Salt is in the spotlight at this weekend's festival in Goderich

Goderich markets itself as Canada's Prettiest Town, but this weekend they are putting their biggest industry front and centre - salt.

"Seems strange, but this is quite literally our roots. This is what is beneath us," said Goderich's Tourism Events Co-ordinator, Lisa Hood.

Goderich is home to the World's Largest Salt Mine, and has sent 150 million tonnes of salt all over the world. The "white gold" was discovered by accident in 1866, as Samuel Platt and Peter McEwen were drilling for oil, and found one of the world's largest salt deposits instead.

It would take until 1959 before a functioning mine was built to harvest the salt, which stretches under and along Lake Huron's shores for 7 square kilometres. It's such a huge part of Goderich that last year, the first ever Goderich Salted Festival was founded.

Goderich is home to the World's Largest Salt Mine (Source: Town of Goderich/Compass Minerals)

Although salt isn't the most exciting thing to base a community celebration around, Jenna Ujiye and Lisa Hood (who run the town's Tourism department), said that salt is just too important to the town not to celebrate it.

"It's something that isn't exactly what you'd normally run after as a tourism experience, but it is extremely unique for this area," said Ujiye, Goderich's Tourism and Community Development Manager.

While underground tours of salt mine are no longer offered, for year two of the Salt and Harvest Festival, Goderich has put together as many salty themed experiences as possible for the weekend. This includes boat tours, walking tours, markets, concerts, speakers, and of course, food.

"Restaurants here in town are offering up salted menus, there is a salted tasting menu throughout the weekend. There'll be food trucks, really quite a spread. It's not just salt, but salt is the main focus for the weekend," said Hood.

Goderich Salt and Harvest Festival, August 30, 2024 (Scott Miller, CTV News London)

While a trip underground is not in the cards, Compass Minerals is bringing some of the salt mine, to the people.

"To try and bring a little bit of the mine aboveground, Compass Minerals is setting up an experience for people to walk through. But we've also got virtual reality going on that you can go underground from the safety of the Tourism Information Centre in Goderich," said Hood.

You can learn more about Goderich's Salt and Harvest Festival happening all weekend long, by visiting www.saltedgoderich.ca.