IT IS ONCE again time for arts, crafts, music, fun, games, military re- enactments and great food. With September comes the excitement of the annual Thornhill Village Festival, this year brought to you on two Saturdays: Sept. 19 and Sept. 26.

I first attended the Thornhill Village Festival with my family 25 years ago, but it has been a successful annual event for over three decades. The 2009 Thornhill Village Festival will feature the Craftfest on Sept. 19, with the craft fair, children’s events and entertainment. Musicfest will be on Sept. 26, featuring military re-enactments, music, art and the opening of the MacDonald House and the Armstrong House.

When it comes to keeping our community spirit alive, few things are as important as making sure that residents can come together to celebrate the history and character that make Thornhill such a wonderfully unique community to live in. The Thornhill Village Festival is just such an opportunity, and that is why I am pleased that, thanks to the Society for the Preservation of Historic Thornhill, we will be able to immerse ourselves in Thornhill’s rich history at the most important community event of the year.

As a parent who raised his children in Thornhill, I know the importance of the annual festival for all those who call Thornhill home, and I hope you and your families will come out to enjoy it.

I would also like to express my appreciation to the organizers and volunteers who are once again spending countless hours getting the festivities ready. Without your commitment to our community, events like the Thornhill Village Festival would simply not be possible, and I thank each and every one of you for your dedication.

For more information, please visit www.thornhillhistoric.org.