Summer Santa Claus is coming to town!
Events are returning to Newmarket, with Market Brewing Co. playing host to Christmas in July in support of Abuse Hurts, Saturday, July 24. The free festive fundraiser will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“Christmas is about giving,” Lynnette Lanning, director of development at Abuse Hurts, said.
The family and pet-friendly event will feature a Christmas market to support local vendors, live music, a food truck, and of course, pictures with summer Santa.
“Summer Santa is definitely different than regular Santa,” Lanning said. “It’s the summer, so he’s on vacation and he’s in his Bahama shirt, and his board shorts and some flip flops and drinking out of a pineapple.”
The event will also be the early kickoff for the Abuse Hurts toy drive. Attendees are encouraged to bring a new unwrapped toy or gift card and they hope to fill a van with the donations.
“Our demand for toys and gifts last year was higher than it had been before, but our intake was a lot less,” Lanning said.
In 2020, with the pandemic they found it challenging to hold their regular holiday toy drive, and didn’t get anywhere near the amount of donations they had received in previous years.
They hope by starting the drive really early this year, they’ll be able to take stock of what they still need closer to Christmas.
For Market Brewing Co., this is one of several major events they’ve hosted since more pandemic restrictions eased.
“In my mind, an event like Christmas in July is an all-around win for everyone involved and that's my outlook when hosting fun events here,” Piers Simpkin, the brewery’s owner, said. “For the general public, it is a chance to come hang out with the family and learn more about what Abuse Hurts does, support the cause and do something goofy like celebrating Christmas in July since we've missed so many important life events in the last year and a half.”
To make sure everything is as safe as possible when hosting events, the brewery takes advantage of their large patio and “chill hill.” They also provide their own hand sanitizer called Bare Hands at every entry and exit.
“We couldn't be happier, the atmosphere here and the community vibe is one of my favourite parts about our establishment, so to have everything come back to life has been the best,” Simpkin said. “We can't wait for all the epic events and memories to be made here in the coming months.”
Market Brewing Co. has already brought back Tuesday trivia nights, fitness classes on Wednesday, live music on Fridays, and open their space on Saturday for events and initiatives like the Christmas in July fundraiser.
“People are Zoomed out. They want to be in person and going places and doing things,” Lanning said.
For people hoping to get in the early holiday spirit, they can go to the fundraiser for free without having to register in advance. However, they can also make a donation to Abuse Hurts online.
