A long-standing and often sentimental event is returning this weekend after a pandemic-induced hiatus.
The grounds of Sacred Heart Catholic School will come alive this Friday and Saturday night for the annual Sacred Heart Parish Bazaar, which started in 1966, but was put on hold for the last four years due to the pandemic.
The first bazaar was held on the grounds of the Catholic school in 1966.
“It was started not as a fundraiser, but as a social event for the parish and for neighbours to come and meet each other, rather than just seeing each other at church and weddings or funerals,” said Mike Veroni, who has been organizing the event for the last 30 years.
It’s remained that way ever since, and quickly became the social highlight of the year for a lot of Ward residents, including Veroni himself.
“We don’t try to make a lot of money, and often we like to give the kids all the rides for free. It costs us a lot of money to do that, but it’s the value of the smile on the kids' faces when they can go and ride all night for free. It really is a special moment in our lives.”
Many of the components of the event, like the milk bottle, balloon dart throwing, and “fantastic food” were part of the original bazaar.
But for Veroni, and many others, it wasn’t just about the games or food, but the chance to come together.
Growing up, he lived on Alice Street two doors down from Tony Valeriote, who put the first bazaar on in 1966.
“I could hear him on the megaphone talking about the bazaar. I would have been eight years old at the time, and it sounded like so much fun. I couldn’t wait.”
Years later he would take over organizing the event from his predecessor, alongside his wife, Brenda, who passed in 2022. Brenda would typically organize all the games and the students to run them.
This year is his first time organizing it without her.
Veroni is thrilled the event has returned, though he wishes Brenda was here to run it with him.
Several of the regular volunteers have passed away since the bazaar was last held, so they put out a plea for more volunteers to make it happen. One such volunteer said her dad had been involved from the very first one, and she didn’t want to see it stop.
“It’s special when people remember their past,” he said.
People started coming to the event from all over the city, and now, he said people come from all over Ontario – former residents who attended when they were growing up but since moved away.
“It brings back good memories,” he said. “They come back with their kids and their kids. Since ‘66, that’s over 50 years of bazaar. It’s an event that keeps growing in memories and growing in (our) hearts.”
While Veroni has been behind the bazaar for the last three decades, he said he can’t take all the credit.
“The biggest thing is volunteers. I can’t thank them enough, because without them, it just wouldn’t happen.”
The bazaar will run from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. this Friday and Saturday. Expect free rides for kids like a trackless train and inflatable slides, nostalgic games like milk bottle throw and balloon dart throw, as well as a fire truck tour and a fish pond. There will also be a mechanical bull, spin wheels, a 50/50 draw and more.
Food-wise, you can expect pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, cotton candy and ice cream, as well as a bake table and licensed beer and wine garden, not to mention the original recipe “Sacred Heart Sausage.”
Admission is free, but the event is cash only.
