On October 14 and 15, families from the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region will gather at the Hotel MOCO in downtown Salaberry-de-Valleyfield for the 3rd edition of the Salon de la petite enfance.

What better time to unveil the details of the 2023 edition than on back-to-school day? On Thursday August 31, dozens of local stakeholders were invited to Régate Kia Valleyfield on Monseigneur-Langlois Boulevard. The car dealership is a major partner of the family event. 

From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 14, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, October 15, the thirty or so exhibitors will welcome young and old alike, interested in discussing the broad subject of family and early childhood.

Guests at the press conference included the Mayor of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Miguel Lemieux, and his Beauharnois counterpart, Alain Dubuc. "Early childhood is a subject I love to talk about. One of my goals when I first ran for mayor in 2017 was to bring more families back to Salaberry-de-Valleyfield. Six years later, that's well on the way to becoming a reality, as four new schools have opened on municipal territory. We're a close-knit community, and we like to take care of each other. It's important to mobilize around early action so that all toddlers start out with the same chance in life," said Mr. Lemieux, inviting people to participate in large numbers.

Beauharnois Mayor Alain Dubuc reiterated the importance of the event. "It would be the perfect opportunity for exhibitors and visitors to exchange ideas on all subjects closely or remotely related to early childhood. It's rare for several organizations offering all kinds of services to families to be brought together in one place, so it will be a great opportunity."

Exhibitors who have confirmed their participation in this 3rd edition can be found on the Salon de la petite enfance website. It's not impossible that the list will grow between now and the event.

An interesting cultural program

With its focus on the family, the Salon de la petite enfance will offer parents a number of informative booths where they can get advice, buy products or talk with early childhood professionals.

As for the little ones, they'll be able to enjoy the entertainment on site. "The show coincides with the launch weekend of P'tits dimanches at Valspec. The series of shows for children aged 0 to 12 will officially launch on Sunday, October 15 at Valspec at 3 p.m. with a free show by Arthur L'Aventurier. Families will be able to leave the Salon a little early and come to Valspec to see the show starring this beloved character," said Pascale Jodoin, Artistic Development and Programming Coordinator at Valspec.

Shows for children aged 18 months to 3 years will also be held during the Salon de la petite enfance. A face-painting station, Campi-Agile, L'Académie du Noir et Or, inflatable games, games of skill and a dynamic sports course will complete the activity's youth offering.

To find out more about the event, visit https://salonpetiteenfance.ca/. Don't miss it!