Bala is a small village in the Township of Muskoka Lakes, where Lake Muskoka drains through dams into the Moon River. It is best known for three things: cranberries, a historic dance hall turned concert venue, and the falls in the middle of the village. This guide covers what is open now, in November, what is seasonal, and when things come back.
Bala Falls (and staying safe there)
The falls run right through the village, beside Muskoka Road 169, and you can see them from the road and from Margaret Burgess Park near the north dam. This is managed water. The Bala Generating Station, a 4.7 MW run-of-river hydro plant, sits at the site of an older power station that operated from 1924 to 1972. Water levels on Lake Muskoka and the Moon River are set by the Ministry of Natural Resources under the Muskoka River Water Management Plan.
That matters for safety. The station's operator describes how flows through the north dam are adjusted with stoplogs and sluice gates, and in spring 2026 the Ministry issued a flood warning that covered Lake Muskoka and the Moon River, including the Bala Reach. Treat the falls as a place to look, not to swim or wade:
- Stay behind railings and out of fenced or signed areas.
- Keep well back from the water's edge. Current near a dam can be strong and can change quickly.
- In late fall and winter, wet rock and spray turn icy. Wear boots with good grip.
- Keep children and dogs close.
For a broader look at walking around the village and the bay, see our pages on Bala and Bala Bay.
Johnston's Cranberry Marsh and Muskoka Lakes Farm & Winery
Muskoka Lakes Farm & Winery, at 1074 Cranberry Road, is home to Johnston Cranberries. The family has grown cranberries there since 1950. It is open 363 days a year and closes only on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Posted hours after the harvest and through June 30 are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
There is no charge to visit the store, but activities have fees. Year-round options include the Bog to Bottle Discovery tour, wine tasting and a patio with a seasonal local cheese plate. The farm makes wines from local fruit, from dry to dessert.
The winter skating trail
The marsh's ice trail is a 1.2 km skating loop around 12 acres of cranberry beds. The farm says the trail opens each year from December 27 to March Break, weather permitting. That means it is closed in November, and the 2026–27 season depends on the ice. When it is running:
- Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
- Light the Night torchlit skating runs Saturday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m., weather permitting.
- Skate rentals are available. Helmets are recommended but not supplied.
- The trail is for skaters only: no walking, pets, strollers, toboggans or hockey.
The farm also has groomed snowshoe trails, totalling more than 10 km, on the same December 27 to March Break schedule. Its summer hiking trails are open "from spring melt to first snows", so in November conditions decide what is open. Check the farm's What's On Now page before you go.
Bala's Museum and Lucy Maud Montgomery
L.M. Montgomery, the author of Anne of Green Gables, brought her family to Bala for a two-week holiday in 1922. Bala's Museum with Memories of Lucy Maud Montgomery, at 1024 Maple Avenue, is built around that visit. Jack and Linda Hutton have run it since 1992. The collection includes Montgomery's books in many editions and languages, a Green Gables dollhouse and costumes for children. The museum links her Bala visit to The Blue Castle, her Ontario novel.
Current status: the museum's 2026 season ran from June 1 to October 18. It was open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, for pre-booked tours only at 10 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. The owners have said the museum's future beyond 2026 is not settled, so treat a 2027 season as unconfirmed until they announce one.
The KEE to Bala
The KEE to Bala is a concert hall on Bala Falls Road, built out over the water. According to Cottage Life, it began as Dunn's Pavilion. Gerry Dunn bought the site in 1929 and later built the current hall, which opened in 1942 and drew big-band crowds. Louis Armstrong played there in the early 1960s. Today the venue is part of Live Nation.
The KEE is seasonal. It opens from the May long weekend to the Labour Day long weekend, and only on event days. It is closed now. The venue says it mostly runs as a 19+ venue, is fully cashless and uses mobile tickets.
The Bala Cranberry Festival
The festival runs on the weekend after Thanksgiving. The 2026 festival took place from Friday, October 16 to Sunday, October 18. The organizers had not posted 2027 dates when we checked in early November 2026. The farm's own harvest activities run daily from late September to late October.
Where to eat, drink and stay
A few local businesses listed in our directory:
- Mrs. H's Fish & Chips, at 2195 Muskoka Road 38, says it is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day of the year except Christmas Day. It serves takeout only, with a patio.
- Bala Falls Pub, next to the KEE, has served pub food since 2002. Its website currently lists it as open Thursday to Monday.
- Cacao Boys makes hand-painted bonbons and other chocolates on site in Bala.
- The Dudley Inn, about 3 km from the village, is a renovated motel that is pet-friendly and open year-round.
For a wider eating tour that starts in Bala, see our Muskoka food crawl. Port Carling is a short drive north. See things to do in Port Carling.
Bala in November: quick summary
- Open: Bala Falls viewing (with care), Muskoka Lakes Farm & Winery store, tours and tasting, and year-round businesses.
- Closed until winter: the cranberry marsh ice trail and snowshoe trails (from December 27, weather permitting).
- Closed for the season: the KEE (back from the May long weekend, on show days) and Bala's Museum (2027 unconfirmed).
- Next festival: the Bala Cranberry Festival, the weekend after Thanksgiving. 2027 dates are not yet posted.
