Thousands of visitors are expected to fill the downtown this long weekend to take in the Simcoe Heritage Friendship Festival.
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A tradition with roots going back to 1967 when it was launched as a Canadian centennial project, the festival is bigger and better than ever more than half a century later.
“This is either the 56th or 57th year,” said Sara Moody Veldhuis, who has been involved in organizing the Civic Holiday weekend event since 2009. “We’ve held it every year, except for COVID. We’re offering more this year than ever. We feel like the festival is really starting to hit a nice stride again since rebuilding after the pandemic.”
Moody Veldhuis said there really is something for everyone, with events and activities filling Wellington, Clifton and Grant Anderson parks from Friday to Monday.
Festivities kick off on Friday with the Downtown Simcoe Business Improvement Area hosting a party on the Argyle Street Stage starting at 5:30 pm There will be live music featuring the Atkinson Brothers Band, along with a kids’ area and beer garden.
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The tradition of Pancakes in the Park continues with members of the Rotary Club of Simcoe serving breakfast each day from 7 am to 1 pm
Other service clubs, including the Lions Club of Simcoe, will be selling Dixie dogs, burgers and other festival favorites. The Lynn Valley Lions have folded their ice cream festival into the Friendship Festival and will be scooping up cones and sundaes.
“We have a lot of wonderful community partnerships,” said Moody Veldhuis. “We want to bring the community together to provide this festival free of charge to the public. Part of our mandate is to give opportunities for service clubs to use the weekend to raise funds.”
The parks will be alive all weekend with music of all kinds, with a focus on local talent. There is a packed schedule of entertainment on three stages offering audiences an eclectic mix of rock, jazz, country, rap and original tunes.
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“We try to make sure we’re mixing it up every day,” said Moody Veldhuis. “The music will be non-stop.”
Among the performers will be The Jesse Murphy Trio, playing funk, blues, soul and rock; Port Dover’s Felicia McMinn, performing folk/pop/rock covers and originals; Wayward Saints, an old-school rock band from Toronto; and The Shoeshine Boys blues band.
“We really like to promote brand new and younger bands,” said Moody Veldhuis. “We want to foster and encourage young musicians and give them authentic experience on a festival stage.”
Another festival highlight is an extensive Kids’ Zone, which will be operated by members of the Young Theater Players. For a small fee, children can tie dye a T-shirt or get their face painted. There will be dance demonstrations and lots of free crafts and lawn games. Kids will have a chance to try some arial dance moves with Crystal Lake Conservatory, belt out a tune on the Be a Star karaoke stage; and Bust a Beat at a Saturday morning workshop.
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A pet contest will be held on the community stage at noon on Monday, and children are invited to dress in costume and parade through the parks Monday afternoon at “Summerween” for a chance to win prizes.
Other festival highlights are free zumba classes, performances by illusionist Lucas Wilson, a “Swifty” singer/songwriter circle; a performance by the North Shore Highlanders pipes and drums; a “sock run” by the Norfolk Roller Derby Girls; poetry in the park; and Bedunk the Funk giving a lesson on “how to write a song fast.”
Visitors won’t go hungry with fare from 17 food trucks available, and more than 70 vendors will offer handmade goods, artwork, clothing and other gift items. There will also be booths offering information on local businesses and services.
There’s still time to sign up to volunteer at the Friendship Festival by visiting friendshipfest.ca where there is also a full lineup of events.
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