconnect with PEC’s food scene.

3. September’s Arts Weekend Was Pure Magic

Mid-September gave us one of the most memorable creative weekends of the year. The Prince Edward County Studio Tour (Sept 19–21) opened more than 60 artist studios across the County, while the PEC Chamber Music Festival (Sept 12–21) filled small venues with intimate performances.

The overlap created a perfect “art + music” moment, driving quiet backroads, stepping into working studios, then ending the day with a chamber concert. It was peak PEC.

4. The PEC Jazz Festival Hit Its Stride

The PEC Jazz Festival delivered another strong year with six days of performances across the County.

Two silhouetted musicians play saxophone and trumpet against a warm, glowing orange background, creating a jazzy, energetic mood.

Dozens of concerts popped up in theatres, wineries, and community spaces, bringing national and international musicians to local stages. The festival continues to feel refreshingly community-driven, big enough to attract serious talent, small enough that you can still grab a casual drink and talk.

5. Volta Estate Winery’s Early Wines Created Buzz

While Volta’s full estate facility is still in development (with major plans unfolding through the decade), 2025 was the year people really started talking about the wines themselves.

Wine glass with white wine and Volta Estate Winery bottle on a table outdoors. Sunlight reflects in the glass, creating a warm ambiance.

With roughly 30 acres of vines and one of the most diverse grape selections in PEC, Volta began releasing bottles that had wine lovers paying attention. The excitement wasn’t about a grand opening, it was about what the future tastes like.

6. Lear to Sail Programs Made the Water More Accessible

2025 felt like a breakthrough year for sailing in PEC.

Sailboats with colorful sails navigate a vibrant blue sea under a partly cloudy sky, conveying a lively and adventurous mood.

Happy Sailing, in partnership with the Prince Edward Yacht Club, made it easier than ever for locals and visitors to learn on Lake Ontario. From beginner classes to multi-day programs, more people found themselves out on the water enjoying the County from a whole new perspective. It was a reminder of how much the lake shapes life here.

7. PEC Earned a Spot on Condé Nast Traveler’s “Best Places to Go in 2026”

In November, Condé Nast Traveler named Prince Edward County one of the world’s must visit destinations for 2026.

Aerial view of a quaint town amidst vibrant autumn foliage. A church with a tall steeple stands out, surrounded by fields and trees.

The feature highlighted exactly what locals already love: cool climate wineries, thoughtful restaurants like Theia and Bocado, boutique hotels like The Royal, and the County’s lowkey creative atmosphere. For a small region, it was a big moment and it capped off the year beautifully.

If 2025 taught us anything, it’s that PEC doesn’t need grand openings or headline-grabbing events to shine. The beauty is in the mix of local creativity, good food, generous community spirit, and everyday moments that quietly add up.

As we head into 2026, the County feels more confident, more connected, and more ready than ever for what’s next. Whenever you come back, we hope you find your own beautiful PEC moments too!