Christmas in the Park way of thanking Wainfleet
Enjoy old-fashioned Christmas in Marshville
This weekend’s Christmas in the Park event is a time to celebrate the holiday season — but also to show appreciation to all the local residents who tolerate the crowds and commotion caused by the 15,000 people who flock to the township during the annual Marshville Heritage Festival each year on Labour Day weekend.
Taking place Sunday at the Marshville Heritage Village in Wainfleet, the same venue as the 30-year-old gathering held at the end of August, an old-fashioned Christmas will be the theme.
The festivities in a few days will be a lot more low-key than the August event, said Margaret Robertson, past-chair of the organizing committee who remains active with putting everything together today.
“Some people don’t want crowds. This one is simple and nice,” she said at the site on Monday.
The heritage festival, in its 30th year in 2018, is a major fundraiser to keep the collection of historic buildings in operation.
The Christmas event, in its 21st year, is a way of acknowledging the many people, especially locals, for enjoying the signature Wainfleet event that attracts patrons from across Niagara and its surrounding areas.
“This isn’t to make any money, it’s to give back to the community and the people that support us,” said Robertson.
But the village doesn’t sit dormant outside if the two annual scheduled events.
Grade 3 students from local schools frequent the site for field trips when pioneer settlements come up on the curriculum.
“They need to learn about pioneers, so this is a great place to do that,” she said.
Also at the Sunday festival, which runs from 1 to 4 p.m., there will be music and drama performances, antique toy displays, carollers, and more.
There are no vendors selling items and only free samples of various treats are offered to those in attendance.
Non-perishable food items are also being accepted that will later be distributed by local firefighters to families in need.