For Candace Dyck’s three children, Kade, Blake and Maclane, the highlight of this year’s Fall Fun Fest was easy to pick — the pumpkin carving contest.
“The kids love it,” said Dyck, smiling while she watched the three of them proudly create their masterpieces.
“They always do such nice community events here,” she said.
Held on Saturday afternoon at Revel Realty Inc. in Virgil, the third annual Fall Fun Fest offered plenty of activities for families to participate in, from a bouncy castle to fall-themed games.
But for most attendees, it was the personal touch and community spirit which made the day special, as attested to by Dyck and her family.
Andrew Perrie, the organizer and owner of the Fine Estates Team out of Revel Realty, said he was thrilled with the turnout, as the festival ran from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“All our events have either a family aspect or a youth aspect to them,” he said. “This year, we did a pumpkin carving contest and colouring contest.”
Not only are the contest entries free, but Perrie said the prizes include an exciting $500 worth of Toronto Maple Leafs tickets.
With better-than-expected fall weather — sunny and a comfortable 20 degrees — he said the scene was filled with families enjoying the activities and local vendors.
For Perrie, hosting free events like this one is about giving back to the community.
“As a real estate company, and as a local realtor here, we like to give back to the community. All our events are always free, and they usually have some type of either charity or giveaway,” he said.
As the day wrapped up and kids left with painted faces, Perrie said he hopes the Fall Fun Fest will continue to grow each year, creating a lasting tradition for Niagara-on-the-Lake families.