Several months of planning have wound down and are being put into action as Pelham Summerfest begins.
The four-day celebration kicks off today at 4 p.m. at Peace Park, an “elevated” version of the weekly bandshell concerts and supper market that kicked off in May and runs until October, said Leah Letford, Communications Specialist for the Town of Pelham.
Live music starts at about 5:45 p.m. with local performers, before Elvis Lives, an Elvis Presley tribute act, hits the stage at 7 p.m. The Farmers Market and Supper Market will have additional vendors for the Summerfest launch, said Letford.
“It’s kind of a kickoff, and it attracts quite a few people each year,” she said.
A crew of some 80 volunteers from various organizations and service clubs will help keep the four-day affair in downtown Fonthill running smoothly.
“It couldn’t be done without them,” said Letford, adding that some are able to donate more time than others— but every little bit is appreciated by the Town.
“Sometimes it’s just moving chairs and setting things up.”
Town employees are also a vital piece of the puzzle leading up to Summerfest, which started as a one-day festival 13 years ago and was not held in 2021 and 2021 due to the Covid pandemic.
“There’s a lot of staff who have shared their time and talent to make Summerfest so successful,” said Letford.
There’s a lot of “sweat equity” that goes into preparations each year from local government employees as well.
Throughout the festival, running Thursday evening to Sunday evening, the Town estimates about 40,000 people typically come through — patronizing local vendors, but also businesses in the area.
“It’s a great economic driver for them as well,” said Letford, adding that many offer Summerfest specials as a way of taking part in the annual Fonthill tradition.
Friday morning is when road closures will start being implemented and vendors will be directed to their areas to set up on.
“It’s quite the dance, getting everyone in the right space,” said Letford.
The festival is often an excuse for people who have departed from Pelham to come back, an annual tradition of visiting their hometown for a weekend of fun and reminiscing.
“We do see a lot of people who might have grown up here, moved away, and come back for a homecoming,” said Letford, also calling it a “reunion of family and friends” for some patrons of the festival.
Putting the downtown Fonthill area on display, as well as everything the festival has to offer to people from other parts of Niagara and outside the region, is also important.
“It really showcases what a small, hometown community can do,” said Letford.
The Town is also offering a shuttle service for festival goers. People may be picked up at the Meridian Community Centre and taken to the Summerfest core.
The festival started in 2011 as a one-day gathering to celebrate the completion of the downtown streetscaping in Fonthill and to promote a pedestrian-friendly town centre as advocated for by the Town’s Active Transportation Committee, according to the Town’s website.
Friday and Saturday are when the popular street festival takes place with entertainment on the main stage on Pelham Street, outdoor patios, vendors and more.
Saturday will bring an interactive Kids’ Zone in Peace Park.
During Sunday in the Park, the Kids’ Zone returns, plus vendors, blues music in the bandshell, as well as a car show.
