McMaster University Student Margaret Qin has organized a street festival in downtown Hamilton to welcome students to the city street and help them learn what the downtown offers. The festival—King William West Fest—includes live music and performances by McMaster students and others, local vendors, and discounts at nearby businesses. Qin shared that the idea grew from an Urban Innovation and Policy course that focused on community engagement and urban planning in Hamilton. She hopes that organizing the festival around McMaster’s Welcome Week will help draw students to the downtown and shift the narrative amidst concerns around crime and safety in the city.
CBC
