by Sylene Argent
Having some requests from the community to bring Kingsville’s popular open streets night market events to the business hub of Cottam, its Council closed down a portion of County Road 34 to host a special street party on Saturday evening.
The event – which attracted an overwhelming response from curious residents –brought in an array of local vendors, so they could promote their services or sell their unique or handcrafted wares. In addition, attendees were able to listen in on live music as they enjoyed exploring the growing business sector, grab a bite to eat from a food truck, or engage with the many activities set up onsite that entertained youths.
Shelby Wye, Kingsville’s Events and Program Coordinator, was pleased to help organize the event for the Cottam community to enjoy. Though she was expecting a good turnout, the number of individuals who attended the event more than superseded expectations.
The Open Streets events are being held on Saturday evenings throughout the warmer months in downtown Kingsville, kicking off with its first official night-market style party on July 8. These events allow residents to explore the brick-and-mortar businesses, connect with an array of artesian vendors, and simply have fun.
She urged those who enjoyed the Cottam Open Streets event to contact members of Kingsville Council. This will help the decision-makers know the kind of support the event had and may help them to host another event in Cottam again next year.
Wye thanked all the businesses, vendors, volunteers, and staff members with the Town of Kingsville, who worked collaboratively to offer the Kingsville Open Streets event in Cottam.
Kingsville Open Streets will return to Kingsville’s downtown core on July 29 with a “Christmas in July,” theme, and will continue on August 19 with a “Bike Rodeo and All That Moves,” theme, and on August 26 a with a “Street Party & Glow Night.”
The fun begins at 5pm and goes to 10pm.
In March, Kingsville Open Streets was recognized as a Top 100 event in Ontario by Festivals and Events Ontario.
Event details can be found at Kingsville.ca/openstreets.