Mayor’s Picnic Makes a Comeback

Cornwall’s Mayor Aaron Horovitz was much loved for the annual children’s picnics that he chaired and funded from his own resources from 1939 until 1957. The programme typically included a parade through the streets, athletic competitions, pie-eating contests, assorted entertainment and free refreshments for City youth on an August weekday.

1955 was the final year that the annual Mayor’s Annual Children’s Picnic was held at the City’s popular Central Park. In 1956 the event was re-located to the more spacious Athletic Grounds since the City was in the process of becoming larger by about 29 square miles and a crowd of 10,000 children was drawn that year. Pictured is local restauranteur Reg Woodward on his white horse Porkchop; they led the parade. Among the dignitaries in attendance was Ontario Premier Leslie Frost (shaking hands with Woodward) who was in the area inspecting the St. Lawrence Power Project.

The community witnessed a revived Mayor’s Picnic in Lamoureux Park on Canada’s 125^th birthday in 1992. And now your local Canada 150 Committee is resurrecting the popular Mayor’s Picnic in Lamoureux Park this Victoria Day Monday, May 22^nd from 11 am – 4 pm (rain or shine).

Children and Adult Activities include:  Beach volleyball, Children’s dash races, Egg and water balloon toss, Face painting, Horseshoe tournament, Inflatable castles and courses, Kite Festival, Olde Car Show & Shine, Family poker run, Potato sac races, Three-legged races, Wheelbarrow races and more!

Your Cornwall Community Museum is also a proud participant in this event. We will be open on the holiday Monday from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. as will the City’s brand new Tourism Office that we are very pleased to have sharing space with us as of this summer. Please stop by and check out our historic Mayor’s Picnic exhibit on the 22^nd.

Food:  Grilled hot dogs at olde fashioned prices provided courtesy of the Kinsmen and Optimist Clubs. Other food vendors will also be on-site.

Diverse Live Local Entertainment:  Following the Official opening at 1 pm at the Band shell.

Free Transit shuttle:  Cornwall Transit will be offering a free shuttle to Lamoureux Park during the Mayor’s Picnic!

Photo courtesy of the SD&G Historical Society.