With the many hot and steamy days that we’ve experienced over the past few weeks, summer is definitely in full swing, and with the Civic Holiday long weekend upon us, it is time for another Summerfest.
For the fourth year in a row, Summerfest returns to downtown Meaford from August 1-3. The first three Summerfest events brought Meaford’s downtown core to life for a mid-summer festival created and organized by downtown businesswomen. Organizers are hoping that this year’s event will build upon the success of the first three.
In its first few years, Summerfest has become a highly anticipated event for many.
When I was grabbing a sandwich for lunch from a local sandwich shop a week or so ago, one of the customers asked the owner of the shop if the poutine competition ballots were available yet – this has certainly become an event that people look forward to.
As I wrote on this page a year ago, not enough can be said about the fine folks who dedicate their time and energy to getting a new event up and running. Not every new event captures the hearts of residents or visitors to a community, but the first three years of Summerfest in Meaford have proven to be a great success, gaining fans young and old.
As I noted last year, I think that one of the keys to the success of the event in its first three years is that it is simple, it is fun, and there is no cost to simply attend and take it all in.
In addition to the volunteers who drive this event and make it happen, a number of local businesses also participate in the event. From the restaurants competing in the ‘Poutine-Off’ to the retail shops that set up on the downtown sidewalks for Summerfest weekend, this is an event that brings the community together.
The amount of work put into the organization of the Summerfest event is no doubt enormous, but the impact of the event on the business district of this municipality has been clear: the event draws crowds, large crowds, and large crowds spend money, and in a small municipality, that is a very good thing indeed.
This year’s Summerfest kicks off on Friday, August 1, with a ‘Movie Under the Stars’ in Market Square featuring the classic movie The Goonies. The movie starts at dusk, and you are advised to bring your favourite lawn chairs.
The ‘Poutine-Off’ passports will be available at the Apple downtown.
On Saturday there will be a vendor market in Market Square starting at 10 a.m., and there will be live music throughout the day and into the evening.
The vendor market continues on Sunday, as does the live music in front of Meaford Hall which will run until 3 p.m. Also on Sunday, the ‘Poutine-Off’ winner will be announced.
Throughout the Summerfest weekend local artists will once again be painting the doors of buildings in the downtown core, adding new life and a bit of pizzazz to the old structures.
While you are downtown taking in the Summerfest fun, be sure to take a stroll down to the harbour area to take in the views, and perhaps even to cool off with a dip in the bay.
Summerfest truly is an event for everyone, young and old, and there will be no shortage of fun to be found in downtown Meaford this weekend.
As I noted in each of the first three years of the event, the organizers of Summerfest should be applauded, and they have been and will no doubt continue to be. When you have folks eagerly anticipating the next one, you know that the organizers have done something right.
Looking at the weather forecast as I write this column in the early hours of Tuesday morning, it appears that we will have some perfect summer weather for this year’s Summerfest, with temperatures expected to be in the mid 20s, and with clear skies being forecast throughout the weekend. That can change of course, but I have rarely seen a change in the weather put a damper on a big event in Meaford.
Many thanks to the creators and organizers of Summerfest: your hard work and enthusiasm does not go unnoticed. And as I have also written in the past, it is just the sort of event that Meaford needed as we were coming out of the pandemic period, a time when we were frequently kept separated, when there were no public events to be found. As we have all learned from the pandemic experience, life is much more fulfilling when we can gather together as a community to celebrate something as simple as the summer season.
From the perspective of this ole scribe, Summerfest is good for this community, it is good for local businesses, and it is a great way to showcase this municipality while having a little fun in the heart of the summer season.
Visit www.meaforddowntown.ca for the latest Summerfest information.
