From a gin trail to the grill, ways to celebrate dad this weekend: Andrew Coppolino

This weekend, you can find classic beer gardens, car grills, barbecue grills with Johnny Cash entertainment and a new craft gin trail during the Father's Day weekend.

Here's a brief round-up of events for dad.

Beginning Saturday at 2 p.m., at the Kitchener Market will feature a beer garden, including Kitchener-based Together We're Bitter brewery, along with barbecued street food, tacos and a blacksmith and knifemaker.

In Cambridge, the Old Galt Bottle Shop has growler and beer specials when you purchase an item from their new menu and there's also live music Saturday afternoon.

Beertown in Waterloo and Cambridge be serving a "Wagyu Dad Burger" (while supplies last). Calling it the "father" of all burgers, they recommend pairing it with a beer from Ayr brewer Willibald.

Head out for a picnic with a classic "ploughman's lunch" from Fat Sparrow Group. It includes locally cured meats and local cheeses pair up with a bit of fruit and some pickled garnishes. Don't forget the beer!

A meal dating to the 1800s and earlier, British rural labourers loved the ploughman's lunch: the salt and dryness of the cheese and bread heightened the thirst and "relish" for the beer, it was written.

If dad is eating a low-carb diet, you could try a unique carne asada and beer cheese poutine that's keto at Guelph-based food purveyor Alter Eat-o. Crispy roasted rutabaga hashbrowns are topped with juicy carne asada grilled beef and a beer-cheese sauce.

Alter Eat-o co-owner Molly Hutchinson a describes the creation as fusion of flavours.

"The beer-cheese sauce is like a chili con queso but perhaps Austrian-inspired. It's seasoned with lime and smoky paprika and a sprinkling of green onions." Hutchinson says.

If beer isn't your dad's thing, check out afternoon tea-to-go (pickup or delivery) on Sunday at Queen of Hearts Tea House and Gift Shop in Kitchener. Featuring the return of the pretzel-bun sandwich and moustache sandwich cookies and other sweets to enjoy with a lovely cuppa.

At Crafty Ramen, dads have a chance to fish around and "catch a deal" for their meal on Father's Day.

On the grill

For the barbecue, there are several options. Crowsfoot Smokehaus in Conestogo has a Father's Day cookout in their picnic area with music by "Covered in Cash" starting at noon. There are four meal combos to select from. No reservations (unless you want to sit inside).

At TWH Social in The Walper Hotel, the barbecue menu is chicken and slabs o' ribs with a half-dozen sides, from creamy potato salad to cornbread. Served Friday to Sunday.

The Charcoal Steakhouse presents two classic grills: car grills and barbecue grills. Their Blue Moon Butcher's Menu runs until June 20 and features bone-in "cowboy" ribeyes, T-bones and USDA prime rib (while quantities last and reservations permit). You may also see a few classic cars pop-up along with a half-dozen food stations near the Martini's pavilion on Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The Cambridge Mill will also serve up a barbecue buffet event that includes prime rib, brisket, a hot fish feature, a seafood station and a carving station.

While it's not barbecue, Imperial Market and Eatery offers the classic and meaty father-favourite prime rib, mashed potatoes and Yorkshire pudding for dine-in or take-out.

New self-guided gin trail

At the Elora Distilling Company, co-owner Marty Van Vliet was so impressed with the close network of distilleries in the area that he set up Ontario's first self-guided "craft gin trail."

Launched on June 11 — World Gin Day — the trail could be a good gift for the dad who loves the juniper-based drink that, historically, became hugely popular in England when the importation of French brandy was restricted in the late-1600s.

The six distilleries on the trail, all roughly 45 minutes from Kitchener in Waterloo region and Perth and Wellington counties, offer variety, whether that's gin flavours, tours, sampling, cocktails and food preparation.

"Each distillery is doing unique things and not copying one another," Van Vliet said. "I counted the other day and there are 25 different gins available from six distilleries."

Before heading out to a distillery, Van Vliet recommends checking with individual locations to determine hours of operation. If you do go with dad, be sure to get your craft gin trail passport stamped

"There's a map on the website so you can explore the different distilleries," he says.

"If you go to three of the distilleries and get your passport stamped, you can send it in to be eligible to win a prize of non-alcoholic merchandise."