An estimated 300 to 350 people strolled down Front Street Saturday, taking in the sights, sounds and flavours of Thorold’s first student welcome and community barbecue.
“Saturday's event was a great start,” BIA marketing chair Diana D’Intino told the Thorold News. “Our goal was to make more people aware of all the great things they can do and experience in downtown Thorold, and I think we accomplished that.”
A joint effort, coordinated by the BIA, city of Thorold, and Brock University, the event was designed to welcome students and residents in a friendly backyard format.
Da Bomb Bath Bakery went as far as setting out a fake bonfire with chairs around it, enticing customers into the store for a ticket they traded for free ice cream cones, and free pizza slices from nearby Papa Vince Pizza.
Youth Unlimited Catering and its new food truck supplied free hotdogs and hamburgers to a steady stream of people of all ages, who also enjoyed free snow cones and popcorn, seated on picnic tables placed along Front Street—closed to vehicular traffic for the day.
“It was also really great to see so many young families enjoying the afternoon together,” said D’Intino.
“As for the students, there were some there, but of course next year we'd love to see more. The students who did attend were pleasantly surprised at how much Thorold has to offer in the way of goods and services they need and use every day. Our ‘Get Sh*! Done’ list was very popular.”
Coun. Fred Neale, who helped the BIA by handing out maps and other Thorold information, remarked that there were “Lots of families with kids,” many of whom enjoyed playing basketball on the makeshift court set up on Albert Street, and inflatable games near the corner of Sullivan Ave.
For a first year, Neale deemed the event "a success," but said that in his opinion, more students may be tempted to come next year if Brock sponsored “some type of event” specifically geared to students, and if students themselves assumed a more active role in helping plan the welcome event in the future.
Having established a foundation, D’Intino, co-owner of A Yellow Flower Basket, said, “We're looking forward to holding this event next year.”
