For all those who think that Bradford West Gwillimbury’s celebration of its ‘roots,’ Carrot Fest, is something special: you’re not alone.
It’s a view shared by Festival Events Ontario (FEO).
For a ninth year, Carrot Fest has been selected by FEO as one of the top 100 festivals in the province. Ontario has more than 1,400 annual events and festivals on record.
Carrot Fest began more than two decades ago as a celebration of the Holland Marsh – the vegetable-growing heartland of Ontario, with its range of garden crops that include onions and carrots.
Every year, organizers have tweaked the annual festival, adding activities, entertainers, more food and more music.
For Canada’s sesquicentennial year, the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury expanded Carrot Fest to a two-day event, starting with a local marketplace engaging local businesses and a classic car show.
The Friday marketplace has become an annual tradition, even though Saturday, with more than 300 vendors from across Ontario, street buskers, live bands, BMX stunt riding, professional wrestling and Aqua Dogs at the Bradford and District Memorial Community Centre, and KidZone of inflatables and bouncy castles, remains the main day of celebration.
The goal, said Bethany Kuboniwa, the town's leisure events and marketing co-ordinator, is to “improve the event every year.”
In 2018, she said, “we worked with our recreation programmer to create a small youth zone, which included the MOBYSS bus (a mobile health clinic for youth in a confidential and non-judgemental manner), food and drink vendors, and giveways.” It was successful, “with a proven increase in attendance.”
This year, organizers are planning more entertainment options, and stronger ties with the Holland Marsh Growers’ Association, which in the past has handed out free bags of “Holland Marsh gold” carrots to festival-goers.
Guests at the 2018 Carrot Fest were surveyed, and asked what they liked best about Carrot Fest. Answers included the vendors, the entertainment, the food, the people, “everything!” said Kuboniwa.
“I think one of my favourite parts about this event is the collaborative approach,” said Kuboniwa. “It’s such a large event… It would not be successful without the contributions of so many people. Carrot Fest requires a lot of co-ordination of staff among a variety of departments, and a large complement of volunteers to ensure it goes off without a hitch.”
Sponsors, vendors, top-notch entertainment “and of course, all of the participants,” make Carrot Fest one of Ontario’s top events, she said.
This year’s Carrot Fest will take place Aug. 16 and 17. For more information, see carrotfest.ca.
