A look at some Christmas trees from a previous Trees in the Park event. (Liverpool Adventure Outfitters on Facebook)
Freeman Lumber will be taking over Trees in the Park, the annual fundraiser that features Christmas trees decorated by local businesses.
The South Queens Chamber of Commerce had announced in early November that it would stop organizing the event. Freeman Lumber stepped in to ensure it continues.
Businesses, organizations or individuals buy a tree for $75 and decorate it however they like. The trees are displayed outside at the Queens County Museum and on the Liverpool waterfront.
All proceeds go to a local charity. That will be announced shortly, according to a notice from the chamber.
The chamber is still hosting the annual tree lighting ceremony at the Astor Theatre along with the Region of Queens and the South Shore Multicultural Association.
QCCR hosted a session on Thursdy to generate ideas for events on the Liverpool waterfront and elsewhere. (Rick Conrad)
A food truck festival, a chili cookoff and Movies on the Mersey were among the dozens of ideas for Liverpool’s Privateer Park tossed around Wednesday evening at Queens Place Emera Centre.
QCCR hosted a community meeting to generate ideas for more events on the Liverpool waterfront and elsewhere in Queens County.
Station manager Norm Amirault said he wanted to hold the session after seeing some comments on Facebook about people wanting more to do in Privateer Park.
“And honestly, I’d felt that way myself,” he said in an interview. “You have this beautiful park, and you wonder why there aren’t more activities going on there. I always thought if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. … And based on the feedback tonight, there’s a ton of good ideas out there that people really do want to see more activities there.”
About 20 people discussed ideas for a more vibrant waterfront, like holding more seasonal festivals similar to last March’s Light Up Queens Winter Night Festival, more events targeted toward youth, encouraging more performing arts besides music in the park. And there was even talk of a Beatles festival.
Min Smale is the secretary-treasurer of the South Queens Chamber of Commerce. She’s also the chair of the Privateer Days committee, which holds the popular annual festival in the park every June.
She was impressed with people’s ideas.
“I think they’re fantastic, and I think it’s really going to revitalize both the waterfront or Privateer Park as well as some of the smaller, lesser-known venues across Queens.
“I think it was great to see the younger folks come in here and enjoy the conversation. They need to be involved in the music and the entertainment scene here.”
One of those young people was Easton Goodwin. He and some of his high school bandmates were at the event.
“I’m glad I came out tonight. Usually, not a lot of people like me come out to this kind of thing. And it’s such a great opportunity, you know? There’s a lot of voices in Queens County that really need to be heard.”
“We definitely do have some highlights, such as the Astor Theatre, a lot to explore there, but also, you know, a group of teens want to hang out Friday night, where do they go? So, some spots for people to just explore, hang out with friends, and more opportunities for the youth.”
A couple of roadblocks exist in turning the ideas into reality — finding enough funding and volunteers.
Deputy Mayor Maddie Charlton told the group that while the municipality can’t fund everything, there could be some money available for certain events.
Amirault said he’ll collect the ideas into some common themes, and then approach some local groups like the chamber to try to get things going.
“Maybe as we talked about bite sized pieces, partnerships, and focus on a few things and do them well. Maybe that’s a reasonable first step.”
Stephanie Sereda, community development co-ordinator for the Region of Queens, organized the Light Up Queens Winter Night Festival. (Rick Conrad photo)
Hundreds of people flocked to the Liverpool waterfront on Saturday evening for the first Light Up Queens Winter Night Festival.
Organize by the Region of Queens, it was a free, all-ages event designed to showcase local culture and to help people shake off the last of the winter doldrums.
Here are some of the sounds from the evening and some of the people enjoying the festivities.
Listen by using the play button below. And scroll down for more photos.
Diane Warner, Teresa Whynot, Kayla Mansfield and Michelle Roy cook up some lusknikn and blueberry tea at the Light Up Queens Winter Night Festival. It was one of the many activities or cultural demonstrations at the festival. (Rick Conrad photo)
Dozens of families took a chance to fly a kite on Saturday night with TideKite. People could also make their own kites. (Rick Conrad photo)
Hundreds turned out to the Liverpool waterfront on Saturday for the Light Up Queens Winter Night Festival. (Rick Conrad photo)
Centennial Park in Liverpool will be the site of the Light Up Queens Winter Night Festival on March 16. (Rick Conrad photo)
The Light Up Queens Winter Night Festival is back on.
It’s set for Sat., March 16 from 6 to 9 p.m. in Centennial Park on the Liverpool waterfront.
It was originally scheduled for Feb. 24, but the region postponed it because of Environment Canada warnings of flash freezing that afternoon and evening.
The event will feature more than 30 stations around the park, offering various artistic, cultural and winter-related activities.
The Visitor Information Centre will be open, with Galeforce Feasts hosting a pop-up restaurant, selling fresh seafood chowder.
The Royal Canadian Legion across the parking lot will also be selling hot dogs, chili and beef barley soup.
The legion will also host a makers’ market, featuring local artisans.
And Hell Bay will have hot beverages for adults on the menu, in addition to their usual lineup of craft beers.
In the park, one of the activities will be hosted by Special Olympics Lunenburg/Queens. They will be holding a bocce ball demonstration.
And people can also use the community coat rack, sponsored by Folk Law, United Way of Lunenburg County and Harbour House. It will feature warm winter clothes and accessories free for anybody to take home.
TideKite, which has hosted a few kite-flying demonstrations in the park, will be on site flying special kites that light up in the dark. And they’ll offer a kite-making workshop.
Bridgewater’s DJ Danimal will be providing the music.
