Variety of goods offered at Toronto Christmas event
CHRISTMAS SCENE — Many turned out Saturday to shop for a wide variety of Christmas decorations and gifts sold by 39 vendors who occupied by the Commons Area and gym of the Karaffa Recreation Center for the Toronto Christmas Art Festival. The event was held by volunteers with Focus in Toronto, with proceeds going to several local causes. -- Warren Scott
AN ASSORTMENT OF CHRISTMAS ITEMS — Linda Beckett, treasurer of Focus in Toronto, surveys the many items provided by vendors at the Toronto Christmas Art Festival for use as prizes for many drawings held during the event Saturday. -- Warren Scott
CHRISTMAS SCENE — Many turned out Saturday to shop for a wide variety of Christmas decorations and gifts sold by 39 vendors who occupied by the Commons Area and gym of the Karaffa Recreation Center for the Toronto Christmas Art Festival. The event was held by volunteers with Focus in Toronto, with proceeds going to several local causes. -- Warren Scott
AN ASSORTMENT OF CHRISTMAS ITEMS — Linda Beckett, treasurer of Focus in Toronto, surveys the many items provided by vendors at the Toronto Christmas Art Festival for use as prizes for many drawings held during the event Saturday. -- Warren Scott
Trending
TORONTO -- From Christmas T-shirts and sweatshirts and wreaths to jewelry and baked goods, there was a wide variety of items suited for holiday decorating or gift-giving offered at the Toronto Christmas Art Festival Saturday.
A total of 39 vendors filled the Commons Area and gym of the Karaffa Recreation Center, and samples of their wares also were offered as prizes for drawings held through the day by Focus in Toronto, the volunteer group behind it.
Those who brought a canned food or other nonperishable food or a toy to the event received a free drawing entry.
Brenda Cich, its president, said proceeds from the event will go to such local causes as the Toronto Police Department's Christmas with a Cop program, Crossroads Christian Church's Toys for Toronto drive and the Helping Hands food pantry as well as Focus in Toronto's own Santa's Helpers campaign.
Through the latter effort, the group has been able to provide toys for up to 20 children in need.
Cich said the event has been held since 2008 -- with the one exception being during the pandemic -- and many now know to expect it on the weekend after the city's Christmas parade, which also is organized by Fous in Toronto.
It's a busy month for the group, which also has teamed with Hike Toronto, a volunteer group working to establish a system of recreational trails, for a new Toronto attraction.
The two groups are offering half-hour sleigh and wagon rides through the city at night so participants may see the many local homes decorated with Christmas lights.
The Holiday Lights Tours will start at 5:30 p.m. From the Toronto Red Knights Football Stadium on North Third Street and continue through the evening on Tuesday and Friday and Dec. 19 and 23.
The wagon was used in the fall trail ride offered by Hike Toronto while the sleigh is the one that carried Santa Claus in the Christmas parade and Santa is slated to accompany its passengers.
Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens, with children under 5 admitted free. They may be purchased online at focusintoronto.com/lights-tours.
Large groups may book rides on the wagon or sleigh in advance, with the sleigh available for up to 10 passengers for $42; and the wagon available for up to 20 passengers for $69.
Cich said the groups hope also to have a food truck selling refreshments to riders on Friday and Dec. 23.
The Toronto Christmas Art Festival also provided a boost to the Toronto High School Band Parents, who sold pulled pork sandwiches, hot dogs, haluski and other food in the center's kitchen.
Bridget Harris, a member of the group, noted such fundraisers have helped it to provide instruments to the students and its current goal is to furnish raincoats for the band, which has appeared in many parades, rain or shine.
"We like to take care of our band kids," she said.
Another member, Diana Scott, said the sale of food at the Christmas event and Focus in Toronto's Fall Art Festival, held each Labor Day weekend, have been very helpful to such efforts.
Scott also gave high marks to the festival itself, noting there are so many locally produced, hand-made items for sale.
"It's a really nice event," she said.