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Fort McMurray Food Festival Raises $21K for Waypoints

Last Updated Oct 14, 2020 at 9:16 am MDT

PHOTO. Fort McMurray Food Festival 2020 raises $21,000 for Waypoints.

This year’s Fort McMurray Food Festival presented by Suncor raised $21,000 for Waypoints.

In its fourth year, the festival had to make some changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Modifications included turning the We Love YMM Patio Party virtual and cancelling the Anzac Beach Party.

Executive Director of Waypoints, Michele Taylor said that the non-profit has seen an increase in need but a decrease in available funding.

“We were so pleased to see our industry and business partners continue to step up to support this fundraising Festival and we were overjoyed to see our community partake in the events and donate what they were able to do during such stressful times.”

This year’s festival consisted of five events to bring the community together to celebrate summer while raising much-needed funds for Waypoints.

Those events included:

  • Virtual Patio Party presented by Coldwell Banker Fort McMurray
  • Strongman Community Breakfast presented by MacDonald Island Park
  • Food Festival Golf Classic presented by A.P.E. Maintenance
  • Anzac Community BBQ presented by Anzac Grocery & Zee Bar
  • Taste of YMM Eats presented by Suncor

 

Taste of YMM Eats presented by Suncor focused on supporting those restaurants who were open and operating between July 24-Aug. 31.

“Suncor is proud to support the Food Festival, an event that successfully brought people safely together, promoted local businesses, and reconnected the community during what has been a challenging time not only in the region, but around the globe ,” said Len Savoy, Suncor’s Manager of Stakeholder Relations and Community Partnerships.

Seven restaurants participated and competed to be named “The Best” in nine categories.

Those restaurants included 57 North Kitchen & Brewery, Bear & Buffalo Bar/Restaurant, Mr. Mike’s Steakhouse Casual, Paddy McSwiggins, Surekha’s on the Snye, The Club House at Miskanaw, and Zee Bar & Grill.

After diners rated their meals at each restaurant, ratings and comments were taken into account with a Festival Judging Panel who tasted every meal and decided winners of each award.

The winners are as follows:

  • Best Plating, Best Customer Experience, and Best Overall: Surekha’s on the Snye
  • People’s Choice and Best Steal of a Deal: Mr. Mike’s Steakhouse Casual
  • Best Creative: Bear & Buffalo Bar/Restaurant
  • Best Savoury: The Club House at Miskanaw
  • Best Sweet: Paddy McSwiggins
  • Best Value for Money: Zee Bar & Grill

 

Last year’s event raised $105,000 for Waypoints.

Waypoints is a non-profit organization that supports and assists individuals and families of domestic violence, abuse, sexual assault, and homelessness through prevention, treatment, intervention, and referrals.