Summer of 2025 is rapidly rushing towards the finish line as the final Meet Me on Main Street event wrapped up on Wed., Aug. 6 at 100 Club Park in Winchester. It opened at the park at 5:00 p.m. and the crowd grew steadily throughout the evening. Tinkess Photo

WINCHESTER – As a clear indication that the Summer of 2025 is rapidly rushing towards the finish line, the final Meet Me on Main Street event wrapped up on Wed., Aug. 6 at 100 Club Park in Winchester.

There have been years when rain was an issue, but except for a few showers in Marionville, 2025 was warm and dry, very warm, and excessively dry to be specific.

That didn’t discourage a large crowd from showing up last Wednesday, and while some probably didn’t stay as long as they might have, due to the blazing sun, they did come, enjoyed the refreshments, music and activities and each other, and made Winchester Meet Me on Main St. a success as each of the other events had been.

There were a lot of things to keep you busy for a few hours on a warm summer evening. There were plenty of tables set up and a long line of hungry people kept the vendors from Country Kitchen, Simply Baked and Shawarma Time busy, and Windmill Brewery, Kings Lock Distillery, Kemptville Brewing Company and Smokey Ridge Vineyard made sure no one went thirsty either.

The Township of North Dundas were selling drink tickets from their tent and answering questions and providing information, as was Mayor Tony Fraser and Councillor Gary Annable, who were working their way through the crowd and taking time to chat with as many people as they could. Members of the North Dundas Fire Department were also on hand, and they always have time to answer questions.

Dairyfest had a tent and were letting people know what they could expect on Saturday when 100 Club Park would play host to one of the communities longest running annual events.

There was a lot to keep the kids busy as well. In addition to the play structures, there was also a chance to drive one of the Mario Cart cars around the track, to try out the learn to curl activity, play in the big blue bouncy castle, or even to go fly a kite, using one of the kites that were placed around the park.

And as a backdrop for all these things was the music of Ken Workman and his band, who played music that everyone wanted to hear throughout the evening.

When looking back over the summer that was, the organizers of Meet Me on Main Street will undoubtably try to come up with ways to make the events something that people look forward to each and every week during the summer months. Each of the events reflect the personality of the community that hosts them, but one thing seems to be consistent throughout is that sometimes we need something to take us away from the things that take over our lives, so that we can reclaim a few hours, catch our breath and remember why this place we call home is special.