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When the Toronto Art Festival opens its two-day run at 10 a.m. Saturday, it will mark the renewal of a Labor Day tradition that stretches back to the late 1970s.
There will be plenty of entertainment -- performances are planned by the Toronto High School Band, 40 Plus and Twice as Nice on Saturday, and by Friends, the Remainders, the Tri-State Community Band and the Ron Retzer Trio on Sunday.
That's just the beginning. The weekend will include the selection of Little Miss Lion, performances by the Toronto Junior High School and Titans cheerleaders and a local dance studio.
Toronto students who were top finishers in a poetry contest will have the chance to present their compositions. Bounce houses and other activities for children will be available.
Food traditionally has played a major role in the event, and there will be a selection of food trucks, as well as offerings from the Toronto High School Band Parents and Riverview United Methodist Church. And, of course, the Toronto Lions will be serving up their famous chicken dinners.
Sections of North Third and Market streets will be lined with booths featuring hundreds of items, from scented soaps and candles to wreaths and baked goods. There will be prize drawings and a couple of special drawings -- one for $500 in gas cards.
And all of that activity happens in the area around the city's Gazebo Commons, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Sponsored by Focus in Toronto, the festival, which will be marking its 45th year, is a perfect fit with the group's goal of drawing attention to Toronto and supporting local causes.
The Toronto Art Festival is another example of an event that celebrates small-town America at its best, and another example of the good things that make the Tri-State Area a special place to live.