Something for everyone at this year’s Thornhill Festival

Yorkregion.com
Sept. 16, 2014
By Simone Joseph

While the festival may be smaller this year, organizers are excited to present this re-tuned event with its entertainment and other offerings on Saturday, Sept. 20.

Here are highlights from this year’s festival:

Music
The Vaughan Showmobile is a stage on wheels towed by a truck and placed on Yonge Street for the show. This will be the site of several events, including a performance re-creating the Disney movie Frozen, plus a chance to meet and greet Elsa and Anna after the show. The showmobile will also be the venue for an interactive musical performance with prize give-aways and dance-off contests.

Tune into the Thornhill Community Band on the Vaughan Showmobile. Check out Jagger Tanner Band (classic rock) in the Lions Beer Garden; Country Friends and also the York Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet on Colborne Street; Lilly Mason Band and Swamp Groove on Yonge Street. Stage locations are: The Showmobile, Colborne Street, Lions Beer Garden and Yonge Street.

Food
The selection of food will be eclectic. You will find: Malaysian grilled skewers, Hawaiian barbecue, Brazilian Steakhouse’s fried pineapple, Caribbean delicacies, as well as hamburgers, hot dogs, fries and ice cream. Some local Thornhill stores will provide coffee and other refreshments.

Bicycle Valet
For a third year, there will be a bike valet at the festival, organized by CPAC (Cycling Pedestrian Advisory Committee) of Markham). Your bike will be valet parked in a supervised tent.

Booths
Enjoy checking out the booths of crafters, community groups, local professionals and businesses. Politicians’ booths will be on Yonge Street. See what is for sale, what community groups offer, what services are provided locally and meet politicians and candidates at their booths.

Festival Parametres
Yonge Street between John and Centre Street will be closed and will host the main entertainment. Centre and John Sts. will both be open to traffic all day. Colborne Street, Eliza Street with Thornhill Summit Drive will be lined with the booths. The beer garden will be at the north end by the CIBC. The entrance fees will be revised to a voluntary donation - a suggested $2 for adults and $1 for seniors and teenagers. There will donation buckets at each of the four Festival entrances.

Beer Garden & the Lions Club
The Festival Beer Garden (also wine) has been a meeting place for many years. How much, though, is known about the Lions Club which hosts it? Drop in to the Lions Beer Garden for a refreshment, conviviality and the chance to help this service club in its endeavours. It is at Yonge Street/ Thornhill Summit Drive.

More Entertainment
The King’s Royal Yorkers (musketeers) will return to perform three, 30-minute events on Yonge Street. They recreate a regiment of Loyalists and families.

For those who like old cars, the Thornhill Cruisers will be bringing a selection.

There will be basketball hoops for those of all ages to try their hand.

The opening ceremonies are at 11:30 a.m. on the Vaughan Showmobile on Yonge Street. More than 100 crafters and vendors will have booths along the side streets. Craft booths include lockets and charms, jewelry, oil paintings and water colours, handmade bags, hand knit items, floral wreaths and decor items, bird feeders and silk scarves.

Go to thornhillfestival.org for more information.