Revitalized Bridgeburg shines at inaugural Arts, Beats & Eats festival
August 12, 2024 at 4:11 AM
Bridgeburg is back.
Electric Lettuce performs Saturday on Jarvis Street. Credit: Kris Dubé | Fort Erie RadioThis was the message displayed on the shirts of several people on Saturday at the inaugural Arts, Beats & Eats festival hosted by the Bridgeburg BIA. The event was an opportunity to celebrate recent improvements to the area while also showcasing a number of new businesses that have recently opened.
Crowds gathered on Jarvis Street for the Bridgeburg BIA’s Arts, Beats & Eats event. Credit: Kris Dubé | Fort Erie RadioBIA vice-chair Vince Salvatori and owner of Fate Salon has seen the ups and downs in the downtown district since taking over the business in 2002, which was started by his father 57 years ago.
He gives credit to the town as well as the previous BIA board for the changes, improved storefronts and an overhauled streetscape.
“I think a lot of us in the neighbourhood are grateful and excited about it,” he told Fort Erie Radio on Saturday.
Starting at 11 a.m., the event ran until late Saturday night and offered a variety of food trucks, a chalk art competition on the street, and live music all day.
Joe Galdino, one of eight artists who participated in a chalk art competition Saturday on Jarvis Street. Credit: Kris Dubé | Fort Erie RadioWard 1 Councillor George McDermott agreed that Jarvis Street has come a long way and did not look the way it does today 10 or 15 years ago.
He said six new businesses have opened since the road was rehabilitated in the last couple of years.
“We’ve made a lot of headway,” said McDermott. “Its revitalization at its best.”
And Saturday’s event was also a chance for local businesses to collaborate and show off everything being offered.
“These events are all about bonding with our neighbours,” he added.
Korinne Antaya, also a BIA board member, opened The Fox Shop, a home décor business, on June 1.
Antaya and her husband relocated to Fort Erie three years ago, and is aware that it had been “quiet here for awhile” until the recent resurgence of businesses and streetscape improvements started to become a reality.
She said Saturday’s event should serve as a reminder of how important it is to support small, local businesses.
“We’re slowly building that back as we go,” she said.
Shiraz Siddique from Shrazee’s Good Eats serves Les and Pat Markham food at Saturday’s event on Jarvis Street. Credit: Kris Dubé | Fort Erie RadioWill Graham is the owner of Neon Crab Tattoos & Piercing, and was also the lead organizer of the event’s street chalk art competition, which involved eight artists–many of them from different parts of the world.
Sara Dunn, an artist in Saturday’s chalk art competition. Credit: Kris Dubé | Fort Erie Radio“It’s wonderful to get all these artists out here,” said Graham, who also has Neon Crab locations in Sarnia, London, Strathroy, and Hamilton.
He said with Fort Erie being a fast-growing community, and the local government investing in the Bridgeburg area, that drew him to open his local shop.
“I want to be on the ground floor of that,” said Graham, adding “it’s time to let the public know” about how the area has been overhauled through events such as Saturday’s.
“It gives them a reason to come back,” he said.
Town and Job Gym partnering for employment and resource fair
Fort Erie educators recognized at regional early learning awards
COPE food bank ‘seeing new clients every day’
About The Author
Kris Dubé
Kris is a veteran journalist who has worked in Niagara for close to 20 years. He is also a lifelong resident of Fort Erie, a place he plans to call home and raise his family for many more years.
Stay Informed