June Family Fun Weekend to Include Windsor’s 131st Birthday Party, Annual Mayor’s Walk, Meet-A-Machine, WIFF Screenings and More!
The City of Windsor is gearing up for a full weekend of all-ages fun and activities, June 9 through June 11, 2023, that will include the annual birthday celebration and Mayor’s Walk at a new date and time, paired with several unique opportunities for community engagement and exploration.
Windsor International Film Festival (WIFF) – WIFF Under The Stars
Civic Plaza in front of Windsor City Hall, 350 City Hall Square West
Friday, June 9, to Sunday, June 11, 2023. Various times. Free Admission.
Throughout the weekend, the WIFF (Windsor International Film Festival) team will offer free outdoor movie screenings over at the Civic Plaza in front of Windsor City Hall. These WIFF Under The Stars screenings are funded by the Government of Canada, co-led by the WindsorEssex Community Foundation, and supported by the City of Windsor. A variety of family programming will be presented throughout the three days, including Encanto, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and Blueback. The programming also features anniversary titles, including How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days and The Sandlot; Hollywood blockbusters, including Top Gun: Maverick and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever; and more.
Meet-A-Machine
WFCU Centre, 8787 McHugh Street
Saturday, June 10, 2023. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free Admission.
The weekend also includes the return of the beloved Meet-A-Machine event at the WFCU Centre. The milestone 10th anniversary event in 2022 was bigger than organizers could have imagined, with nearly 14,000 people visiting the parking lot of the WFCU Centre for the first time following event postponements for two years in response to the pandemic. Meet-A-Machine is hosted by the City’s Children’s Services Department, and features machines of all shapes and sizes, including emergency vehicles, construction equipment, military trucks, buses, forestry trucks, race cars, tow trucks and more on display for children to discover and explore. The event is promoted as a community literacy event, recognizing that literacy is not just about reading but is also about explorations. Attendees are encouraged to learn about what they can do with a vehicle, such as turning right and left, going up and down in the bucket truck, etc., all to raise awareness of physical literacy components to the world of machines.
A Sensory-Friendly Hour is offered from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. (registration required), for those who wish to enjoy the event without the noise, lights and some additional interactive elements to the displays.
For more information on the Meet-A-Machine event, or to participate as a machine operator, please reach out to earlyon@citywindsor.ca or call 519-255-5344. Check out this Meet-A-Machine Looking Back video from past events.
Windsor’s 131st Birthday Celebration and Annual Mayor’s Walk
Assumption Park North to Dieppe Gardens to the Great Canadian Flag to the Vision Corridor (alongside the Chimczuk Museum and Art Windsor-Essex)
Sunday, June 11, 2023. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free Admission.
The following day, Sunday, June 11, 2023, the City of Windsor will mark the 131st anniversary of incorporation for the municipality. Everyone is invited to a free community event packed with fun for the entire family.
The day will begin with the Annual Mayor’s Walk at 10:00 a.m. Attendees are asked to gather at Assumption Park North on the waterfront to warm up with the City’s department of Parks, Recreation & Culture, and Facilities. Mayor Drew Dilkens, members of Windsor City Council and special guests will be on hand for the event kick-off. Representatives of the Multicultural Council of Windsor and Essex County will be present and handing out country flags representing the homelands of some of Windsor’s diverse community members. The Mayor’s Walk will proceed along the waterfront from Assumption Park North to Dieppe Gardens and will feature performances along the route.
The walk will pause at the base of the Great Canadian Flag for the singing of our national anthem before proceeding through Dieppe Gardens and up towards the Vision Corridor adjacent to Adventure Bay Family Water Park presented by WFCU Credit Union and the Chimczuk Museum and Art Windsor-Essex (AWE) building.
Then, beginning at 11:00 a.m. at the Vision Corridor (401 Riverside Drive West), Mayor Dilkens will welcome the community to the annual birthday party, which will include free birthday hotdogs and cupcakes, while supplies last; entertainment on the ShowMobile outdoor stage; and activities, crafts, face-painting, games and displays in and around the park. Enjoy free admission to the Chimczuk Museum and Art Windsor-Essex (AWE), all in celebration of Windsor’s birthday.
For a complete, up-to-date description of the events and a list of all corresponding activities, as available, please visit the City of Windsor Birthday page.
These festivities are brought to you by the City of Windsor and are made possible – in part – through the sponsorship and partnership of many businesses and community organizations, including WFCU Credit Union, Atura Power, University of Windsor Alumni Association, Caesars Windsor Cares, Tim Hortons, Zehrs Markets, AM800 CKLW, Cogeco/YourTV, Museum Windsor, Art Windsor-Essex (AWE), Adventure Bay Family Water Park Presented by WFCU Credit Union, Optimist Club of Riverside, and the CMC Club.
Everyone is invited to join in this full weekend of exciting community celebrations, and encouraged to take photos to capture the special moments and share with us online using hashtags #Windsor131, #HappyBDayWindsor, #DiscoverYQG and #CityWindsor.
Quotes:
“Windsor is a community unlike any other, and we have much to celebrate once again this year. Moving to a new date allows us to leverage strong community partnerships with our Meet-A-Machine and WIFF partners to offer a little something for everyone June 9 through 11. Windsor remains one of Canada’s most diverse, welcoming and inclusive communities – a city built on multiculturalism and the many stories that have brought us all together. We are a growing city with a bright future taking shape through investments and opportunities the likes of which have not been seen in a generation. I look forward to walking our waterfront alongside residents carrying country flags representing our cultural mosaic, and to seeing Windsor131 celebrated through performances, films, activities, food, and the unique sharing of cultures and traditions that Windsor does so well.”
- Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens
“The beautiful front lawn of our Windsor City Hall is going to be the perfect setting for a weekend full of films for WIFF Under The Stars. Bring your blankets and lawn chairs and get ready for family favourites, good date nights and brand-new hits. WIFF is proud to be a part of this exciting weekend of community events in our downtown and across the community, and are thrilled to be partnering with the City of Windsor for a great weekend of films outdoors.”
- Vincent Georgie, Executive Director & Chief Programmer, WIFF