Tillsonburg's New Year's Eve celebration at the Rotary Clock Tower returns after one-year hiatus
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After a one-year hiatus, the Tillsonburg BIA and the Town of Tillsonburg, with support from local service clubs, are bringing back Tillsonburg's Dec. 31st New Year's Eve Celebration at the Rotary Clock Tower - in a big way.
"The town, at their budget meeting, decided to contribute $4,000 toward the fireworks, with the understanding this committee would be seeking sponsorship from local service clubs and donors," said Virginia Armstrong, executive director of the Tillsonburg Business Improvement Area Association, and coordinator of the town's newly formed New Year's Eve committee.
"Some of the service clubs are coming forward with donations," she said, not identifying those clubs yet until it becomes official.
And the committee has already received two citizen donations of $100 each, she noted.
"It all kind of came about quickly," said Armstrong, who is currently joined on the committee by Colleen Pepper, Marketing & Partnerships Officer for the Town of Tillsonburg; Carolyn Lamers, Easy 101/Country 107.3; Cedric Tomico, Nu Decor; Tillsonburg Councillor Brian Stephenson; Sarabeth Strathdee; and Erin Getty.
"We're working on several activities for the evening," said Armstrong. "We are doing a Golf Ball Contest – Colleen has the details on that, more information coming soon... watch for the golf balls.
"We are going to have music provided by Easy 101 from 10 p.m. to 12:30 p.m."
There is public skating at the Tillsonburg Community Centre. Last year it was 7-9 p.m. on New Year's Eve, but it will likely be extended to 10 p.m., she said.
"People can come down to the Clock Tower after the skating and join the street dance."
There will be food and non-alcoholic beverages (FREE hot chocolate and cider) available.
If anyone - services, companies, industries - would like to contribute by sponsoring a portion of this event, contact Armstrong at downtowntillsonburg@hotmail.com or 519-842-5757, or Brian Stephenson at bstephenson@tillsonburg.ca.
"We welcome community contributions of any sort, whether it be participation, sponsorship, donations – our focus is to make it a community event and continue the tradition as it was in the past when it was done by the Rotary. The Rotary did a great job of it."
Fireworks will take place following the traditional midnight countdown to ring in the New Year.
"I'm looking forward to it," Armstrong summed up. "It should be a great night."