DESIRÉE DECOSTE

STAFF WRITER

A pop-up party event saw over 200 people in Macaulay Village on Saturday enjoying some winter fun.

As an inaugural event, Winterfest invited people of all ages to come enjoy the free event at Picton Heights Playground on London Ave from 1-4 p.m.on Jan. 21.

Winterfest organizers Hale Fergsuon, Krista Dalby and Katy McIntyre. (Desirée Decoste/Gazette Staff)

The Department of Illumination and the Baxter Arts Centre with partnerships with the Prince Edward Learning Centre and Greater Than County Youth Collective created and led this event.

“It’s a pop-up event,” said Hale Ferguson to The Gazette. “We’re hosting this on behalf of the Department of Illumination with partnerships with Prince Edward Learning Centre, Batxer Arts, Feed Me Love, Thrive and other community organizations that are looking forward to providing free and accessible activities for marginalized folks here in PEC.”

The main focus of the event was to listen to what community members need/what resources they need and then working on providing those needs.

“I think the main focus is focussing on listening to what resources people are needing and then providing that,” Ferguson expressed. “Listening and doing rather then just listening is kind of what were hoping to do with this.”

(Desirée Decoste/Gazette Staff)

Families enjoyed giant jenga, chili from Feed Me Love, s’mores, hot chocolate, free books from County Kids Read, book readings and other activities/games.

“People from the committee contacted me just because we live in the heights so it was a natural sort of fit and they were looking for someone to make some food so we did that,” said AJ Johnston from Feed Me Love “Just a good way to help the community out and have some fun.”

Also present for the event with their giant paper-machete puppets of themselves were comedy duo Gavin North and Lenny Epstein from Short Attention Spa.

For more information on the Department of Illumination please visit www.deptofillumination.org/

For more information on the Baxter Arts Centre please visit www.baxterartscentre.org/

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