Carrots — those cute, powerful little vegetables that are good for your eyesight, especially important to remember as the days grower shorter and darkness creeps in sooner.
From August 19 until 21, those delicious, nutritious little roots take centre stage at the Bradford Carrot Festival.
Unlike past years, the 2016 event will not also include a midway, but will instead focus on how to grow, cook and enjoy carrots.
And this year, organizers are popping the buttons off their shirts, following recognition from Festival and Events Ontario (FEO), which awarded Bradford West Gwillimbury’s Carrot Fest with a place within the Top 100 Festivals of Events in Ontario for the sixth year in a row.
“Over 5,000 events were considered by FEO, so it is testament to the great work by department staff and volunteers for Carrot Fest to be recognized for the sixth year running,” according to Community Services Director Terry Foran,
Drivers can see it out their windows from Highway 400, the black organic soils of the Holland Marsh, which make Bradford West Gwillimbury one of Canada’s biggest carrot-producing regions. Carrot Fest celebrates the region’s agricultural heritage, especially the role played by the carrot in the local economy. What started as a merchant-based community has now developed into an historical event involving not only the residents, but people from the global community.
The whole thing gets underway Friday evening, August 19, at 6 p.m., with the opening ceremonies, beer gardens and main stage entertainment.
Saturday promises to be a busy day with a five-kilometre run/walk to and from the Bob Fallis Arena, vendors throughout Holland and Barrie Streets, pro wrestling bouts, and the DockDogs competition at the Bradford & District Memorial Community Centre.
The Village Inn, at the corner of Simcoe Rd. and Holland Street, will be the scene of a Texas Hold’Em Poker Tournament starting at noon Saturday, promising all sorts of great prizes.
Buskers will also be performing up and down the festival streets, and the Flaming Carrot Fire Show featuring the Carrot Fest Buskers at the main four corners at 8 p.m. Saturday.
The whole thing winds up Sunday with the 10th Annual Family Fun Fest at the Bradford Lions Park from noon till 4 p.m., with a free BBQ and amusement rides for all.
Find out this year why the Carrot Fest is considered one of the top festivals in all of Ontario, Friday to Sunday, August 19 through 21.
