This year's A Main Street Christmas/Farmers' Parade of Lights has been over for a few days now, and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who had a part in making it happen. This is a longish list, yes, but every person and organisation here was important to the successful operation of this year's celebration.
The executive of the Schomberg Village Association is a small group - and this year we felt it was especially important that we be able to produce something to bring Schomberg residents some cheer, as so many other events had been cancelled. We knew that we couldn't do our regular A Main Street Christmas, and that the usual Farmers' Parade of Lights would also be problematic (as it brings so many people out onto the street), but we knew we wanted to do something.
The executive (along with volunteers) installed 30 Christmas trees along Main Street, decorated them, made and installed giant illuminated snowflakes on the banner poles along Main Street. But we wanted to do more.
The drive through Parade of Lights became the obvious answer. But things like that don't 'just happen'.
It took a concerted effort from everyone on the executive to organise the space, get the permits, create and broadcast the narration, organise the volunteers, make the posters, work with our partners and organise the thousand little details that events like this require. My thanks to you; it's only with such a team that this wonderful event took place.
The local farmers (under the direction of Dennis O'Hara) put on the Farmers' Parade of Lights each year. It's a magnificent display of joy, Christmas spirit and yes, hard work. Without them none of the work that anyone else does would has a point. This year they had particular challenges, with changes in timing, location and logistics. But as always, our local farmers pulled off a magnificent display. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Remember people, if you ate today, thank a farmer!
The Agricultural Society. Could there be a better place to display the farmers' handiwork as a drive through than the Agricultural Fairgrounds? I think not. Nestled in the heart of Schomberg, adjacent to Main Street this was a wonderful venue. My thanks to the members and the executive of the Schomberg Agricultural Fairgrounds who offered us the best possible place to hold this event. We look forward to working with you on other events in the future.
My thanks to Angelo Santorelli at Trisan construction, who provided the bollards and markers we used throughout the Fairgrounds to keep our attendees safe, and for the gravel and grading along the lane within the Fairgrounds - once again making it safe for all of our attendees.
The volunteers. We can't do this without you. We asked for help and you turned out to work alongside us to decorate Main Street, put up trees and make and hang snowflakes. We asked again, and even more of you responded to work the day of the parade. We had people with long experience in marshaling parades from their work in previous years, organising the Schomberg Santa Claus Parade in previous A Main Street Christmases, and people for whom this was their first time volunteering. We had people who've lived in Schomberg all their lives, and people who had just moved in. You were flexible in the assignments, and were able to and happy to move from place to place as the needs changed during the day - you are all fantastic. Yours is a wonderful display of community spirit, and one of the best reasons why Schomberg is such a wonderful place to live. Thank you!
Our thanks to the Schomberg Lions Club, helping us to get volunteers; your many years of service and support of Schomberg and the events that take place within it is key to the life of the Village.
The Powers that Be. I say that smilingly, because for any large public event, there are a host of organisations and bodies whose agreement and approval is required. And in a year such as this, where physical distancing rules must be adhered to, there are even greater challenges. My thanks to the York Regional Police, the York Regional Health Department, the King Township Fire Department, and the Parking and Transportation and Community Services Departments of King Township for working with us and devising ways to allow this event to take place. This was something that we all particularly needed this year, and I appreciate the work that you did in the short time we had. I'd like to give my personal and special thanks to Mayor Steve Pellegrini, who backed us every step of the way. Mayor Pellegrini, without your support this year's A Main Street Christmas/Farmers' Parade of Lights would not have taken place.
And of course, you, the people of Schomberg and the surrounding area. Thank you for attending. Thank you for the kind words of encouragement you gave us as you queued to attend the parade. Thank you for being kind, and civil and understanding as we figured out how to get so many of you (almost 700 vehicles!) through the Fairgrounds in the time we had. And thank you for the hearty thanks we received on social media in the last few days. You're most welcome. We do this for you, and we turn your thanks back to you.
We look forward to next year!
Charles Cooper
Schomberg Village Association - Chair
The executive of the Schomberg Village Association is a small group - and this year we felt it was especially important that we be able to produce something to bring Schomberg residents some cheer, as so many other events had been cancelled. We knew that we couldn't do our regular A Main Street Christmas, and that the usual Farmers' Parade of Lights would also be problematic (as it brings so many people out onto the street), but we knew we wanted to do something.
The executive (along with volunteers) installed 30 Christmas trees along Main Street, decorated them, made and installed giant illuminated snowflakes on the banner poles along Main Street. But we wanted to do more.
The drive through Parade of Lights became the obvious answer. But things like that don't 'just happen'.
It took a concerted effort from everyone on the executive to organise the space, get the permits, create and broadcast the narration, organise the volunteers, make the posters, work with our partners and organise the thousand little details that events like this require. My thanks to you; it's only with such a team that this wonderful event took place.
The local farmers (under the direction of Dennis O'Hara) put on the Farmers' Parade of Lights each year. It's a magnificent display of joy, Christmas spirit and yes, hard work. Without them none of the work that anyone else does would has a point. This year they had particular challenges, with changes in timing, location and logistics. But as always, our local farmers pulled off a magnificent display. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Remember people, if you ate today, thank a farmer!
The Agricultural Society. Could there be a better place to display the farmers' handiwork as a drive through than the Agricultural Fairgrounds? I think not. Nestled in the heart of Schomberg, adjacent to Main Street this was a wonderful venue. My thanks to the members and the executive of the Schomberg Agricultural Fairgrounds who offered us the best possible place to hold this event. We look forward to working with you on other events in the future.
My thanks to Angelo Santorelli at Trisan construction, who provided the bollards and markers we used throughout the Fairgrounds to keep our attendees safe, and for the gravel and grading along the lane within the Fairgrounds - once again making it safe for all of our attendees.
The volunteers. We can't do this without you. We asked for help and you turned out to work alongside us to decorate Main Street, put up trees and make and hang snowflakes. We asked again, and even more of you responded to work the day of the parade. We had people with long experience in marshaling parades from their work in previous years, organising the Schomberg Santa Claus Parade in previous A Main Street Christmases, and people for whom this was their first time volunteering. We had people who've lived in Schomberg all their lives, and people who had just moved in. You were flexible in the assignments, and were able to and happy to move from place to place as the needs changed during the day - you are all fantastic. Yours is a wonderful display of community spirit, and one of the best reasons why Schomberg is such a wonderful place to live. Thank you!
Our thanks to the Schomberg Lions Club, helping us to get volunteers; your many years of service and support of Schomberg and the events that take place within it is key to the life of the Village.
The Powers that Be. I say that smilingly, because for any large public event, there are a host of organisations and bodies whose agreement and approval is required. And in a year such as this, where physical distancing rules must be adhered to, there are even greater challenges. My thanks to the York Regional Police, the York Regional Health Department, the King Township Fire Department, and the Parking and Transportation and Community Services Departments of King Township for working with us and devising ways to allow this event to take place. This was something that we all particularly needed this year, and I appreciate the work that you did in the short time we had. I'd like to give my personal and special thanks to Mayor Steve Pellegrini, who backed us every step of the way. Mayor Pellegrini, without your support this year's A Main Street Christmas/Farmers' Parade of Lights would not have taken place.
And of course, you, the people of Schomberg and the surrounding area. Thank you for attending. Thank you for the kind words of encouragement you gave us as you queued to attend the parade. Thank you for being kind, and civil and understanding as we figured out how to get so many of you (almost 700 vehicles!) through the Fairgrounds in the time we had. And thank you for the hearty thanks we received on social media in the last few days. You're most welcome. We do this for you, and we turn your thanks back to you.
We look forward to next year!
Charles Cooper
Schomberg Village Association - Chair
THANK YOU AGAIN SCHOMBERG!
Admission / Event Information
$5 per adult. Children 12 and under, free. Includes admission to the Craft Show.
Tickets can be purchased at the gate, or in advance at:
Grackle Coffee Company -208 Main St, Schomberg
Sugar & Spice Bakeshop and Café - 307 Main St, Schomberg
Food Vendors/Restaurants
Our local restaurants on Main Street and in the Brownsville and Crossroads Plazas are open to serve you. There are many food vendors along Main Street offering apple cider, hot chocolate, Beavertails, roasted chestnuts, cookies and much more! For information on being a food vendor please call 416-318-9985.
Parades
The Santa Claus Parade at 4 pm kicks off with creative floats, costumed walkers and music to get you into the Christmas spirit!
The Spectacular Farmers' Parade of Lights begins at 8 pm with dozens of farming machinery decorated with Christmas Lights slowly making their way along the street...with Santa on the biggest machine of all!
$5 per adult. Children 12 and under, free. Includes admission to the Craft Show.
Tickets can be purchased at the gate, or in advance at:
Grackle Coffee Company -208 Main St, Schomberg
Sugar & Spice Bakeshop and Café - 307 Main St, Schomberg
Food Vendors/Restaurants
Our local restaurants on Main Street and in the Brownsville and Crossroads Plazas are open to serve you. There are many food vendors along Main Street offering apple cider, hot chocolate, Beavertails, roasted chestnuts, cookies and much more! For information on being a food vendor please call 416-318-9985.
Parades
The Santa Claus Parade at 4 pm kicks off with creative floats, costumed walkers and music to get you into the Christmas spirit!
The Spectacular Farmers' Parade of Lights begins at 8 pm with dozens of farming machinery decorated with Christmas Lights slowly making their way along the street...with Santa on the biggest machine of all!