Organizers hope to make Valleywood Block Party annual after inaugural event’s success

By Zachary Roman

A day of fun put on for the Valleywood community was well-received by the neighbourhood's residents.

On Saturday, August 27, the Valleywood Block Party was held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Lina Marino Park.

The party was organized by Sonia D'Alimonte, Abhiraj Kumar, and Prashant Upreti, who were happy to report they achieved their goal of getting the community out and having fun together.

D'Alimonte said the party was everything she imagined it could be.

“I couldn't be happier, considering this is a first-time event,” said D'Alimonte at the party. “We've got no clouds, sunshine, everybody's out enjoying themselves, so you can't ask for anything better.”

Funds were being raised at the party for Caledon Meals on Wheels by way of a silent auction and dunk tank. The tank was a splash hit with the crowds in attendance, with many families lining up to try and dunk the valiant volunteers into the cold water. Two dollars was the charge for three throws, and D'Alimonte was optimistic that her fundraising goals would be met.

D'Alimonte said aside from soccer events, not too many events are held in Valleywood, so it was nice to see one happen again. She said an added bonus was supporting local business, as many of the vendors who set up at the block party were actually from the Valleywood community.

“I just kind of put it out there on Facebook saying, ‘Hey, if anyone's from the Valleywood area, we're looking to do this, please contact me', and then we were able to connect with a few small business vendors and they were able to participate,” she said.

Leading up to the event, D'Alimonte said she was a little nervous, as there was much to prepare for. However, she said as soon as people started pouring into the park it was all worth it when she began to see people having fun.

“The feedback that we're getting from everybody is that they're really enjoying themselves, so I think that we're going to be looking at doing this annually for sure,” said D'Alimonte.