Events: 2nd Annual Garden Festival

Garden BUZZ... Garden Festival Grows to the Street

All may seem quiet, but the Garden Festival Committee can assure you it has been quite the contrary! First, we would like to thank all of the businesses, sponsors, and volunteers who have shown interest in taking part in Cornell's first street festival! Without you, this vision would not be realized.

The Garden Festival Committee this year consists of SayItCornell.com, volunteer members of the CRPA Board, a member of The Condo Board, active residents of Cornell (ARC), and friends from the GTA, all working together to plan, execute, and operate Cornell’s first street celebration, the 2nd Annual Garden Festival. The Committee is founded and chaired by Sheila Wilson, co-chaired by Jeannie Daniels-Burry, and supported by hard-working members that include (in alphabetical order) Elaine Cato, Stuart Lender, Gordon Parr, Elaine Rabang-Corpuz, Renee Torrington, and Fiona Wu. We are very excited to present this event to the community of Cornell and to all of Markham. Please see below for what we have in store for you!

Garden Festival VENDORS

The Garden Festival Committee has strived to incorporate as many local businesses into this event. It's about sustaining relationships and creating a network where everyone comes out on top. This year’s vendors include:

Benjamin Moore: paint, paint supplies, and vibrant colours to choose from;
Candlelight Painting: paint services and professional ideas from Cornell's friendly painter – face painting booth;
Communities in Bloom Department: find out more about beautifying your neighbourhood – craft table;
Cornell Dental Centre: celebrity smile contest;
Cornell Montessori: montessori-certified teacher opens daycare opportunities in her home;
D4 Dezigns: crystal and sterling silver jewellery;
Ferguson Foods: BBQ burgers, hot dogs, chicken kebobs, and 'vogs' plus popular giant-pickles-on-a-stick;
Home Depot: do-it-yourself seminars, do-it-yourself kits for tool sheds and gazebos, fences and decks;
Jeffery Lee Stained Glass: stained glass for your windows and garden;
Kate's Garden: garden seminars, garden apparel and supplies;
Karyn Lewis, Mary Kay Skin Care & Beauty Consultant: sun and garden skin care products;
Lakefront Lighting and Sound: inground lighting for around your property;
Los Cielo En Tierra: funky purses and unique shell jewellery;
Milo and Friends Dog Show: dog agility course and pet tricks;
Necker (Awnings) Canada Inc.: awnings and backyard shade ideas;
N.J. Lindguist: award-winning author and former Markham Economist and Sun columnist, N J. Lindquist will read a short excerpt from her mystery, "Shaded Light" and talk about writing;
Nomis Enterprise: professional decks and fences;
Passion for Desserts: fresh fruit crepes and other delights from your neighbourhood dessert catering company;
Precious G: fun jewellery for all ages;
Pooch SPAW: pet retail for pet ideas and don’t forget to bring your furry companion for some grooming;
Sandra Gilchrist: fashion apparel for Breast Cancer;
Scarborough Family Golf: will host a volleyball and golf clinic with the CVPS Girls Volleyball Team to support the purchase of volleyballs for Cornell Village Public School;
Sierra Sprinklers Ltd.: in-ground irrigation system for your garden;
Stratton Landscape Design: professional landscape design for home and business;
Sun Country Furniture:outdoor teak patio furniture;
Sue Firkser and Hanna Guirges: ECO-ART project invites you to make tiles for a permanent art/sculpture in Cornell’s Christian Reesor Park. Theme of the project is "Everyone Under the Sun" – find out more;
Thirst-For-Books: serving lemonade-by-donation for books at the CVPS library;
Town of Markham: panel presentation of Cornell parks under construction and future park space in Cornell. This will be held indoors alongside the Garden Festival Art Exhibit at 122 Cornell Park Ave;
Whittamore's Farm: fresh fruit and vegetables from our local farm; and,
Yalian Canada: patio furniture.

Garden Festival SPONSORS

Of course, we are in very grateful to our incredible sponsors who have contributed funds or services towards this event. With their contribution, residents, guests, and children can look forward to the Children's Chalk Garden, a seed planting, music, clowns, a magic show, a giant inflatable slide, and advertising. In alphabetical order:

Academic Vision: Entertainment Sponsor ($50);
Candlelight Painting: painting and plastering services for Garden Festival Art Exhibit;
Cornell Dental Centre: Entertainment Sponsor ($100);
Dominique and Jennifer Allard, Royal LePage: Children’s Activities Exclusive Sponsor ($500);
Jam Communications: Contract design and layout
Rileys' Window Cleaning: Window preparation for Garden Festival's Art Exhibit
Rodeen Antrobus and Tami Ferguson, Sutton Group Heritage Realty Inc.: Giant Inflatable Slide Sponsor ($500); and,
Sheila Wilson, Graphic Designer & Artist: Logo, design, and marketing.

Garden Festival ART EXHIBIT

Many thanks to David Black of Monopoly, we have the 'old Royal Bank space' at 122 Cornell Park Avenue to use during Garden Festival. We would like to use a portion of the space to showcase local artwork for the duration of our event – paintings, watercolours, drawings, sculptures, and photography. Find out more or call Stuart at 905.201.2280. Exhibition includes:

Rob Aloe, acrylic abstracts
Sally Billet, acrylics and watercolours
Dorothy Boland, watercolours
Sue Firkser, acrylic and oil paintings
Linda Irvine, watercolours
Lynne Jones, photography
Stuart Lender, mixed media
Michael Lorne, photography
Christine Nicoll, photography
Lisa Peters, photography
Michael Pilon, photography
Murray Pipher, acrylics
Joelle Segal, watercolours
Helen Walter, acrylics

Garden Festival CUT-A-THON

It is always nice to see businesses give back in the form of charity! This year at Garden Festival, three stylists from three separate hair salons in Markham are banding together to raise money for Wigs For Kids. Save your child's summer haircut until June 25th! All the money raised at this cut-a-thon* will be donated to making wigs for kids, specifically for children who are receiving treatment for cancer. It's a fantastic cause and we, the Garden Festival Committee, are proud to support it! Haircuts are priced at an affordable $10 each! Participating stylists are as follows:

Joseph Schillaci, Backstage Hair
Tel: 905.294.8392

Domenic Pullano, Cornell Hair
Tel: 905.294.9003

Adriana Salvino, Styles of Creation
Tel: 905.471.4545

* Please note that Garden Festival's Cut-a-thon will not be collecting hair. $10 will be collected per hair-cut and donated to the Wigs For Kids charity.

Garden Festival ADOPT-A-PARK

With the Adopt-A-Park, and as by tradition, we are incorporating the beautifying Markham Communities in Bloom element to our garden-themed festival. This year, garden plans from 2005 will be mirrored exactly on the north-west corner of The Mews Park. Again, volunteers will be sought for planting and maintaining the new bed so don't forget to sign up!