Maynooth is getting ready for Santa and Christmas with their “Brighten the Night” event on Saturday December the 13th. Forty vendors of baking, breads, jewellery, quilts, soaps, creams, décor, fashion accessories and much more will fill the Hastings Highlands Centre from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the Maynooth Farmers Market Christmas crafts show.
Up the street inside the old community centre HART’s 9th annual Kritter Kringle Toonie Sale kicks off at 9:30 a.m. and runs until 3:30 p.m., with great gifts and gift certificates donated by local artists and business owners. The draw begins at 3:00 p.m. The Kringle Dog show is at 11:30 a.m. with all sizes and species welcome.
St. Andrew’s-Bethel United Church will be serving chili and soup and Holy Trinity Anglican Church will be displaying the Nativity Scene while serving tea and sandwiches.
If the weather isn’t too brutal expect Cec Andrus to bring his beautiful team of horses from Rockfield Farm for wagon rides around town at a toonie per person.
At 4:00 p.m. floats start lining up along Young Street (behind the old community centre) to be judged for three cash prizes of $75, donated by No Frills, Vance Motors and the Maynooth branch of Scotia Bank. No preregistration is required.
The Brighten the Night parade begins at 5:00 p.m., and features the once a year appearance of Rudolph the Reindeer, as created by Kevin Hockley of Hockley Studios.
Donations to the Maynooth and Area Food Bank will be accepted along the parade route by a vehicle provided by M.G. Daly.
The kids’ party begins at 5:30 p.m., at the ANAF Hall, following the parade. Santa Claus will be in there handing out gift bags.
Brighten the Night is presented by Maynooth & Hastings Highlands Business Association members in partnership with the veterans of the Army, Navy, Air Force (Maynooth), the Municipality of Hastings Highlands, the Ontario Provincial Police and its Auxiliary officers. Organizers very much appreciate the continuing support of Beth Pepin, Kevin Vance, and Karen Wadsworth for prize donations and to all the people who do the hard work that goes into creating their floats.