Another spring weekend approaches and with it comes another signature event.
We’re talking about the Chatham Kinsmen Festival, a mainstay at the grounds of Memorial Arena in Chatham, running May 28 to 31.
Charlie Quenneville, treasurer for the Kinsmen, said the event, which the Kinsmen took over from the Jaycees 21 years ago, has morphed over the years. It used to be known as the Kinsmen Fair, but the club added more activities outside the carnival/fair atmosphere.
“It’s transitioned into a festival a few years ago. We have more activities for everyone,” Quenneville said.
That includes crafters and vendors on site each day of the fair, face painting, and various types of entertainment.
TJ Stables brings its petting zoo to the festival on the Sunday, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
And jugglers will take to the grounds on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
“It’s something different for us,” Quenneville said of the jugglers. “We think it will be a positive for the festival.”
Those jugglers will be roaming the grounds, performing between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on the Saturday, and noon to 3 p.m. Sunday.
The jugglers will be performing hand balancing, contortion, partner aerobatics, a group hoop and more fun, Quenneville said.
Over the course of the festival, children and teenagers will have a chance to enter a draw for a gift card worth $250 towards a new bike sponsored by Canadian Tire.
There will be a colouring contest featuring Elmer the Safety Elephant. Quenneville said the contest never has a shortage of entries.
At the heart of the festival is the midway. World’s Finest Shows returns to run things. All-day ride passes are available, including at Giant Tiger.
While hopping on the rides costs money, getting into the fair is free. Quenneville said organizers made it that way about eight years ago.
He added the festival is a win-win for all involved, including the club’s members who volunteer before and during the event.
“It keeps all our members active,” he said. “It’s a nice community activity as well. We work together to give back to the community, which is good.”
The festival is a fundraiser for the Kinsmen, who pour the money raised into a plethora of activities for children in the region.
“We support many activities, including minor sports, with this,” Quenneville said. “We work together.”
The fair opens at 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Quenneville said the families generally start showing up in numbers about 5 p.m.
Naturally, Mother Nature plays a role in the success of the fair. Quenneville said she’s been a fine supporter in recent years, but everyone always keeps their fingers crossed.
May 28 and 29 are community days, where the Kinsmen encourage people to bring donations in support of the local food banks. Quenneville said the Kinsmen will match all donations.
“To help the community, we do sponsor the Chatham Goodfellows and Salvation Army,” Quenneville sad. “We also want to promote to the community. Whatever goods they bring, we’ll match them. We just want to help folks who need food in our community.”
The festival runs from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and from noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, and finishes up Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
Details of the festival activities can be found at www.chathamkinsmen.ca and follow the links.
