Sunday, June 10, 2012

Farm Market, Waterfront Fest, Canada Day Port Credit Summer Fun

Farmers Market Saturdays,  Mississauga Waterfront Festival on Fathers Day Weekend, and Canada Day July 1 parade and fireworks: Port Credit launches summertime festivals and events. And DO come to lunch this Wednesday!

Undeterred by yesterday's forecast rain, a lively throng turned out for the opening ceremonies on the first day of the 2012 Saturday Farmers Market, the unofficial start of Port Credit's summertime festival season.

Canada Day, Buskerfest, Famers Market logos on Port Credit BIA trailer.
Port Credit BIA Festival Trailer at Farmers Market
The gaily-painted Port Credit BIA trailer shows all the major summer festivals and events in the Village: MWF is the Mississauga Waterfront Festival, Paint the Town Red is Canada Day celebrations, Buskerfest is street theatre (mid-August) and Southside Shuffle is the jazz and music fest that is held the weekend after Labour Day (September).

Councillor Jim Tovey Opening Ceremony Farmers Market
 Port Credit area councillor, Jim Tovey (center), welcomed market-goers at Port Credit, along with representatives of the BIA and the Paint the Town Red committee. For a full list of events this summer in Port Credit, see the BIA site.

La Villa bakery  farmers market stall, Port Credit ON.
John Bozzo, La Villa Bakery stall Farmers Market
 Johnny Bozzo, the driving force behind Port Credit's 'Paint the Town Red' committee and the owner of La Villa Fine Foods and Bakery, mans his stall at the Farmers Market before his opening-ceremony duties. La Villa sponsors many events in the village, and always has a stall at the market.

Buns, pizza, muffins and coffee cakes tempting wares at Port Credit famers market.
Coffee Cakes and Bread La Villa market stall Port Credit.
 As I was taking photos of the Opening Ceremony, the aroma of something delicious wafted by. I turned to see these gorgeous coffee cakes laden with fruit. How tempting are they? But I resisted, and instead came home with fresh bagels and muffins.

See photos of produce and more from last year's market here (and a map). (I'd forgotten the Bollywood connection for last year's launch until I went to look up the post.) The market sets up in the city parking lot adjacent to the LCBO store.

Baskets of annuals and bedding plants for sale at Port Credit Farmers Market.
Bedding Plants at Farmers Market
 At this time of year, several vendors offer bedding plants, annuals and shrubs at the market, such as these cheery petunias shown above. Another vendor had large potted shrubs and perennials.  The market offerings change from week to week with new and different stalls setting up each Saturday.

Colourful pots and vases of cut flowers and tropical plants surround Stavebank Florist stall.
Stavebank Florist Stall at Farmers Market 
 Local flower shop Stavebank Florist set up a very fetching stall at the Farmers Market -- just the ticket to brighten a cloudy day! The store is located just west of Hurontario on the north side of Lakeshore Road East.  Note that street parking is paid parking weekdays and Saturdays, though some side streets have free parking. There are also a limited number of free parking spots at the market itself.

Local business Taste the 4th Sense display of jars of Bone-Sucking Mustard at farmers market.
Taste the 4th Sense Jars of Mustard 
Show me a stack of jars labelled Bone Suckin' Mustard and you just know I will take a picture! Demonstrating the diversity of offerings at the Farmers Market as well as in Port Credit at large are these tempting jars from Taste the 4th Sense on Lakeshore Road East, a few blocks east of the Market.

Ellen Timms (microphone) Farmers Market Opening Ceremonies
And that's a wrap! Ellen Timms, general manager Port Credit BIA, wraps up the Market opening day launch with an invitation for everyone to come to Port Credit next weekend -- June 15-17 -- for the annual Mississauga Waterfront Festival as well as Sunday, July 1, for Canada Day all-day and evening celebrations.


Come for lunch This Wednesday!
“Taste of Port Credit” Media Launch hosted by The PCBIA and Paint the Town Red Port Credit Community Association at the Port Credit Light House (105 Lakeshore Rd. W.) 
Wednesday June 13, 2012, 11:00am – 1:00pm 
Special Guest Celebrity Chef  is Rob Rainford of the FoodNetwork Canada’s License to Grill 
Food and refreshments will be provided by local restaurants. 
 Local chefs will be barbecuing on site.

 Note:

  •  All events at the Mississauga Waterfront Festival are free this year; in previous years, tickets were sold for the main stage shows.
  •  Canada Day events are free, including the fireworks at 10:15 p.m. July 1, with a reminder that no private fireworks are allowed.


See www.portcredit.com/festivals-a-events for full list of events this summer in Port Credit.