The Bike Night events run by the Winchester Downtown Revitalization Committee (WDRC) have been a familiar activity for area families on summer Thursday nights in the past few years. On September 14, residents of North Dundas and beyond were treated to something truly special: a Saturday Bike Night!
The word “night” is used loosely here, since Winchester was bustling for most of the day on Saturday with activities and motorcycles on display as early as 10 am. The Bike Night event also coincided with “Winchester Raises the Roof!”, a fundraising endeavor for the new Dundas Manor. The WDRC partnered with the Garden Party Market, Foodland Winchester, and the North Dundas Chamber of Commerce to make the day a great success.
The Garden Party Market took place from 10 am to 2 pm at the Arena park. Winchester Foodland ran family friendly parking lot activities as well as “Fries for Charity” from 11 am to 1 pm. Some considered the main attraction of the daytime to be OPP Golden Helmets Precision Motorcycle Team performing on Main Street from 2 pm to 3 pm, with a meet and greet with the Glengarry Pipe Band ushering them in.
From 3 pm to 5 pm, there was family friendly entertainment in Sweet Corner Park, including opportunities to meet local weather forecaster, Connor Mockett, as well as former NHL player, Slater Koekkoek.
The main Bike Night attraction – a street party with plenty of opportunities to socialize and be entertained by 21 Gun Salute – took place from 4 pm to 9 pm.
When communities celebrate together, great things happen. As we see with the many events that happen in North Dundas throughout the year, there doesn’t even need to be a special occasion to celebrate. Family friendly events get people out of the house and enjoying much needed social time and a break away from the stresses of everyday life. For the kids and teens, the excitement of these events can make memories that last a lifetime, with the added bonus of quality time spent with family, and a break from screen time.
The September 14 Bike Night was the last one scheduled for 2024, but families in North Dundas and beyond are sure to look forward to next year’s events. For those who missed the event and want to learn what Bike Nights are all about, the WDRC has created a promotional YouTube video that can be found at
https://youtu.be/aeC88uokDOg?si=ip3tLt4FOr9Pk8s9
