Superhero themed Street Party shows off businesses
by Sylene Argent
Community members took advantage of an opportunity to learn about some of the unique businesses in town, while partying on the street on Friday evening.
The Essex Centre BIA took advantage of the dry, warmer weather on September 28 to host the second annual Fall in Love with Our Local Street Party, which shut down Talbot Street, from Wilson Avenue to Arthur Avenue, to vehicular traffic and welcomed residents.
Large festival tents were set up on Talbot for the event. Some of the BIA’s businesses took over booth space inside the festival tents to show off the products or services they offer, give away promotional material or merchandise, and connect with residents and potential, future clients.
While residents enjoyed connecting with local businesses, and collecting a few free give-a-ways, they took in the live music of the Rio Michaels Trio, a local band that kept the party in rhythm with its collection of tunes.
This year’s Street Party theme was superheroes, and in keeping with that theme, Art Space Essex got on board to help youth in attendance create their own capes, which were proudly worn when Brampton Batman, a main feature of the event many were anticipating to meet and greet, pulled into town in his bat mobile.
Youth in attendance eagerly surrounded this rendition of the caped superhero and his head-turning means of transportation, who kindly in turn took the time to take pictures with anyone getting into the spirit of the event.
The Essex Centre BIA hosted the Street Party a week later than intended as high winds and the threat of a thunderstorm was enough to postpone the event. With some quick rescheduling, the event was able to take place the following Friday, much to the appreciation of the businesses that planned to take part in the event in some capacity.
In addition to the booths, other businesses hosted sidewalk sales or maintained a clue spot for the Street Party’s Business Scavenger Hunt that offered the E$$ex Centre Downtown Dollar$ to three lucky participants as a prize.
What is unique about the scavenger hunt is that it gets residents visiting businesses they may not have before and promotes the Essex Centre BIA’s fall voucher program.
The idea of hosting the Street Party came about after the Essex Centre BIA heard from several businesses the desire to host an evening event that would bring in foot traffic into the downtown core.
The purpose of the Fall in Love with Our Local Street Party is to show off the businesses, and the products and services they offer, with community members, encouraging them to shop local.
It is also a great opportunity to enjoy a family-friendly festivity on a Friday night in downtown Essex Centre.