Saugeen Shores’ Marine Heritage Society is looking forward to a few new things at this year’s annual festival.
Doug Gore says “The fabulous 14th annual marine heritage festival on July 25th through 27th is the largest three-day free family fun festival along the Lake Huron coastline.”
He made a presentation to Saugeen Shores Council Monday and noted the festival attracts over 5,000 participants.
Gore says it begins on the Friday with the artisan and taste market.
“New this year on Friday afternoon is an intriguing public lecture about the Greta Lakes called Beneath the Surface with Zach Melnick and Yvonne Drebert, award winning filmmakers known for using drone camera that captures crystal clear videos of life and history beneath the surface.”
Gore says you may know them from the TVO documentary All TOO Clear. He says they’ll show some rare underwater views and discuss their lives as filmmakers.
He says another popular event will be the kids bike rally around Fairy Lake. Friday evening activities will take place around the Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre including a singalong with Richard Knechtel, followed by Captain Sparrow’s corn roast barbecue presented by the Saugeen Shores Rotary Club. There will also be free museum exhibits that evening.
“New this year is the Chantry Time truck Travel walk around Fairy Lake. “Participants will be transported back in time to meet some fascinating characters from Southampton’s past. Our histroy will truly come alive,” says Gore.
He says Saturday and Sunday’s activities will take place at the Southampton harbour. Saturday includes a Southampton Rotary Club pancake breakfast, a fish fry dinner presetned by Southampton Firefighters Association and a beer garden.
Gore says the day’s events include a kids gold hunt, fun in the park with free activities, the cardboard boat races , live music and a sail past by the Southampton Yacht club.
New this year, the local dragon boat and its crew will be onsite.
The Saugeen Shores Winterhawks will oversee a road hockey game and in the evening there will be a sunset beach party with live music.
Sunday includes a special church service, and the Look Up Theatre youth troop will perform artistic dance and acrobatics.
Sunday has an afternoon beer garden with live music.
The weekend also includes tours of Chantry Island and the open doors to two newly renovated harbour range lights.
Free shuttlebus service will be available all day Saturday and the town will also offer a bike valet service.
To learn more go to chantryisland.com
