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Spring Family Funfest opening this Saturday at West Zwick’s Park kicks off a summer season in Belleville of live events and community entertainment, members of the Economic and Destination Development Committee Thursday.
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From a return of past successful events like Pop-Ups on the bay and Downtown at Dusk to the inaugural Caribbean Festival, residents have a lot to look forward to this summer — considering city parks are booked solid with events from June to August.
The free-admission Family Funfest takes place on Saturday at West Zwick’s Park and offers a range of art focused family activities like face painting, crafts, family art projects, button making and even a petting zoo.
There will also be interactive exhibits on display from Glanmore House and Quinte Conservation as well as food and an artisan market.
The event is run in partnership with the Mayor’s Week of the Arts which highlights a plethora of seasoned and talented artists in the city.
“Whether it’s painting… (or) doing face art, it’s always a lot of fun,” Jill Raycroft, CEO of the Belleville Chamber of Commerce, told committee members in an update.
Belleville’s anticipated Caribbean Festival is slated to take place June 25 and aims to be a celebration of culture, music, dance and food. Taking notes from Toronto’s famed Caribbean Carnival, a main stage set up on Front St. will serve as the centerpiece during a feast for the senses.
“On the main stage we’ll have steel pan drums, Caribbean costume dancers, and a DJ set up for the day. We’ll also have a number of local musicians and dance groups as well,” said Elisha Purchase, Development and Tourism Coordinator at the City of Belleville. A lot of that entertainment when they’re not on this main stage will be strolling entertainment on the street.”
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The Caribbean festival is just the latest in a recent push by the city to host more diverse and culturally educational events.
Similar to Diwali celebrations hosted by Belleville in October by Indian students and community members, the Caribbean festival is being planned by individuals from Caribbean nations.
“They know their culture. So it’s been incredibly important to have them spearhead this,” said Purchase. “A goal through our strategic plan is to look at diversity and bring that infusion of culture into the downtown.”
Belleville’s summer is also looking up with the return of two city mainstays at West Zwick’s Park, Canada Day on July 1 and the Belleville Waterfront and Multicultural Festival running from July 7-10.
“It definitely feels like we’re in pre-COVID times — obviously COVID is something that we have to live with, I think, forever,” said Purchase. “I think there’s a lot of enthusiasm from people who are organizing events who are attending events and enthusiasm from the business community, especially the tourism industry.”
