Lighting up the night
The Morewood Recreation Association, one of the 50 floats in the 2019 North Dundas Parade of Lights, make its way past spectators during the Dec. 7 parade. Thompson Goddard photo
The last float in the 2019 North Dundas Parade of Lights had Santa atop a fire truck waving to the crowd and delighting young and old alike! Thompson Goddard photo
There was the long-standing and highly successful Breakfast with Santa event at the Chesterville Legion organized by the Rotary Club of Chesterville, while in South Mountain the annual Santa Claus Breakfast was organized by North Dundas Fire Station No. 2. Both events featured a visit from the jolly old elf as well as craft tables and the opportunity to spend time visiting with family, friends and neighbours.
During the day in Winchester, there were several organized events, including a North Dundas Parade of Lights Vendor and Trade Show in the Joel Steele Community Centre, musical recitals during the afternoon in the Winchester United Church, hockey games, a euchre tournament at the Winchester Legion and a Parade of Lights dinner hosted by the Winchester Lions Club.
As the sun set, Sweet Corner Park, located at the corner of St. Lawrence and Main Streets, became a beehive of activity as people gathered to enjoy the pre-parade fun. Refreshments included Fries for Charity, in support of the Winchester Hawks and Downtown Revitalization Committee; giving visitors the opportunity to taste a Beaver Tail, the favourite Canadian pastry, as well as the opportunity to warm up at the fire pit and visit while listening to seasonal background music.
Shortly after 7 p.m., the 2019 North Dundas Parade of Lights began making its way from the North Dundas municipal building. Along the route, excited people of all ages watched the parade, as close to 50 floats made their way through the community. The last float carried Santa Claus, which caused ripples of excitement as it passed by spectators.
Later this week, organizers will be meeting to view the video of the parade and decide the winners in each category. Spectators are able to vote for their favourite float in the People’s Choice category.
The organizers of the 2019 North Dundas Parade of Lights are to be commended for the hours of planning and preparation undertaken to ensure the success of this event.
Carolyn Thompson Goddard, grew up in Chesterville and attended North Dundas District High School. After completing her BA in Political Science at Carleton University she has worked as a medical secretary and library technician. In 2020 she graduated from Algonquin College with a diploma in Journalism and has been a reporter and column writer for The Chesterville Record for over 10 years.
