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Sunshine and smiles at Saturday’s Clayton Community Festival

Surrey residents turn out in droves for free, kid-friendly festival
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The crowds enjoyed plenty of sunshine at the 2019 Clayton Community Festival, held in Clayton Heights on Saturday, May 11. (Samantha Anderson)

Surrey residents turned out for the annual Clayton Community Festival in droves last weekend.

On a beautiful, sunshine-filled Saturday (May 11), families arrived at two neighbouring shopping centres in Clayton Heights to take part in the free event.

Clayton Crossing and Hillcrest Village shopping centres were filled with live music, kid-friendly activities and giveaways.

The idea behind it all, said organizer Jen Temple, is “to bring the community together, and to give back.”

Although Clayton is a neighbourhood within Cloverdale, many of its residents feel a disconnect with the town centre. The Clayton Community Festival originally started with the intent of connecting Clayton residents to Cloverdale’s biggest event of the year — the Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair. The festival was billed as a sort of pre-rodeo “Party on the Hill.”

But in the years since that first festival, it has evolved into its own event.

It’s about showcasing what Surrey has as a city, and in the Clayton community, said Temple.

It brings businesses together with residents, and, although the businesses are certainly encouraged to show a bit of what they do for the community, the event isn’t about making money. None of the booths sold any products, or made any profits. Rather, they featured a free, kid-friendly activity such as face painting, games or airbrush tattoos.

There was an obstacle course, bouncy castles, skateboarding demonstrations, mini golf, airbrush tattoos, face painting and much, much more.



editor@cloverdalereporter.com

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The event included live music and dance performances. (Samantha Anderson)
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Surrey RCMP members brought out a vehicle that kids could check out and take pictures in. (Samantha Anderson)
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Beckett Ferguson, who is four and a half, tried out skateboarding at a demonstration by Surrey recreation centre staff. (Samantha Anderson)