MUSKOKA, ON-The 35th Bala Cranberry Festival has donated over $50,000 to various community groups.
On December 18th, the festival organizers announced that the collected $43,985 will be distributed to 27 community groups, one community project and five youth scholarships. These include local youth sports, local youth outreach and support programs including the YMCA, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Muskoka, One Kids Place, and Opening Doors for Young Women of Muskoka.
An additional $7,641 was raised in donations as well as art subsidies, free booth space for not-for-profit groups, paid parking fundraising initiatives, and building rentals of not-for-profit groups.
Festival Chair Jordan Mulligan said that “this is what makes the Bala Cranberry Festival so very special. Hundreds of volunteers come together to put on an incredible weekend, one of the most genuine displays of community pride you will ever come across.”
According to the organizers of the festival, this event years was one of the most successful to date. Occurring the weekend after Thanksgiving, the festival saw 16,000 attendees who contributed to raising the $50,000.
In an interview with the MyMuskokaNow.com newsroom, Office Manager for the Cranberry Festival Tania Cowley said that this event is a massive economic boost for the community. “This event brings together locals and tourists to support youth groups and have a fun time while doing it.”