Downtown Bolton streets jam-packed for a night of fun at Midnight Madness 

By Zachary Roman 

Walking down the South Hill in Bolton not long after 6 p.m. on August 12, one could see the huge crowds in Bolton's downtown core. 

The well-loved Midnight Madness event was held that evening after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic — and it seemed that people were ready to get out and have a good time on the shut-down streets of Downtown Bolton. 

Live music was booming throughout the evening and people were dancing in the streets to the sounds of Table 69, Marco Marrone, and Escapade. There were long lines of people excited to try the food and drink vendors, and the businesses in Downtown Bolton were able to capitalize on the extra traffic too. The Midnight Madness vendor market was bustling, and vendors said it was a great night for business. Kids enjoyed the face painting and games from the Town of Caledon, as well as the traveling zoo in attendance that brought interesting critters. Caledon OPP and Caledon Fire and Emergency Services were also in attendance, alongside many not-for-profit organizations and the Albion-Bolton Historical Society. 

Midnight Madness was hosted by the Bolton Community Crew (BCC) and Stage Academy Theatre Association, with The Caputo Group as the event's presenting sponsor. Sarah Leslie is the Chair of the BCC board and said it was a true team effort to host the event. She wanted to give a special thank you to the Town of Caledon, and specifically Mayor Allan Thompson, for their support.  

Leslie explained the Bolton Community Crew began planning for this year's Midnight Madness in January in order to lock in the entertainers, vendors, and food trucks. She said the slogan of the BCC is “bringing the community together, one event at a time.”  

“Our purpose is to connect our community with our local businesses and have fun while we're doing it – so, everyone benefits. We love to see families coming out… it helps boost our economy in our little town, so everyone wins,” said Leslie. 

While she hasn't yet asked for an official attendance estimate from the Caledon OPP, Leslie guesses from the conversations she's had and what she saw that about 20,000 people attended Midnight Madness this year throughout the night — an amazing turnout. 

“It grows every year,” said Leslie. “My favourite part is always the live music… and I love seeing our not-for-profit organizations come out. It gives them a great opportunity to fundraise and get the word out that they exist here. And honestly, just sitting back and watching all the families come out. That's a great feeling for sure, we feel very accomplished when we see that.”