Spotlight on Vaughan BACK

Set the compass north of Toronto, straight up Highway 400, to Vaughan, home to bustling big-box shopping hubs, growing suburbs and industry and countless lavishly elegant banquet facilities.

Encompassing the communities of Woodbridge, Kleinburg, Concord, Maple and Thornhill, the area offers a diverse range of special event venues. Check out these Vaughan gems:

A Gourmet Sensibility
A plaza location off Highway 7 houses the magnificent Match Restaurant, Event Venue & Catering. Operated by chef Domenic Chiaromonte (a master of artistic food presentations), the venue is ideal for hosting groups of up to 350. Separate entrances to the restaurant, which seats 110 in elegant black-and-white splendour, and event venue (250 sit-down) allow simultaneous private multi-functions. A private dining nook for 35 overlooks the restaurant from a second-storey perch.

Host a pre-reception cocktail in the Crystal Room before moving into the adjacent main function space which boasts full a-v and small stage. Tap Chef Chiaromonte’s culinary talents (and tips for his food-plating-eye-candy techniques) with interactive cooking classes and challenges. In-house event coordination is available for everything from entertainment to décor.

177 Whitmore Rd., Woodbridge, www.matchyyz.com

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One-stop Event Hosting
Entertainment Central is the perfect name for Dynamic Hospitality’s 12,000 sq. ft. four-in-one entertainment complex at Highways 400 and 7. The facility, located in the AMC Plaza, houses Wendel Clark’s Classic Grill and Sports Lounge, Dueling Pianos Musical Cabaret, Yuk Yuk’s North and Berlin Nightclub.

Make the most of the under-one-roof-location convenience of such diverse entertainment options by staging a moveable event. Grease the social wheels with upscale casual fare and drinks amid superstar sports memorabilia and the handsome pub setting of Wendel Clark’s (Capacity: 130 plus 100 on covered patio) before moving on to a team-building sing-along challenge at Dueling Pianos (Capacity: 110). Catch a performance (or organize a customized private show) at Yuk Yuk’s then chill out with dance floor moves at Berlin.

70 Interchange Way, Vaughan, www.entertainmentcentralinc.com

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Into The Woods
When the occasion calls for convening with nature, make for the wide-open greenbelt oasis of the Kortright Centre for Conservation. The 324 hectares of woodlands along the Humber River Valley is the ideal playground for team-building activities, corporate picnics and novel out-of-the-office meeting settings where break-out rooms can be a picnic table in the shade of a wildflower garden. Piggyback events on the centre’s programming such as guided nature hikes, sugaring off during maple syrup season and renewable energy workshops.

The site’s main Visitor Centre offers six break-out rooms for groups up to 40 people, a main floor function area for up to 150 people and lower-level space with a majestic valley view for up to 225 people. Intimate meetings will enjoy the tranquility of the property’s Renewable Energy Cottage (Capacity: 18 people). A 133-seat theatre is available for full-scale a-v presentations.

9550 Pine Valley Dr., Maple, www.kortright.org

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Curtains Up
Need a stage for a grand presentation, private performance, seminar, product launch or simply a unique event setting for your corporate stars? City Playhouse fits the bill. A thriving centre for community stage productions, the theatre also makes for a versatile private event venue.

A 386-seat proscenium stage auditorium offers excellent acoustics, removable orchestra pit and full multi-media a-v including an 18 ft. film screen. Set your guests amid the footlights with a gala dinner onstage. The spacious lobby is ideal for informal dining, exhibitions and cocktail receptions. Call on a list of recommended caterers or bring in your own. A little sweet-talking may even put the prop room at your disposal!

1000 New Westminster Dr., Vaughan, www.cityplayhouse.ca

 

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Historical Connections
Rich in history, Vaughan is dotted with museums and heritage homes (Kleinburg, home to the 1867-circa Doctor’s House, is a heritage village unto itself!) and long-lived festival traditions.  A call to Vaughan’s tourism department (905-832-8500) will guide you to distinctive events and rental venues that represent the area’s origins. However, if your event has an artistic, cultural or heritage bent, it’s a shoo-in for the city’s Art Exhibition + Studio Space Rental Program which gives groups who fit the bill, affordable access to municipally owned heritage buildings.

Among the sites is the MacDonald House, located in Thornhill, ON, once home to J.E.H. MacDonald, a founding member of the Group of Seven and his  son, renowned illustrator Thoreau MacDonald. The lovely clapboard home offers six small rooms, ideal for art exhibits or intimate group programming. Also available is Armstrong House and the Vellore Cultural Interpretive Centre.

www.city.vaughan.on.ca/culture_recreation/art_exhibition_space.cfm

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Fairway Play
Whether it’s tee time for the corporate tourney or tea time between meetings, Copper Creek Golf Club has the setting to impress. Full tournament services, including golf clinics, skill-contest packages and digital scoring, ensure a seamless day of links play set amid 40 acres of Humber River Valley conservation land.

The 40,000-sq-ft. cooper-roofed clubhouse offers an elegant setting for post-play celebrations and year-round meetings and events. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook panoramic views. A wrap-around terrace is a picture-perfect spot for pre-event cocktail mingling. The Grande Ballroom, accommodating up to 600, is divisible for smaller groups. The Valley View room seats 30 to 150. Warm-weather gatherings can host under the gazebo with seating for up to 400.

11191 Highway #27, Kleinburg, www.coppercreek.ca