As a busy construction season winds down, this town is getting ready for a street party.
The Downtown Harriston Street Party is billed as “a fun family event” taking place on Aug. 13.
The event, presented by the Downtown Harriston Revitalization Committee, will kick off with breakfast at the Harriston Legion from 7 to 11am.
Between 10am and 4pm, the downtown will be busy with sidewalk sales, bouncy castles, barbecues and a variety of events including:
– art show and tours at The Old Post;
– Selfie Scavenger Hunt;
– “Come Home to Minto” video kiosks;
– face painting;
– performance by the Juanita Wilkins Classic Rock Band;
– farmers’ market at Tannery Park;
– two presentations by the Harriston Film Society (Frozen and Who Framed Roger Rabbit) at the old Crown Theatre on Elora Street.
In the evening, a street dance will be held from 8 to 11pm. Music will be provided by DJ Darren English and the Harriston Kinsmen Club is assisting with the dance set up.
Leslie Motors car show
The street party coincides with the Leslie Motor’s 50th anniversary Ford, Lincoln, Mercury Antique Classic Car Show, which will take place from 1 to 4pm in the downtown.
Leslie Motors is among the oldest dealerships to operate continuously in the same location.
Founded in 1913, just 10 years after the origin of the Ford Motor Company itself, the dealership celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2013.
In 2016, the business is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Leslie family’s ownership.
Ron and Gerry Leslie purchased the dealership in 1966, taking over on Nov. 1 that year and changing the name from Robinson Motors to Leslie Motors.
The couple’s oldest son Mark started washing cars part-time when he was 14 and today is a co-dealer in the business, along with his wife Lisa and brother Don. Daughter Lynda joined the business in 1991 and handles warranty for all three locations.
When Don expressed interest in becoming a co-dealer in 1999, to satisfy Ford’s requirements, the family bought a second dealership in Walkerton, which Don now operates.
Lisa Leslie, the youngest in the family, worked briefly in the business, but moved into the media field and is now a producer-director with CTV News Windsor.
A number of Ron and Gerry’s grandchildren now work part-time in the business as well.
Minto economic and business manager Belinda-Wick Graham said, “After the success of the street party last year the downtown revitalization committee decided very early on to put on another street party.
“With Leslie’s 50th Anniversary Car show it was a perfect fit,” she added, noting that once again the festivities will tie in with the end of a major street construction project, at the north end of Elora Street.
To pre-register a vehicle for the classic Ford show go to lesliemotors.com/ford-show.
