After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Alliston Potato Festival returned this weekend for its 47th year.
This event, which began Friday and runs until Sunday, is a celebration of the area’s agricultural history.
The Rotary Club of Alliston and the festival committee, headed by director Beth Wink, got festivities underway Friday with a parade that wound its way through downtown to the west end of Alliston.
More than 50 floats, vehicles, bands and groups participated, supported by thousands of people who showed up to watch the parade.
St. John’s United Church, which is celebrating 150 years of service, had a float in the parade.
On the other side of town at the Alliston Memorial Arena, the Domino’s Texas Hold’em poker tournament got underway with about 100 registered participants. There were eight prizes available, and proceeds will go to charity.
Linda Spurr, general manager of the Alliston Business Improvement Association, and her team helped set up the downtown core for the festival.
“We strongly encouraged our local members to add additional space outdoors to try and capture back some of the lost sales,” she said. “The members were very happy at the timing of this important festival to promote ‘shop locally’ as well as additional association support with fewer out-of-town vendors allowed.”
The festival continues Sunday. More information, including a schedule of events, can be found here.
