Fort Erie youth fire up free hot dogs for May 30 barbecue
May 28, 2026 at 10:40 PM
The Mayor’s Youth Advisory Committee (MYAC) is putting lunch on the town’s tab this Saturday, handing out 100 free hot dogs at Ferndale Park to get more youth interested in local civic events and volunteer work.
MYAC will run its new year-end barbecue from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 30 at Ferndale Park, replacing the youth talent showcase it ran in June 2024 and June 2025.
William Connor, a member of MYAC, told Fort Erie Radio the committee wanted to try a different year-end event that could reach younger students and families.
“It will be a super fun event that a lot of families in our community can enjoy, and I hope people have enough fun that we can do this again next year,” said Connor.
The barbecue will offer the first 100 hot dogs free on a first-come, first-served basis. The barbecue will also have lawn games, a photo booth and a bouncy castle.
The event is aimed mostly at elementary school students, early high school students and families, Connor said.
“The biggest challenge was definitely finding a good time to have it at Ferndale Park,” said Connor.
Connor said promotion can also be difficult for the youth committee, especially when members are balancing school schedules and exams this time of year.
MYAC advises the mayor on youth issues and runs youth-focused events in town. Its budget comes from a small portion of the Town of Fort Erie’s annual budget.
“Our mission is just to stimulate community involvement within youth in Fort Erie and it’s just kind of a way that we feel that we foster some community engagement this year,” said Connor.
In the past year, MYAC has run community free skates, participated in the Coldest Night of the Year walk, and volunteered at the town’s free tree giveaway.
The group also ran the ‘Why I Love Fort Erie’ Valentine’s Day contest earlier this year for residents under 18. That contest invited young people to submit art, writing or photos about local places that matter to them.
“The way we’ve been able to foster engagement within people in the community has definitely risen, which is absolutely amazing,” said Connor.
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Andrew Hawlitzky
Andrew is a Niagara community journalist who has covered everything from local politics to annual festivals and breaking news. He works to make local news a platform where community voices lead the conversation. "If you don't like the news, go out and make some!"
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