Frosty Fest 2012

The Story of Frosty Fest 2012

Family Day Weekend (Feb 18-20) Freedom House and the City of Brantford present Brantford's Winter Carnival FROSTY FEST in Harmony Square! The 3rd annual celebration of LIFE in the winter sees the return of the popular ice carving, horse-drawn trolley rides, figure skating shows, a street midway, FREE skating, pony rides, free Kids Zone games and fun winter fare like snow taffy! This year's new features include a “Rail Jam” Snowboarding Demo right on Dalhousie Street and a pancake breakfast on the holiday Monday! Admission to Frosty Fest is FREE and will again be the setting for full-family holiday weekend of memories!

"Somebody recently asked me why we put so much time and energy into something like Frosty Fest that’s not exactly a common ‘church’ activity? I think that anytime the church can do something to intentionally to bless the city... that’s good investment. Frosty Fest exists because every single day is an opportunity to create something positive and transformational in our city. Brantford needed a reason to gather as families on FAMILY DAY to celebrate the season instead of hide from it. So we made a reason… and it worked”
Brian Beattie (Lead Pastor of Freedom House)


Over 10,000 from Brantford and the surrounding region celebrate Family Day weekend at Frosty Fest each year. Your host for the weekend is Brantford's own Superhero Captain Kindness who will be leading teams throughout the downtown on Random Act of Kindness blitzes as a part of Freedom House's “Kindness Project.” A continual quest to change Brantford "BY good INTO good" with kindness.

New Frosty Fest features this year includes a community Pancake Breakfast on Family Day Monday morning for only a Toonie. Families should be on the lookout for “free pancake breakfast” coupon that will be distributed in elementary schools that also includes one free midway ride so the whole family can enjoy the day! Also new this year you’ll find a snowboard “Rail Jam.” Similar to a skateboarding skate park, the Rail Jam will feature snowboarders showing off their skills all weekend long, right in the middle of Dalhousie street.

The schedule for the weekend:

*Note that ice carving, midway rides & other events run non-stop all weekend

Saturday Feb 18:
11am - Festival Opens
11am-5pm Rail Jam Snowboard Demo's
12pm-4pm - Horse Drawn Trolley Rides
12:30pm - Canadian JR Pair Bronze Medalists Mary Orr & Anthony Furiano - Figure Skating Performance
5pm - Closing Time

Sunday Feb 19th:
11am - Festival Opens
11am-5pm - Rail Jam Snowboard Demo's
12pm-4 - Trolley Rides
12pm -4 - Pony Rides
12:30pm -Canadian JR Pair Bronze Medalists Mary Orr & Anthony Furiano - Figure Skating Performance
3:00pm - Brantford Skate Club - Figure Skating Program
5pm - Closing Time

Monday Feb 20th:

8-11am -Frosty Fest Pancake Breakfast
Cost of $2 for hot fresh pancakes and a drink
Market Square Mall (corner of Dalhousie and Market)
Pancake Breakfast featuring Crock-A-Doodle Tile Craft - Free for Kids

9am- Festival Opens
9am -5pm Rail Jam Snowboard Demo's
11am-12:30 - Indoor Movie at Freedom House
12pm-4pm - Horse Drawn Trolley Rides
12pm-4 - Pony Rides
12:30pm -Canadian JR Pair Bronze Medalists Mary Orr & Anthony Furiano - Figure Skating Performance
1pm -2:30 - Indoor Movie at Freedom House
2:30pm-3 - Family Day Ceremony - featuring local Dignitaries
3pm - Brantford Skate Club - Skating Program
5pm - Festival Closes


It's only because of the TEAM of generous donors that Frosty Fest exists.

Frosty Fest Sponsors

Zone and Event Sponsors:
Campbell Amusements - Midway Zone
Sylvan learning centre - Kids Zone
TD Bank - Warming Tent
Harry's - Snowboarding Rail Jam
Circle Square Ranch - Ponies

Additional Sponsors:
Kelly Foundation
The Brantford Expositor
The Brant Connection
The Brant Community Foundation
CKPC-FM

Platinum Sponsors:
Coffee Culture
Crock-A-Doodle
Dalhousie Place
Shoeless Joes
Tiki-Loft

Gold Sponsors
Parkway Dentistry
Brookfield Homes
Millard, Rouse & Rosebrugh
Cutting Edge

Silver Sponsors:
Netty Vintage
MP Phil McColeman
The Brant Advocate
GK York
Sophie's Bakery
Octopus Red

Bronze Sponsors:
Krystal Clear Cleaning Services

INQUIRIES & MEDIA REQUESTS

Brian Beattie: brian@freedomhouse.ca (Freedom House Lead Pastor)
Martin Chiarot: martin.chiarot@gmail.com (Frosty Fest Organizer)
Dave Carrol: dave@freedomhouse.ca (The Kindness Project)

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8th Anniversary & The Volley Awards

This Sunday is the 8th Anniversary of Freedom House! Absolutely amazing that through so many ups and down... and moments that we wondered how we'd ever make it... we've seen God use the work & worship of Freedom Housers to see something great happen in Brantford.

You know, not every church plant survives and actually MAKES IT. But 8 years in, we're seeing a season of growth happening. We'll likely have to make more space for more people in our 9th year. We've done it before... and we'll do it again! Remember this?



It won't be that bad :) Just one wall this time.

But this is the "Era of Everyone!" We're seeing an increase in our community influence. We're seeing doors open all around us with AMAZING opportunities to serve our city and share God's love in practical ways. And it happens because of volunteers like YOU!

This Sunday Night at 6pm is our 2nd Annual VOLLEY Awards! (Facebook Event here) Volunteerism and Freedom House go hand in hand. It's one of the ways we work intentionally to change our city BY good INTO good. Bring a food/salad and come for the potluck dinner together, and we'll celebrate Freedom House's 8th Anniversary as a church by taking a look back at last year, and hand out the hardware. There are 25 Volley Awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award AND the "Golden Volleyball" for the volunteer of the year! EVERYONE is welcome as this will be fun (and funny) party night celebrating YOU!

Even if you're not a Freedom Houser... but you'd like to come and honor a hard-working, dedicated group (or if you'd like to become part of the team) you're welcomed to our 2nd Annual "Volley Awards"

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Living Nativity Press Release

“The Living Nativity” Returns to Harmony Square

Brantford's new family tradition is back for Year 2.
2000 people were wowed last year by the returning vocal talent of Jamie Prokop and Alisha Mann

For Immediate Release:

Brantford, ON November 28th 2011– The Living Nativity... the Christmas you remember as a child. Freedom House Church with Brantford Parks and Recreation and the Downtown BIA are thrilled to announce that the best NEW event on Harmony Square's 2010 calender has returned for 2011 and a long term stay as a part of the city's Christmas celebrations. December 16th – 18th … Bethlehem comes to Brantford. 2 shows nightly (7pm and 8pm) “The Living Nativity” musical will include the characters from the Biblical Christmas narrative along with live animals and a chance to meet the cast after!

Brian Beattie of Freedom House (writer and director of “The Living Nativity”) says that the first year was so successful that they plan to make The Living Nativity something generations of families will look forward to attending together.

“Families search high and low to find things they can do together at Christmas. And for many years, remembering the story of the 1st Christmas was always a part of it. One thing we saw happen last year, was that parents and kids came together to enjoy a beautiful night downtown, and the movingly beautiful story of the manger brought them together as a family, making the season even more significant. Christmas and the manger are forever linked. You can't have one without the other”
Brian Beattie

Lead performers Jamie Prokop from IAM Studios and recording artist Alisha Mann reprise their roles as Joseph and Mary. Prokop, son and bandmate of Juno award winning Skip Prokop of “Lighthouse” fame, says that he was amazed at the impact of last year's show.

“I had people from all over town making sure we were coming back to the square to do The Living Nativity again! How could we not? 2000 people came to hear this story. The acting and music are great.. when the snow began falling... it was amazing... but people come because the story is as important today as it was 2000 year ago.”
Jamie Prokop

MEDIA DAY:
At 6pm before the Thursday December 15th before the dress rehearsal, we'll be treating the media to a hot coffee and a few numbers from the show that will be easy to photograph as well as interview and photo op access to the actors, creators, participants and even the animals! The sets and live animals will be in place. If you would like to arrange an alternate time… see the contact info below.

Freedom House’s “Kindness Project” encourages the city to find ways to transform the city BY good INTO good... so the Living Nativity remains free of charge. Freedom House is a church and ministry centre located in the lower floor of the Market Square Mall. Their Sunday services are at 10:45AM.


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CONTACT INFORMATION AND LINKS
For more information, or media interviews please contact;
Brian Beattie
brian@freedomhouse.ca

Link to the Facebook event
Link to the Promotional Video

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Parade details for Saturday

The Santa Claus Parade is always one of the biggest days of the Freedom House Year and this year is no different! We'll be showing off the Living Nativity set and actors and inviting THOUSANDS with candy and card! Here are the details:

We need people who are walking/riding the float to meet at the Line Up Location by 5:00pm latest. Our float position is C065 which is on Chatham Street. You will need to park outside of the parade line up area and WALK IN to meet us in the marshaling area. Parade starts moving at 5:30ish.

On the Float will be Mary & Joseph & Baby Jesus. The Wisemen,3 Animals (Brandon, Jared, Charla), Angels (Haley, Carrol Children, Littlest Hill Children, Vanessa, Sarah N) and the Candy distributors to reload walkers. That job will be assigned the night of.

But we need EVERYONE! The rest of us will be walking (feel free to dress up as Shepherds, sheep or other barn animals if you wish) and we'll be giving away 5000 candies. Dress Warm if you're on the float and wear good walking shoes.

After, please come back to Harmony Square for the party. We'll be doing Concession (those who are doing it, Nicki will contact directly) Come ready for a GREAT night!

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What is 24/7 Prayer and what's "The Vision"

We're about to start a WHOLE WEEK of 24/7 Prayer from November 13th to 20th and it begs the question... what is it? This is the story of where it all started in the voices of those who started it:



What does it look like. Me, you, and many others taking turns praying, drawing, painting, worshiping, sitting quietly, reading... whatever way you need to to connect with God for an unbroken week.

What is the vision of 24/7 prayer? This is (in my opinion) the finest, most powerful, most profound piece of modern prophetic poetry I've ever read. It's what God showed Pete Greig. It's called "The Vision" Sign up for you hours of prayer HERE.

The vision?

The vision is JESUS – obsessively, dangerously, undeniably Jesus.

The vision is an army of young people. You see bones? I see an army. And they are FREE from materialism.

They laugh at 9-5 little prisons.
They could eat caviar on Monday and crusts on Tuesday.
They wouldn't even notice.
They are free yet they are slaves of the hurting and dirty and dying.

What is the vision ?
The vision is holiness that hurts the eyes. It makes children laugh and adults angry. It gave up the game of minimum integrity long ago to reach for the stars. It scorns the good and strains for the best. It is dangerously pure.

Light flickers from every secret motive, every private conversation.
It loves people away from their suicide leaps, their Satan games.
This is an army that will lay down its life for the cause. A million times a day its soldiers
choose to loose
that they might one day win
the great 'Well done' of faithful sons and daughters.

Such heroes are as...

... radical on Monday morning as Sunday night. They don't need fame from names. Instead they grin quietly upwards and hear the crowds chanting again and again: "COME ON!"

And this is the sound of the underground
The whisper of history in the making
Foundations shaking
Revolutionaries dreaming once again
Mystery is scheming in whispers
Conspiracy is breathing…
This is the sound of the underground

And the army is discipl(in)ed.

Young people who beat their bodies into submission.

Every soldier would take a bullet for his comrade at arms. The tattoo on their back boasts "for me to live is Christ and to die is gain".

Sacrifice fuels the fire of victory in their upward eyes.
Winners. Martyrs. Who can stop them ?
Can hormones hold them back?
Can failure succeed? Can fear scare them or death kill them ?

And the generation prays

like a dying man
with groans beyond talking,
with warrior cries, sulphuric tears and
with great barrow loads of laughter!
Waiting. Watching: 24 – 7 – 365.
Whatever it takes they will give: Breaking the rules. Shaking mediocrity from its cosy little hide. Laying down their rights and their precious little wrongs, laughing at labels, fasting essentials. The advertisers cannot mould them. Hollywood cannot hold them. Peer-pressure is powerless to shake their resolve at late night parties before the cockerel cries.

They are incredibly cool, dangerously attractive inside.

On the outside? They hardly care. They wear clothes like costumes to communicate and celebrate but never to hide. Would they surrender their image or their popularity? They would lay down their very lives - swap seats with the man on death row - guilty as hell. A throne for an electric chair.

With blood and sweat and many tears, with sleepless nights and fruitless days, they pray as if it all depends on God and live as if it all depends on them.

Their words make demons scream in shopping centres.
Don't you hear them coming?
Herald the weirdo's! Summon the losers and the freaks.
Here come the frightened and forgotten with fire in their eyes. They walk tall and trees applaud, skyscrapers bow, mountains are dwarfed by these children of another dimension. Their prayers summon the hounds of heaven and invoke the ancient dream of Eden.

And this vision will be. It will come to pass; it will come easily; it will come soon.

-Pete Greig.

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