Owen Sound came alive this past weekend to celebrate the holiday season.
The festivities began on Friday with the start of the new grassroots event HockeyFest, a spiritual successor to Hockey Day in Canada which was held in the city last year.
The event included east versus west high school games with both the boys and girls teams.
On the Saturday, girls hockey started with the Ice Hawks playing a number of games before the Bayshore welcomed the women from the University of Waterloo Warriors, who faced off against the York University Lions.
Owen Sound Mayor Ian Boddy says he is really confident, based on the past weekend, HockeyFest is going to become an annual event.
“Promoting women’s hockey is the next growth area for the sport,” says Boddy.
While the university game was ongoing, the River District’s Holiday Magic event kicked off which included outdoor seating, fire tables, photos with Santa, and more.
This led to the 78th annual Kiwanis Santa Claus parade with many local businesses, teams and organizations taking part, as well as local dignitaries including Boddy, and MP and the MPP for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound Alex Ruff and Rick Byers.
Boddy says he does not think he has seen quite that large of a crowd in recent years which lined 2nd Avenue East.
“It was perfect weather so it was great to see so many people out,” says Boddy.
Following the parade, children and youth were invited to take part in organized road hockey.
“It looked like fun, it looked like the kids were having lots of fun and that’s just adding to the festival and the spirit of the festival,” says Boddy.
The night was capped with the lighting of the Festival of Northern Lights.
“A lot of people were out wandering around and looking at the lights and they will be up until after Christmas, it’s a big attraction for our community,” says Boddy.
The lights will be up until January 7, 2024 and viewable from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. each night at Harrison Park and downtown.