If you've never seen candy canes made in real life or just want something fun to do, I highly recommend making the trek out to Ontario to visit Logan's Candies. This little mom and pop candy shop is located in historic downtown Ontario, and is where you can get a glimpse of the architecture of the city during the times before 1950. I am a "sucker" for brightly colored candy, especially of the vintage variety.
Logan's Candies has been around since 1933, where they have been hand-making their signature candy canes the same way since they opened way back when. They also make chocolates, fudge, and peanut brittle. But they are best known for their hand-pulled candy canes and ribbon candy. In fact, they hold the world record for the World's Largest Candy Cane!
One of the great things about Logan's Candies is that they host Free Candy Making Demonstrations so you can see the prices of making candy canes and hard candies.
Logan's Candy Making Demonstrations
Logan's Candies has candy cane demonstrations, pillow candy demonstrations, and ribbon candy demonstrations each week depending on which they need in the store. To attend one of the demonstrations, you need to sign up and pay a small fee per person! Sign up for a candy demonstration. You can also follow their facebook page for the latest updates.
The demonstrations last around 30 minutes and show guests demonstrations of anything from making holiday candy canes to fruity ribbon candy
Children and adults are allowed to gather around the candy kitchen and listen to a candy maker share how the candy is made. They also share a step-by-step demonstration making the candy in real life. The experience is so interesting. Not only do you get to see the candy being made, you can ask questions, smell the sweet candy aroma, and feel the heat of it being cooked and made.
Depending on the demonstration and time of the day/year, it can get a little crowded in the store during the demonstrations. You can see when you sign up, how many people will be attending. I also recommend getting there about 20 minutes early so you can be ready to go when it starts.
How Logan's Candy is Made
Once the candy maker share's the introduction of the demonstration, the candy making begins. It all starts on the original marble slab where Logan's Candy making began. We got to watch ribbon candy being made.
A marble slab is used to make most hard candies. Once the boiling candy sugar mixture is poured on the marble slab, it then cools a bit. Then it is divided into sections and then the color and flavors are added. The smell is wonderful!
The candy is then pulled and pulled until it is the color is just right and the consistency is perfect. It is then ready to be pulled into the correct candy shape.
We got to see how they stack each of the colored sections of candy to get them ready to pull. Here the candy maker is showing a the large slab of colored candy that is ready to pull into ribbons.
The candy making goes pretty quickly from here. Each piece of candy is pulled and cut into measured pieces. It's then hand-shaped into beautiful colored ribbons. The warm candy ribbons harden almost immediately creating the hard, shiny, multi-colored candy we all know.
Look at all the ribbon candy!!!!
It is really fun to watch the finished candies as they are placed on the counter into rows to cool down. Did I mention it smells really good?!?!
Make Your Own Candy Cane or Ribbon Candy
As the demonstration wraps up, they let anyone who wants to try shaping their own candy cane or piece of ribbon candy. It's such a great hands-on experience for the kids to try, especially when they find out how fast they must work the warm candy cane or ribbon candy before it cools and is too hard.
Then you can eat it!!!! Yum.
About Logan's Candies
Logan's Candies is a small little store, but they sell all sorts of great candies and gifts. You can find candy from all over the world...
homemade fudge and chocolate....
During holidays, you can find different themed candy canes. Although the Christmas season is their busiest season, you can find gem like these patriotic candy canes and candy hearts.
I highly suggest bringing some pocket change for the kids to buy a few treats, as it is hard to resist all the yummy varieties and novelty treats.
Was Logan's Candies Worth it?
YES! We really enjoyed the candy demonstration at Logan's Candies. Even though it was a bit of a drive from Orange County, we had a great time. I would suggest having additional plans of things to around Ontario when you do go there. The historic downtown is fun to explore, and there are some small museums. It also makes a fun field trip for scouts and home school groups. So go check them out!
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