On Thursday, July 17th, Santropol Roulant celebrated 30 years of magic at the open house/block party, Rue Fermier. Although it rained, the party did not stop; Santropol Roulant brought everything indoors and transformed the Roulant into a fair.
To announce the start of the celebration, brass band La Fanfare d’Occasion led a beautiful parade throughout the space, ending on the second floor. The scent of freshly popped popcorn and cotton candy filled the air as the honoured guests admired the wonderfully crafted decorations made by volunteers.
This Rue Fermier had a special MC, former volunteer coordinator Ellen, who kept the energy of the 550 guests up all evening long.
Each floor brimmed with activities.
The first floor was a gathering place, where laughter and storytelling were shared by volunteers, clients, donors, board members, and past and present Roulant team members and neighbours alike. The space also hosted a delicious menu of Mexican corn salad, pasta salad and roasted veggie sandwiches complete with homemade seitan and focaccia curated by our amazing kitchen team and volunteers. As the night progressed, the magician Le Grand Alexandre roamed about the event, keeping attendees on the edge of their seats with his magic tricks.
Dance enthusiasts were able to enjoy themselves on the second floor with a line dancing class presented by former farm manager Virginie, who was accompanied by Les Bastringue Boys. After a full set indoors, guests continued to enjoy the band’s melodies out in the gardens (once the weather cleared) with homemade lime and cucumber popsicles.
Meanwhile, guided tours and a treasure hunt allowed young and old alike to explore the Roulant all the way from the Terrasses Roy gardens to the rooftop in full bloom.
What’s a birthday without cake and presents? To thank our community, custom 30th anniversary tote bags, prints, magnets, and t-shirts were given to guests. Our talented kitchen team and volunteers baked a succulent homemade chocolate cake with raspberry buttercream icing, which everyone enjoyed on the Terrasses Roy. The night ended with a clear-skied intergenerational dance party outside to the beats of DJ Michele Azur.
Thank you to our community partner Plein Milieu, who shared information on their programs and resources throughout the Plateau Mont-Royal for supporting people in situations of homelessness, and to the Roulant collectives, including the beekeeping collective, Mycollective, and Santrovélo, for presenting their projects to the community in engaging ways.
Thank you for 30 years by our side. Special thank you to the volunteers who helped throughout the preparation of this Rue Fermier with the decorations, the meals, and the take-down. Thank you to the donors who continue to make it possible for the Roulant to sustain its impact in the community, including through beautiful events such as this
Three decades, more than 5,580 clients and 45,000 volunteers, the purchase of a new building, but the same mission. 30 years of Santropol Roulant means 30 years of creating space for marginalized communities, 30 years advocating for food security, and 30 years of community!
Cheers to 30 more years of impact!
Relive the festivities with the magnificent photos taken by Ivan Arturo, Emma Beckman, Miklos Agoston, and Ashley Merlov!
