Good morning. It is a distinct honour to stand here today and pay tribute to a proud New Democrat and former member of provincial Parliament for Lincoln, Mr. Ron Hansen.

I am pleased to acknowledge many of Ron’s family and friends who are here with us today in the gallery: His son Marc; daughter-in-law Catherine; granddaughter Mary Jane; brother Robert; sister-in-law Elaine; Ron’s caregiver and very close friend, Korreen; niece Rica; cousin Margaret; cousin Janice; nephew Rob; and Mr. David Warner, former Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

Ron’s son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter are visiting all the way from Ireland this morning, and his cousin travelled from British Columbia, our fine west coast of Canada. Thank you all for taking this special trip, and welcome.

Ronald Cooper Hansen, born in 1943 in Welland, began his education journey at Niagara College, studying stationary engineering and production planning at Erie County Technical School. In true Niagara fashion, Ron worked for 35 years as a stationary engineer for General Motors in St. Catharines, and he served as the member of provincial Parliament for the riding of Lincoln from September 6, 1990, to June 7, 1995.

A large focus of grassroots groups and advocates in St. Catharines and Niagara is the need to have clean, waste-free spaces to live, work and play; spaces our children and our grandchildren can call home for generations to come.

Ron was an integral part of this local movement in the early days as a founding member of three environmental groups: Niagara Residents for Safe Toxic Waste Disposal; Ontario Toxic Waste Research Coalition; and Citizens for Modern Waste Management.

He put the minister’s feet to the fire in 1991, fighting against Ontario Waste Management Corp.’s plan to build a toxic waste facility in West Lincoln, and worked to explore progressive waste management strategies. Ron once presented a 720-foot-long petition in this House, containing more than 6,000 signatures of residents against the decade-long proposed waste plant. At a time where society was slow to modernize, Ron took hold of the situation and worked to produce modern waste systems.

Ron’s contributions did not stop there, as he was also active with Boy Scouts groups, Big Brothers of Niagara and an avid bowler at the Kingsway. He assisted in establishing important resources, such as Women’s Place, the community resources and action centre, the soup kitchen, community legal services, Niagara Peninsula Homes and the Niagara Regional Youth Home.

Ron’s enthusiasm to help his constituents was very, very clear. His commitment to serve those who needed it most was top priority. Ron’s initial efforts in establishing these support networks paved the way for the incredible work that these organizations do today, helping thousands of low-income, marginalized and vulnerable residents.

Ron was a strong and vocal advocate for GO Transit service to the Niagara region—well, Ron, I’m happy to say we did it; almost three decades later, but we finally have regular GO Transit service that extends all the way to Niagara Falls.

An MPP under Bob Rae, Ron called for the establishment of a rural affairs ministry, citing the need for an effective voice for all of rural Ontario, a sector of advocacy that had gone by the wayside at that time. Ron wanted to establish ministry field officers as a liaison between the rural communities and policy-makers right here at Queen’s Park to talk about issues such as housing density, transportation and ambulance services. He recognized that rural communities had unique needs not being met by the conventional solutions applied to urban areas, something we can all keep in mind as MPPs even in 2022.

Ron was known for leading with his conscience, refusing to toe the party line. He asked bold questions and voted on bills in a way that reflected his personal values. Ron’s ideals and his willingness to fight against large corporations who didn’t care about the “little guys,” as he called them, is truly inspiring.

Ron Hansen passed away on March 9, 2022, at the age of 78. Not many people can say they served their community, served their province, as a member of provincial Parliament. It is a privilege to serve our constituents, and I know that Ron felt that joy as well.

To Ron, thank you for your dedicated service to the residents of Lincoln and for igniting that fight in all of us here at Queen’s Park.

Applause.

I recognize the member for St. Catharines.

Thank you to the family and friends who have joined us today at Queen’s Park for this tribute for Mr. Hansen.

We are here today to honour, remember and pay tribute to a former member of our provincial Legislature, the late Mr. James Pollock, who was MPP for Hastings–Peterborough for the 32nd, 33rd and 34th Parliaments.

Joining us in the Speaker’s gallery is Mr. Pollock’s family: his children Kevin Pollock, Heather Pace and Virginia Warren; and his son-in-law Angus Warren. Also in the Speaker’s gallery is Mr. David Warner, Speaker during the 35th Parliament. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I recognize the member for Timiskaming–Cochrane

Madame la Présidente, if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent to allow members to make statements in remembrance for the late Mr. James Pollock, with five minutes allotted to Her Majesty’s loyal opposition, five minutes allotted to the independent members as a group and five minutes allotted to Her Majesty’s government.

It’s an honour to stand in this place and pay tribute to James “Jim” Ivan Pollock, who served in this Legislature as the member for Hastings–Peterborough from 1981 to 1990.

I would first like to thank his family for sharing him with the people of Ontario. We all know that it’s not just the person standing in the Legislature, it’s the family supporting him, especially coming from a farm.

It’s a privilege to be able to pay tribute and to research the lives of people who served here before and, in many cases, find common connections. Jim Pollock was a dairy farmer for the biggest part of his life, a profession that I also shared for 35 years. We have both seen many of the same sunrises and worked past many sunsets. Farmers are typically jacks of all trades and deal with whatever comes their way. A dairy farmer is always on call, a trait shared by people in public life, a trait that Jim shared with others not only as MPP but before that as reeve of Rawdon township and warden of Hastings county.

Jim married the love of his life, Jean, and took over the family farm when he was 23. That struck a chord with me too. My wife and I got married and bought the farm when I was 23, and I can relate to the struggles that they must have had in those years, and the joy. Because there’s nothing like raising kids on a family farm, and you only know that if you grew up on one.

During his provincial political career, he served as deputy whip and agriculture critic, among other duties—both roles that I have filled for my party. And I can tell you one thing: that farmers and party whips are eternal optimists.

As I was doing my research, I came upon a tweet from the Minister of Energy expressing his condolences on Jim’s passing. One of the comments mentioned something about Jim’s opposition to a mega landfill project in his area. That sparked my interest. A Conservative dairy farmer opposed to the creation of a mega landfill in his area: That really warmed my heart. I have some history with that. In fact, I found a statement from MPP Pollock on a resolution regarding the shipment of solid waste: “I just want to make a few comments on this resolution. I agree with the environment critic for our party when she says we can agree with the first part.... However, I do not particularly agree with the last line ... where they do not want it in northern Ontario. I can assure members we do not want it in eastern Ontario either. I do not know about western Ontario. Western Ontario can speak for itself. Anyway, we certainly do not want it in eastern Ontario.” That was spoken like a farmer: plain, direct, no-nonsense, but respectful of others and their opinions.

I never had the opportunity to meet Jim Pollock, but I wish I could have. I’m willing to bet that a handshake meant something to Jim Pollock.

Standing in this House is a privilege, especially for a farmer. It’s a special feeling for a farmer, one that I share with James Pollock. In his honour, I would like to share a few feelings that only a farmer can know: soil crumbling in your hand when it’s ready to plant; a beautiful summer day, a slight breeze, with the baler chugging bale after bale of perfect hay, hay that will still smell like summer when it’s fed months later; a late night calving a cow and the calf isn’t breathing—I don’t know how Jim did it, but this is how I do it. You usually tickle their nose with a piece of straw to start them to breathe, but if they don’t, you grab them and you swing them. And if that doesn’t work and you’re desperate, you hang them over a gate and pull really hard. When they gasp for air—and they don’t always do it, but when they gasp for air, that is one of the greatest feelings in the world. It was those feelings that Jim Pollock brought to this Legislature.

In closing, once again I would like to thank his family for sacrificing themselves to allow him to come here. Every farmer I know wants to leave the farm a little bit better than they found it. Because of his family, Jim had the opportunity to not only leave the farm better, but his riding better and the province better. On all our behalf, thank you very much.

I’m honoured to rise today to pay tribute to a fellow member from eastern Ontario, the former member for Hastings–Peterborough, James Pollock. James—or Jim, as he was often referred to—passed away on October 28, 2021, at the age of 91. He is survived by his wife, Jean; his four children, Virginia, Lyle, Kevin and Heather; his two grandchildren; and is remembered by his beloved sisters, Patricia and Doris. I want to thank his family and Mr. Warner for being here today.

Born in Stirling, Ontario, about 20 kilometres north of Belleville, Jim grew up on his family dairy farm. At the age of 23, he took over the farm with his wife, Jean Wallace, and ran the farm until 2019, when he was 89 years old. An experienced farmer, Jim farmed dairy, beef and then cash crops.

He always had a sense of optimism. As a polio survivor, he often said that he was one of the lucky ones. Jim Pollock never took anything for granted, and he carried that with him throughout his life.

Jim was an active member of his church, the local masonic lodge, the Trent Valley Shriners Club and the Stirling Legion. He serves as a reminder to us that we are all here to work for our communities, big or small; that we are all here to work together to make Ontario a better place.

Jim was also a big fan of the show Jeopardy. He always made time for hosts Art Fleming and Alex Trebek, and in 2008 he got the chance to go to California for three tapings.

Jim had a long life of public service. Before serving in this chamber, he spent 13 years as a member of the Rawdon township council. In 1978, he was the warden of Hastings county and served on Hastings county council until 1981. Then he decided to run for the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and went on to serve this House in the 32nd, 33rd and 34th Parliaments. MPP Pollock served on numerous committees and as the critic for natural resources during the David Peterson government. He often travelled around his riding and understood the value of talking to his constituents and how much their views mattered.

On behalf of all of my Ontario Liberal colleagues: Jim, may you rest in peace and thank you for your years of service.

No further business, Speaker.

It is my honour today, again, to rise in tribute to the late James “Jim” Pollock. Mr. Pollock served this House on behalf of his constituents in the then riding of Hastings–Peterborough from April 1981 to July 1990. He was successful in three elections, including the very tough swing election of 1987, which only brought 16 PC members to this House—although Pollock actually increased his margin of victory.

Jim Pollock was born and raised on a dairy farm in Stirling, Ontario, which he took over from his parents in 1953, the same year he married his wife, Jean. Together they farmed for 66 years and were married for 68, raising four children: Virginia, Lyle, Kevin and Heather. He had a great sense of humour and optimism, which translated into a strong sense of community and a belief in community service. As was his style, that belief was translated into action through his engagement with his church, the AOTS, Masonic Lodge, Trent Valley Shriners and Stirling Legion. He was a charter member of the Rawdon township volunteer fire department and a member of the local conservation authority.

On top of all that, or perhaps as a result of it, he decided to step into municipal politics, starting with the council of the township of Rawdon for 13 years. During that time, he rose amongst his peers to serve as reeve for six years and eventually sitting as the warden of Hastings county and a member of Hastings county council until 1981.

While he was still actively farming, he turned his attention to provincial politics. He won the Conservative nomination for Hastings–Peterborough, and as I said before, was elected three times to the Ontario Legislature. He always worked to help the small towns and communities in his riding, and he and his wife Jean tried very hard to attend every milestone anniversary and birthday party to bring greetings from the province. Jean was very much an integral part of his team and a strong partner to Jim every step of the way.

Jim has been referred to by many that knew him as a good upstanding man with a strong moral compass and a heart for the people he served. Jim was well-known for working with all government parties, including when he was in opposition. His sole focus was on the issues of his constituents in the riding, and he was not looking to gain favour or power. He was determined to get the job done.

After being re-elected in 1985, Pollock was named the eastern Ontario critic for agriculture, and in 1987 became the party’s natural resources critic. Agricultural issues were very important to him. He raised the issue for his region of the expanding population of deer. It was affecting the apple farmers. He was said to have brought in the damaged branches of some apple trees to this assembly to stress and to demonstrate that concern. He also worked hard to resolve issues around invasive species, specifically the zebra mussels in the Trent canal system.

Following his service in government, he remained active in his community and continued farming for almost another 30 years—although he did switch from dairy to beef and eventually to cash crops—continuing into his late eighties. I didn’t personally have the pleasure of knowing Mr. Pollock, but I do know several who knew him and worked with him, and it appears that Jim had a lasting impression on all those who knew him.

I found this quote from long-time provincial colleague MPP Norm Sterling: “During my 34 years as an MPP in the Legislature, I never met a more sincere, hard-working politician than Jim Pollock. I am proud to say that Jim and I were close friends, often sharing a story or talking about his constituents’ problems. Jim and Jean have given much of their lives to all of us. I will always remember his smile and good deeds to our province. We will miss him very much.”

And from Tom Deline, the current mayor of Centre Hastings and another past warden of Hastings county, when he was asked about his memory just a couple of days ago: “Jim Pollock, in my mind, was a man of the old school where a handshake was your word and you stood by it. He was a true gentleman who worked tirelessly for the municipality within the county of Hastings. Jim attended the wedding of my wife and myself, and we had the pleasure of seeing him at our wardens’ banquets and annual past wardens’ get-togethers which helped maintain those close friendships. His wife, Jean, was his biggest asset and supporter. He will be greatly missed.”

Jim Pollock was a farmer, a father, a volunteer and a public servant. We are grateful for all that he was and all that he gave to his family, to his community and to this province. Speaker, we lost Jim Pollock on October 28, 2021. He will be missed.

Applause.

Today, I would like to recognize and congratulate Alex Mustakas, the founder and artistic director of the not-for-profit Drayton Entertainment in my riding of Perth–Wellington. Alex is an important and active member in our local community and someone who has done so much for one of our cultural industries in Ontario.

Earlier this year, Alex was presented with the Meritorious Service Medal by the Governor General of Canada. The medal recognizes Canadians for outstanding contributions in any field. Alex received the medal for his lifelong commitment to making the performing arts affordable and accessible to those in Ontario and beyond.

Alex has achieved a truly formidable feat, building Drayton Entertainment from the ground up, operating theatres at seven locations across southern Ontario. I had the pleasure of meeting with Alex and seeing a couple of their performances earlier this year, which I greatly enjoyed.

In addition to Alex’s Meritorious Service Medal, his work with Drayton Entertainment has gained him and the organization six Lieutenant Governor’s awards for the arts, a prestigious honour bestowed on arts organizations that exemplify outstanding private sector and community support. The team at Drayton Entertainment was able to do this with an unorthodox but promising business model: one that’s fiscally responsible, utilizes strong networks and gives back to the community.

Some of the organization’s good work includes annual donations of over 2,000 tickets to more than 750 charities, aiding them in their own fundraising efforts. And unlike many other organizations, Drayton Entertainment relies on volunteers, with over 30,000 hours of volunteer activity per year.

I want to congratulate Alex again. Under your guidance, I know Drayton Entertainment will continue to be very successful for years to come.

This week, we recognized Overdose Awareness Day. In 2021, 560 people died from an overdose. That is the highest number of drug poisoning deaths ever recorded in Toronto. Acute drug toxicity is the current number one cause of death for youth in Ontario aged 15 to 24. Ontario has an opioid crisis.

These are the words of Zoë Dodd, a leader in the work to save people’s lives. This is what she says: “The US and Canada have now been in a devastating drug poisoning crisis for a decade. This isn’t happening like this anywhere else in the world. These deaths are preventable. This crisis will end when we truly shift as a society.”

To the workers leading change on this crisis’s front lines, you have been to too many funerals. To the families who have lost people to drug overdose, I am so sorry.

International Overdose Awareness Day is a day for us to remember those whom we’ve lost and to continue to advocate for better solutions.

That means listening to health professionals who see clean and safe supply as a way to stop people dying from toxic street drugs. It means permitting and funding opioid consumption sites like the one in Kensington, so people can safely use; it means increasing funding to mental health treatment and addiction treatment that’s been proven to work; and building more permanent supportive housing.

This is a complicated crisis, and compassion and kindness are needed to address it.

Today, I’d like to speak about returning to school, and I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak.

The achievement and well-being of children and youth are always at the forefront of my mind. I want to take the time today to give a shout-out and thank the organizations in the riding of Scarborough Centre, like Lights Out Basketball Academy, for their efforts and initiatives in getting our young minds prepared for greater success.

Lights Out Basketball Academy is an organization based at Ellesmere Community Centre and led by Coach Ken Wade, Coach Rogel, Coach Jerron and Coach Christian. They not only teach essential basketball skills to our kids, but they work hard in bringing positive differences into their lives.

Recently they have partnered with Adidas Canada to ensure that their players return to school with backpacks. Small gestures like these make such a difference and ensure that kids are going to school ready to learn and looking sharp.

To the students of Scarborough Centre: Even though I am no longer your school board trustee, you can rest assured that I will continue to advocate for you and have your back, to ensure you have the appropriate resources you need to succeed.

Our government has enacted a great plan, supported by historic investments in education, so you can have a safe, normal, enjoyable return to school, with the full range of extracurricular activities and supports you deserve. Best wishes for a happy and healthy return to school in the 2022-23 school year.

Today, September 1, the people of Slovakia are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Slovakian constitution of 1992. For me, as someone who was born in the capital city of Bratislava and traces her paternal routes to this beautiful country, it is a day of pride and celebration.

The signing of the constitution de facto established Slovakia as an independent and sovereign country and was a direct consequence of the events of the peaceful, non-violent and student-led velvet revolution, which took place in Czechoslovakia in 1989 and resulted in the ousting of the communist regime.

Slovakia today is a developed country of 5.4 million, with an advanced, high-income economy, a strong stance on civil liberties, democratic governance, universal health care and free education.

Led by Zuzana Čaputová, the country’s first female president, Slovakia is a member of the EU, NATO, UN and the Council of Europe. Being home to eight UNESCO heritage sites, Slovakia boasts the largest number of castles per capita in the world, situated within its picturesque and mountainous landscapes.

An interesting fact to note, Mr. Speaker: Did you know that many of Ontario’s Jaguar, Land Rover and Kia vehicles are imported from this largest-per-capita car producer, which manufactures over one million passenger vehicles per year?

I am proud to be among the 72,000-strong Slovakian diaspora in Canada, in good company with politician Tim Hudak, sports journalist George Gross and hockey player Natalie Babonyová.

Dear colleagues, please join me in wishing our Slovakian Canadian friends a Šťastný Deň Ústavy Slovenskej republiky.

C’est toujours un honneur de se lever en Chambre pour représenter les bonnes gens de Mushkegowuk–Baie James.

The community of Kashechewan is facing a nursing crisis at their nursing station, which is their only medical facility. It’s their lifeline. They currently have two nurses manning the station, when usually they have nine—and even 12, prior to the pandemic. They are open for emergency-only cases. Basic medical care is not an option—no prenatal services, no regular checkups. Being proactive and preventative for health issues such as complications with diabetes is not an option. They deserve better.

The entire province is facing a nursing shortage, but these communities have even greater challenges, and things need to be addressed. These are fly-in communities with no road access, no access to nearby hospitals or ER departments. There is a surge of COVID that has threatened the community. Funding is heavily needed in these communities in order to hire proper staff, to get specialists and doctors in and out of the communities for clinics and consultations to give them the medical attention they deserve.

Finally, a long-term recruitment and retention plan needs to be developed with the First Nations and Inuit health branch, Indigenous Services Canada and the provincial government to ensure adequate and accessible health care for all northern communities facing these issues.

The opening of the CNE is another indication that our lives are back to normal. I was delighted and honoured to attend the opening of the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada booth at the CNE and meet so many old friends.

The NEPMCC is a forum of more than 800 member publications—print, online, radio and TV—that represent 65 different languages. They reach over seven million Canadians. I would like to congratulate Mr. Thomas Saras for leading the organization to new heights and achievements.

For more than seven decades, ethnic newspapers have been meeting the challenges of assistance, guidance and integration of millions of newcomers who have immigrated to Canada. All of this is done in the spirit of helping them to become better Canadians. Its role has been to introduce immigrants to their new environment as efficiently and as painlessly possible for them, their families and their community in order for them to become full-fledged citizens of our country, so that the newcomers are willing and able to contribute their talents and abilities for the benefit of all Canadians.

They also promote excellence in journalism among their members. They serve as a forum for the study and discussion of barriers faced by ethnic groups. And they gather and disseminate information, which leads to a better understanding and cooperation among the various ethnic groups in Canada and mainstream society. They are an integral part of our society and they deserve our unwavering support and solidarity.

I wish the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada and Mr. Saras many more successes and milestones.

I would like today to talk about Suomi Koti, a non-profit seniors’ residence that has been providing our elders in Thunder Bay–Superior North with exemplary independent living residences for over 30 years.

Suomi Koti is one of the few organizations in Thunder Bay that offers independent living for seniors at not-for-profit rates. It is affordable, beautifully maintained, close to amenities, surrounded by trees, and I would be very happy to live there myself.

Suomi Koti has plans to build an additional 60 apartments, 20 of which will be reserved for low-income seniors, but to do this, they must rely on donations and government funding to create this new and much-needed housing. There is currently a five- to seven-year wait-list to get into this and the two other non-profit homes in the city, so the need is clear.

The board of Suomi Koti has worked with the most respected designers and planners to put together their funding and building plans. Unfortunately, federal and provincial funding levels are no longer what they were when Suomi Koti was first established, and they are struggling to access funding even though this type of housing is clearly needed.

Speaker, I look forward to meeting with representatives from the provincial government to advocate for financial support for Suomi Koti so that they can continue to do what they already do so well: provide first-rate, affordable housing that seniors in Thunder Bay–Superior North need and deserve.

First, I would like to acknowledge the Clerks, who have been so supportive of me as a rookie MPP. They literally reminded me that it’s my turn to speak now.

On this last day of the legislative week, we have the special opportunity to look ahead with anticipation to a long weekend, because this Monday is Labour Day. For some people, this may be an opportunity for rest. For the residents in Don Valley East, it is anything but, because we will be a beehive of community activity.

For example, the residents of Flemingdon’s Sunny Glenway community will be hosting an enormous outdoor community fun fair that will include a barbecue, live music, a magic show and a variety of activities for children.

The Canadian Community Services Organization, supported by the North Toronto Cluster of Churches and East York Town Centre, will hold a back-to-school event in which they deliver somewhere between 500 and 600 backpacks, for free, along with kits of personal protective equipment. Families across the riding will enjoy the warm company of friends and family.

But we mustn’t lose sight of the bigger picture. I invite all of us to remember and celebrate what Labour Day is all about. It is about honouring workers and about all those people who fought for us to secure better rights, higher wages and safer working conditions. We’ve come a long way, but there is still farther to go. In the midst of a pandemic, the people of Ontario still need 10 paid sick days. They mustn’t have their wages capped to 1% by Bill 124, and they need to believe that their workplace is safe.

To everyone in this Legislature, in Don Valley East and across our great province, I wish you a safe, happy, restful and inspiring Labour Day weekend.

It gives me great pleasure to welcome Helen Chinnery and her son Stephen Warner to Queen’s Park this morning.

Having had the opportunity to work with Stephen, it’s also bittersweet that after working with the member from Etobicoke–Lakeshore, the Ministry of the Solicitor General, the Premier, and finally, at health, Stephen is departing Queen’s Park to study law.

Stephen has always approached his work here with commitment, enthusiasm, a great sense of humour and, most importantly, a passion for public service. I am grateful for his friendship, and I will miss him deeply.

I have a number of visitors to introduce today, so please bear with me.

First, I would like to welcome, from Punjab, India, Dr. Gurbir Singh Gill, who’s well known for his contributions and efforts in demonstrating the importance of making health care accessible to all. His dedication and hard work in improving the health care system in Punjab, India, has resulted in him perfecting a groundbreaking technique in cardiology that has already positively impacted the lives of his patients and set a precedent for future generations in the medical field. Dr. Gill has successfully performed—and treated over 21,000 patients without the use of stents. He has been recognized for his contributions and achievements by the health minister of Punjab and has received the international health care award for the year 2022.

I would like to welcome Dr. Gill to the Legislature here today.

It is my pleasure to rise today to announce the triumphant return of fall fairs to the great riding of Kitchener–Conestoga. I want to give a heartfelt welcome back to the Wellesley Township Fall Fair: one night only on Tuesday, September 13—and folks, it’s free admission. Their theme this year is “Reconnecting Communities.” They will be celebrating by raffling off the newly finished community quilt project of 2021.

Next, the New Hamburg Fall Fair; it runs September 15 through 18. The theme this year is “Back to our Roots,” a celebration of our agricultural community. New attractions include the Ultimutts stunt dogs and Reptile Kingdom.

We can’t forget, of course, the Wellesley Apple Butter and Cheese Festival, which returns on September 24, and it is a team effort. The Lions Club sells sausage on a bun, the Optimists sell schnitzel on a bun, the Lutheran churches sell apple dumplings and Mennonite churches sell apple fritters—which I know you’re a big fan of, Speaker.

Last, but not least, Oktoberfest: It’s wunderbar, and it’s back, running from September 23 to October 15. The official keg-tapping will be Friday, October 7. Come raise a stein and polka around the largest Oktoberfest outside of Germany.

All of these fall fairs cannot run without the help of countless volunteers, so thank you to all the volunteers for all their hard work and helping to celebrate our region’s proud history.