After heavy rain Saturday and Sunday morning, Mother Nature smiled kindly on the Sault’s First Teddy Bear Picnic at Thomson Farms, Sunday.
Event Director Steph Tudin says close to 1,000 residents attended the event, adding there was a long line of cars for the Picnic’s mid-morning start.
“Right from 10 a.m.,” says Tudin. “The line-up was just down the street. We sold tickets ahead of time, and we were hoping they would so we would know what the numbers would look like, but many, many, many people came out day of, and we’re all super pumped about that.”
The Teddy Bear Picnic raises funds for KidSport, a local organization that provides grants to cover registration fees so that all kids aged 18 and under can play a season of their favorite sport. KidSport provides grants of up to $500 per child, per year.
Tudin says more than $3,000 was raised Sunday.
She says KidSport promises to be a great addition to the city.
There were plenty of activities for kids, including tractor rides, face-painting, balloon-making, petting the goats and assorted games.
Live music from The Hustle Brothers and Bookclub filled the air.
Budding local children’s books author Kirstin Dias was also on hand.
Vendors sold farm-fresh produce, popcorn, baked goodies and made-to-order cotton candy.
Draws were held for large models of luxury vehicles. The vehicles came courtesy of local businesses.
Tudin says she’s thrilled to be a part of an event geared to kids. She calls the first-ever Picnic a complete success.
“It was amazing to see our community come together and to see so many smiles on everyone’s faces. We want Thomson Farms to be a hub in the city for families. We also feel the city needs more events like these and judging by the turn out on this first event, it’s very apparent!
We’ve already rebooked the bands and our vendors to come back for Sunday June 22, 2025. We already have plans for some new vendors and other sneaky surprises!”
