Captain Wayne Sparrow, aka Wayne Kaufman, had a couple of fans, 5 year old Ariya (left) and 6 year old Gracie, stop by to see him at Pioneer Park at the Marine Heritage Festival's Media and Sponsor Appreciation Day July 3.
Hub Staff
The ninth annual Marine Heritage Festival is set to return to the shores of Lake Huron in Southampton, bringing pirates, cardboard boat races, vendors, food, drink and entertainment for the whole family July 26 to 28.
At a media and sponsor appreciation event July 3 at Pioneer Park, Marine Heritage Co-Chair Dave Wenn thanked everyone who was involved in making the festival possible and said that the initial intention of the festival was to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the restoration of Chantry Island back in 2011.
“It was really an attempt to showcase the beauty of Southampton as part of our Saugeen Shores community and also the theme was to have fun for everybody,” said Wenn. “Make it family orientated and make it as inexpensive as could need be," he explained.
Saugeen Shores Mayor Luke Charbonneau said that the Marine Heritage Festival had become an indispensable part of summer in Saugeen Shores and said that after last year's strong winds and big waves he was hoping for some calmer weather for this year's festival. “I was in [the Big Canoe Challenge] last year and I'm going to be in another one this year, so I'm hoping for more placid seas," Charbonneau said.
The festival is set to kick off with a launch party at 6 p.m. at the Bruce county Museum & Cultural Centre July 26. A full day of events is scheduled at Pioneer Park July 27 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. with the War on the Shore Bike Race hitting the streets of Southampton July 28.
Sailing the high seas of Southampton in a cardboard boat, Saugeen Shores Mayor Luke Charbonneau (left) and Captain Wayne Sparrow arrived at Pioneer Park with some of the Marine Heritage Festival's sponsors at a special Media and Sponsor Appreciation Day July 3. From left, Lynda Cain of OPG, Samantha Trumbley, Terina Wnuk and Scott Saunders of Re/Max Land Exchange - The Saugeen Team and Brenda White of Bruce Telecom.
Marine Heritage Society members are busy preparing for the ninth annual Marine Heritage Festival July 26 to 28 but took some time out for a Media and Sponsor Appreciation Day July 3. Back row, from left, Dave Wenn, Connie Barker, Vicky Tomori, Captain Wayne Sparrow and Eric Tolton. Front row, from left, Al Smethurst, Deb Kaufman, Rob Campbell and Stan Young.
Town of Saugeen Shores Town staff involved in getting the area's beaches ready for the summer season were also invited to participate in a barbecue lunch at Pioneer Park at the Marine Heritage Festival's Media and Sponsor Appreciation Day July 3.
Marine Heritage Society's Al Smethurst was busy cooking burgers and hotdogs at the Media and Sponsor Appreciation Day July 3.
A barbecue lunch was provided by the Marine Heritage Society to thank everyone involved in making the annual festival possible.
The 2019 Marine Heritage Festival's schedule of events. Click for larger view.
Below, at a Media and Sponsor Appreciation Day July 3, we spoke with Captain Wayne Sparrow about the upcoming Marine Heritage Festival July 26 to 28 in Southampton.
