From Nov. 28 to Dec. 1, the Casselman Downtown Revitalization Corporation (CRCVC) will organize the 15th annual Casselman Christmas Festival.
The festival offers a wide range of activities for all residents of Casselman and neighbouring municipalities. This year, there will be interactive performances, free art exhibits, outdoor activities, and more, all under the theme of the Christmas spirit.
“This must-attend event in Eastern Ontario promises a variety of activities that will appeal to everyone,” said Antonella De Dona, President of the CRCVC.
Festival highlights include a street party featuring local band Hometown, Franco-Ontarian group LGS, and DJ Martin Lalonde. Tickets are $30 in advance and $40 at the door.
The festival will also feature the Casselman Knights of Columbus bingo, with a grand prize of up to $2,500. On Friday, Nov. 29, Ste-Euphémie Parish will host Marie-Élaine Thibert, who will perform the show Joyeux Noël. Tickets are $50.
Casselman’s Christmas Festival wouldn’t be complete without the Christmas Market, which will take place from Friday, November 30, to December 1 at 750 Principale Street. Over a dozen local and regional artists will be present with a variety of products for all tastes. As is customary in Canada, a Christmas festival wouldn’t be complete without hockey. For its 14th edition, Casselman’s Christmas Festival is organizing a four-on-four street hockey tournament on Principale Street. Nearly 300 players have registered, with categories ranging from U7 to U18, as well as adult and women’s divisions.
A new addition this year is the Christmas choir, which will perform on Saturday, November 30, at 7:00 p.m. The PLEINCHANT Choir from Ottawa, a group of Franco-Ontarians from the Orleans area and surroundings, will present Un enfant et son tambour. Tickets are available for $25 at Créations Mesmoizelles and online.
Other activities throughout the Casselman Christmas Festival include a bonfire and beer garden, a graffiti workshop, letter writing to Santa, a Santa visit, face painting for kids, the military whist game, a community breakfast, a Drums Alive session, the children’s show Christmas Magic Theater, and the Santa Claus parade.
This year’s main partner is Desjardins which donated $5,000. The Diamond category includes six companies that donated $2,500 each, the Platinum category has seven with $1,000 donations each, the Gold category has 19 businesses that contributed $500 each, and the Silver category has 13 with donations of $200 each.
The CRCVC also received a $20,000 grant from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sport under the Ontario Experience 2024 program. This funding supports festivals and events that have an economic impacton tourism, encouraging visitors to explore Ontario, offering local experiences, and boosting tourism spending.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.CasselmanFestival.ca.
