in the north end of the city every fall. Tradition stands that on at least one of the operational days it will rain. Canada Day Celebrations has become a local favourite event. The free family fun event is hosted in downtown Welland at Merritt Park. The Farmers' Market, held downtown in the Market Square, features 80+ vendors offering food, Niagara wines, produce and homemade items every Saturday morning, year-round. Welland's Eastdale High School held its 50th Anniversary Reunion on 20, 21 and 22 May 2011. The Welland High and Vocational School Reunion was held 15/16 May 2009 in Welland. The Welland Dragon Boat Festival, takes place in June. The Welland Rose Festival is one of Niagara's longest running festivals. The Rose Festival promotes and encourages community participation through many events such as the Rose Parade, Baby Show, Rose Show, Days in the Park, and more. Celebrating 50 years in 2011, the Rose Festival continues to offer a host of spectacular events and entertainers in the month of June. The city will host the 2018 Canoe Polo World Championships at the Welland International Flatwater Centre. Welland FloatFest began in 2016 and usually occurs for one day in July. The aim of the event is to encourage participants to enjoy the Welland Recreational Waterway by use of an inflatable. The event is complemented with vendors and a concert. In 2017, FloatFest gained a Guinness World Record for a line of touching inflatables that extended 165 metres in the canal to make it into the record book. The Welland Zombie Walk is a community-based event held in October for the past several years. Notable people Stacey Allaster – former Chair, Women's Tennis Association Attack In Black – Alternative Band Paul Beeston – former president of Major League Baseball and former president of the Toronto Blue Jays. Paul Bissonnette – colour commentator and former NHL hockey player Ken Breitenbach – former Buffalo Sabres Hockey Player (NHL) Nina Bunjevac – cartoonist Cal Clutterbuck – New York Islanders player Yvon Corriveau – retired NHL hockey player (Washington, Hartford) Brian Daboll – Head Coach, New York Giants Sabrina D'Angelo - Goalkeeper for Canadian Women's National Soccer Team and North Carolina Courage Andre Deveaux – professional hockey player, Florida Panthers Matt Ellis – Buffalo Sabres hockey player. Robert Hilborn Falls – Chief of the Defence Staff Simon Gatti – soccer player Daniel Girardi – New York Rangers hockey