After hosting its first successful fundraising event during the COVID-19 pandemic in July, the Town of the Blue Mountains (TBM) will be pushing forward with a second event this fall.
“We ran a very successful Lobsterfest and we're going to be running an Oktoberfest here in the coming weeks,” said TBM Mayor, Alar Soever. “It will be held with social distancing in mind.”
In July, the TBM adjusted its annual Lobsterfest event to suit the current times, offering a take-out version of the traditional dine-in meal, as well as an outdoor dining option.
Lobsterfest generated $22,000 in net proceeds, which were distributed between the TBM Grants and Donations Committee, Beaver Valley Outreach, and the Marsh Street Centre.
Building on the success of Lobsterfest, the TBM will be hosting Oktoberfest on Sept. 19, which will be held in a similar pick-up and outdoor-dining style.
The outdoor dining will be held at the Legion in Clarskburg and the takeout portion of the event will be co-ordinated out of the Beaver Valley Community Centre in Thornbury.
“Our approach at the town throughout the pandemic reopening has been... let's see how much we can do, as long as we can do it safely,” Soever said.
A ticket for the takeout portion of the event is $50 and will include an Octoberfest-style meal, a 50/50 ticket, a tax receipt, as well as a commemorative beer stein for the first 200 ticket holders.
Outdoor dining for a table for four is $300, and a table of six is $450.
For those unable to attend the event, 50/50 tickets can also be purchased individually.
Funds from the event will benefit the Marsh Street Centre and the local Royal Canadian Legion branch. Tickets are available on the Marsh Street Centre website.
“I'm sure there will be a number of other community activities coming up in the fall that will be run with the same level of care. We can still do things as long as we continue to remember COVID safely protocols,” Soever added.