With summer right around the corner, who's thinking about winter?
The Ontario government is, letting that be known with a $55,000 lump of funding through the 2026 Experience Ontario program for Friday Harbour's annual holiday market.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP Andrea Khanjin and tourism, culture and gaming minister Stan Cho made the announcement an the Innisfil resort on Friday.
"These types of festivals drive traffic to the restaurants, drive traffic to your hotels," Cho said. "I really like the idea of leaning into our shoulder seasons in our winter months. People see these as strengths throughout the world.
"If you think about your Eastern European Christmas markets, they're big business. People fly there from all over the place and I think the holiday market here at Friday Harbour has the potential to be just as big as any of those."
The program formerly known as Reconnect Ontario has supported more than 2,700 festivals and events since 2018. Cho says this year the funding pool totals $20 million and will support 400 events.
To be eligible for funding, an event must be held over multiple days and provide significant economic impact. The ministry then determines the recipients based on an objective scoring system.
Friday Harbour's holiday market will take place for the sixth time on the resort's promenade, and has drawn great crowds through the first five years, especially for its tree lighting ceremony.
The resort's CEO Hani Roustom says the money will go toward expanding the local artisan and gift shop portion of the event.
"[There are] a lot of local entrepreneurs—many of them mothers and fathers and small families." he said in prepared remarks. "We're very honored to be able to provide that platform for many of them to really participate and be part of that larger vision."
Innisfil Mayor Lynn Dollin says Friday Harbour is a worthy recipient based on its reputation as a good corporate citizen.
"It's not just tourism and that's really important, but they also support the local community," she said. "When we had our ice storm last year and people were without electricity for many, many hours, Friday Harbor opened its doors, invited people in to use the facilities here."
The investment comes just weeks after the Town of Innisfil finalized a five-year tourism strategy, which includes Friday Harbour as a major anchor. Within the town's strategy presented to council on May 20, Friday Harbour's unique visitor count in 2024 was just shy of 50,000.
