Latest news with #TeddyBearPicnic
Hamilton Spectator
02-06-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Nice to be outdoors': Grimsby Farmers Market returns this week
For Beth Ashton, having a booth at Grimsby Farmers Market is a welcome change from preparing meals in her restaurant. 'It's nice to be outdoors,' said the owner of August Restaurant in Beamsville. She will be baking pizza and offering other baked goods when the 18th annual market returns on Thursday. 'I actually get to talk to my customers, which as a chef doesn't happen very often.' This will be Ashton's ninth year at the popular market. 'We have great, loyal customers,' Ashton said. Main Street East along the market area will be closed to all but emergency vehicles, from 1 to 8 p.m., each Thursday to allow for market set up and take down. The market runs every Thursday, from 3 to 7 p.m., until Oct. 9. Market steering committee chair Michelle Seaborn said this year's market features 37 food and farm vendors, two more than last year and includes 21 area growers. 'I spent the whole (past) weekend putting the last touches on everything,' said Seaborn, who is a Grimsby regional councillor and co-owns a local farm. Seaborn said more special events are slated for the market and include a July 31 Teddy Bear Picnic. Youngsters are encouraged to bring their bears and enjoy a variety of activities. Carolyne Seibert, Grimsby organic farmer, and ice cream maker Simon Pellegrino look forward to the return of the Grimsby Farmers Market on Thursday. Carolyne Seibert from 9 Acres Organic Farm on Ridge Road East is back at the market for a third year. 'I love the fact that this is my community,' Seibert said. 'It's in my backyard and the customers are so loyal.' New to the market this year, Seibert noted, are bingo cards that feature the names of the vendors. 'When people make a purchase from a vendor, they get a stamp on their bingo card and based on the (required) combination of different stamps, they'll get their name entered in a draw to win a gift basket worth over $500,' Seibert said. The draw is on Oct. 2. Hopefully, Mother Nature co-operates. 'We need the hot weather, we need people to want ice cream and sorbet,' said Grimsby ice cream maker Simon Pellegrino. His Simon Says Ice Cream operation returns to the market for a fourth consecutive year. This year's market will not be affected by the town's $9-million Downtown Reimagined project. The water main and sewer work, along with road and streetscape upgrades, is not expected to begin until next year.
Hamilton Spectator
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Fourth annual teddy bear picnic returns to Burford
The fourth annual Kiwanis Teddy Bear Picnic will be returning to the Burford Fairgrounds on Sunday, June 8, 2025. The event, which will run from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m, is the Kiwanis Club of Paris-Brant's signature project. 'The Teddy Bear Picnic has really been geared towards children, and only children,' said Sheila Moore, Kiwanis club Treasurer. 'Because our motto is 'serving the children of the world,' helping to create an environment in communities that allows kids to learn, to develop, to thrive and to grow, is exactly what we're all about.' Moore said that throughout the afternoon, the youngsters will have a chance to participate in several activities and games. 'We'll have things like the 'guess how many jellybeans are in the jar' and 'pin the heart on the teddy,' contests, we'll have some face painting, the library will be there with some fun books and crafts, and we'll have someone on site teaching them how to plant seeds as well,' she said. 'We're also going to have the fire department there to give the kids a bit of a tour of the truck and to teach them some fire safety tips, and of course, St. John's Ambulance will also be there to do medical checkups on their stuffed animals.' Children are encouraged to bring along their favourite stuffed animals, not just for the clinic portion of the event, but for the chance to win a prize for the most creatively dressed teddy bear or treasured companion contest. Simply head over to the Peak Reality tent before 2:00 p.m. and fill out a ballot to enter a draw for a prize. 'We also have an art contest which they can actually start at home,' said Moore. 'All they have to do is draw, colour or paint a picture of a teddy bear on a 11' x 8' piece of paper, and then when they arrive, they can drop it off at the Kiwanis tent by 1:30 or 1:45 p.m. at the latest; that way they can be hands free during the event and so we have plenty of time to judge the art work. The children will be split into two different age groups: up to and including the age of five, and then six to eight, and the winners from each category will get a little prize.' Moore said that all of the activities that have been planned for the afternoon have been designed to help the youngsters learn something new. 'For example, submitting a piece of art into our art contest or doing a craft, helps to tap into their creativity,' she said. 'The games and such are to keep them active and to help teach them some healthy competition; even having St. John's Ambulance there for the little teddy bear clinic helps to alleviate any fears they might have if they were ever in an emergency medical situation. The only thing we really have there that's for nothing than just pure fun is the face painting and the Barry O' show.' While there will be a small canteen selling hot dogs and a few other treats, Moore said that one the best parts of the event is that it's otherwise completely free to attend. 'The whole event is designed for the kids and so we don't have outside vendors or anything specifically catered to the adults because we don't want them to have to worry about spending money or anything like that,' she said. 'We just want them to come and watch kids have a fabulous day full of fun. I don't know how many parents have come up to us and tell us how wonderful it is that this event is totally free because a lot of people just don't have the money to take their kids out to a big fair or a festival and buy them all these extra things. It's really important to us to keep this event accessible like that.' She added that putting on an event like this for free wouldn't be possible without their generous sponsors. 'They're the ones who really allow us to put this on and make it admission free,' said Moore. 'Without them, we'd have to find the money for the entertainer, the venue, the prizes… all of that costs money and so they help us truly keep this event revenue neutral.' Kimberly De Jong's reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at .
