Port Stanley BIA creates a stir by rebranding holiday weekend

The Port Stanley Business Improvement Area seems to have encountered a few re-branding bumps in the road as villagers continue to question the BIA management board’s decision to change the name of its once popular Dickens Days Christmas celebrations.

While the Port Stanley Lions and Lioness clubs’ Dickens Day Night Parade will continue as usual on Friday, Nov. 28, at 7 p.m., what the BIA now calls Harbour Holly Days gets underway at 5 p.m. the same day, with the Lighting of the Lights, at the Visitors Centre, at 199 Carlow Road.

The festive weekend continues on Saturday and Sunday, with a petting zoo, horse and carriage rides through the decorated downtown, warming stations for holiday revelers, Santa’s house for children, a paw parade for Christmas canines, live music in Glover Park, and an open carol sing at Christ Anglican Church at 3 p.m. on Sunday.

As pleasantly uncontroversial as that lineup may sound, Facebook has been alight with feedback on the name change.

“We are losing Port as it is. Don’t take it away more,” Jayne Downs Facebook pleaded on Facebook.

“This is so sad. A charming old-fashioned Christmas hasn’t been updated, it’s been lost,” Cindy Litt added on Facebook.

For more details, see the Nov. 12 edition of The Aylmer Express.