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July 6, 7, 8, 2007
Smiths Falls
In Sensational Smiths Falls - The Heart of The Rideau 1800’s Style Farmers Market Comes April 20th, 2007 Mid April marks an important date on the calendar for Rideau Canal enthusiasts. From now until the end of the year, Smiths Falls will host at least one event each and every week in honour of the Rideau Canal’s 175th Anniversary. With this week’s snow and wind, the summer of 2007 may feel quite far away. Despite the weather, however, plans for an historic summer of Rideau 175 celebrations in Smiths Falls are moving right along. The Historic Vendor’s Marketplace at the Chamber of Commerce’s Rideau 175 Heritage Festival promises to be one of the most memorable heritage experiences of the year. A replica 1800’s Farmer’s Market is being built just for the occasion. Wooden stalls and antiqued oilskin canopies will be home to the sights and sounds of days gone by. The Marketplace will give Centennial Park the traditional look and feel that is at the heart of the Festival’s theme: Step back in time… step into tradition at the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival! With the help of local businesses, artisans and farmers, the Marketplace will be a major drawing card for visitors on the weekend of July 6, 7, and 8th this summer. Vendors with homegrown produce, syrup, knitting, woodcrafts, honey, artisan breads and cheeses, baking, preserves, weaving, spinning, and other traditional goods are invited to sell and display their wares in the market. Traditional demonstrations and hands on activities will also be presented for festivalgoers to enjoy. In addition to the Heritage Festival, Smiths Falls has 40 “Rideau related” celebrations in the works for 2007. A number of the events are one-day activities but a great deal of them are spread over a weekend, a week or even a whole month. The Parks Canada and Friends of the Rideau website at www.rideau175.org features an extensive listing of events planned for the year. Call or email the Chamber to get your copy of the 2007 Smiths Falls events listing or to find out more about the Historic Vendor’s Marketplace. Don’t wait too long though… the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival is only 77 days away! 613-283-1334 or sfchamber@smithsfalls.ca 175 Heritage Festival’s April 13th, 2007 Don’t put away your Easter bonnets just yet. The Rideau 175 Heritage Festival in July will be featuring a fabulous Bonnet contest for the whole family. While the exact categories of bonnet creations are still in the planning stages, there have been several suggestions so far. Ideas for heritage themes include “Victorian Bonnets” and “1800’s Military Replicas.” Fun themes include “Summer Holiday on the Rideau,” “Pirates of the Rideau,” “My Fishing Hat,” “Happy Birthday Rideau Canal,” and “Sensational Smiths Falls.” Children, families, schools and clubs are encouraged to work together to create bonnets and hats for the contest. Individuals can enter in each of the categories depending based on their age groups. Festival-goers who show up without their fancy hats will be able to stop by the Heritage Park Children’s Activity Area at the festival to whip up an impromptu creation of their own. Prizes will be awarded at a special “Hats off to the Rideau Canal” ceremony following the Parade of Bonnets in Centennial Park on the Saturday afternoon of the Heritage Festival on July 7th, 2007. In the 1800’s and throughout history, hats and head coverings were important elements of fashion and etiquette. It was virtually unthinkable for a lady to venture out of the house without her head covered. Rich, poor, young or old, every status of person was expected to cover their head in public. If you long for the days of the good old hat as an elaborate, artistic fashion statement, you will want to start preparing for the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival’s Bonnet Contest. Details of the exact prize, age and theme categories will be published in the Festival’s Official Guidebook in June. In the meantime, get creating! If you have a suggestion for a bonnet category or would like more information on the Bonnet Contest or the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival, please contact the Chamber of Commerce. Dressing Up The Streets April 5th, 2007 With spring officially under way, the colour will soon be back in our parks and yards. In honour the Rideau Canal’s 175th Anniversary, it seems that there will be more colour than usual this year. The beauty of Smiths Falls and the Rideau Canal will be on display inside of a variety of shops around Town as well as outside. Local businesses, and the owners of shops that are currently empty, are being encouraged to decorate their windows with a celebratory Rideau 175 theme. The Chamber of Commerce and the DBA, together with a variety of their members, are working on several design creations for empty shops in Town. Property owners are being approached to see if they would like to have a professional display created for their windows for the duration of the summer. Sophisticated and stylish presentations will feature scenes from days gone by. The goal of the project is not only to liven up vacant buildings, but to highlight the building’s potential, and to promote a sense of pride in Town. A proud, celebratory feeling will hopefully be running through all storefronts in Town this year. Beaches, fishing, boating, camping, picnics, loons, flowers, cottages, or any other memories of the Rideau will fit the theme when it comes to decorating. What does the Rideau mean to you? What does summer along the Canal remind you of? For those of you who would like to work in a few official Rideau 175 mementoes… calendars, postcards, pins, flags, pennants and other Rideau 175 commemorative items are available for purchase at the Friends of the Rideau Office here in Smiths Falls. Dressing up the streets is also on the agenda this summer. Valerie Hudson and the Downtown Business Association are busy putting the final touches on celebratory banners and murals tthat will hang throughout Smiths Falls. The banners depict images of life along the Rideau. Antique fishing lures, anglers at sunset, and crabs – the mechanical type not the crustaceans – are but of few of the memories that will be on display for everyone to enjoy. The most important artists of the year, however, may well be your children. Over 600 students have entered the DBA’s postcard contest and more than 150 students have entered the colouring contest being sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. These creations will also be on display in stores throughout town as the summer nears. You’ll want to make a special trip downtown just to see these wonderful creations. For more information on the window dressing program, street banners, murals, the postcard and colouring contests, please contact the Chamber of Commerce or the DBA. We will be pleased to share our excitement with you. Gala Dinner Theatre & Period March 30 , 2007 For those of you who eagerly reserved tickets for the Chamber of Commerce’s Gala Dinner Theatre & Period Costume Ball… your wait is finally over. Tickets go on sale this week for the much-anticipated Gala Ball being held on July 7th, 2007, in honour of the 175th Anniversary of the Rideau Canal. The evening is sure to be one of old-fashioned glamour and good times. The Gala festivities will take place on the lawn of the Heritage House Museum where guests will be invited to step back in time as they enjoy an evening of theatre, traditional musical entertainment and a sumptuous heritage feast under grand marquee tents along the Rideau Canal. Ladies in flowing ball gowns and elegant bonnets will accompany gentlemen in military uniforms and family tartans. The costumes themselves will surely be a highlight of the Gala. Guests are invited to dress in 1800’s themed costumes. Several people in town have, in fact, already started sewing their elegant costume creations. Gala guests will have an opportunity to capture the excitement of the evening with commemorative photographs by Steven Maddock of Hy Fund Studio. Steven is preparing for the Heritage Festival in his own creative way and has been busy painting a fashionable, heritage styled backdrop specifically for the Gala Ball. The scene will reflect the heritage theme of the Rideau Canal’s 175th Anniversary as well as the history of Smiths Falls in the early 1800s. Throughout the evening, there will be several opportunities to pose in costume with friends and fellow guests so everyone can be sure that the memories of the Gala don’t fade away. The heritage feast will also be an attraction in itself. Featuring traditional ingredients prepared with modern flair, guests will be treated to sumptuous gourmet creations by fine local chefs. To accompany the feast, Parks Canada Players will treat guests to a dinner theatre performance of “Spirits Rising,” a unique journey through life along the Rideau Canal. As a special treat, the Gala will be a venue for guests to sample latest creations from Canada's Capital Brewer. Heritage Brewing of Carleton Place has created a premium and a traditional dark lager with a unique Rideau 175 label to commemorate Colonel By’s grand achievement. Carefully crafted from the finest ingredients available, these Rideau 175 lagers will surely add a complimentary flavour to the heritage feast. Guests who wish to enjoy the finer side of early 1800’s life along the Canal will enjoy the opportunity to take part in guided tours of the carefully restored period rooms within Heritage House. Built in 1861, the classically styled Victorian house was home to a prominent mill owner and merchant who made his living in Smiths Falls. Heritage House and its lovely gardens are the perfect backdrops for the Chamber’s Gala event. To round out the evening’s festivities, the musical entertainment will continue until midnight with an eclectic variety of traditional song and dance. There will be a little of something for everyone on the dance floor including a variety of Viennese waltzes, Irish jigs, two steps and more. Tickets for the Gala Dinner Theatre & Period Costume Ball are being sold for $200 per couple and are expected to sell out quickly. They are available to purchase by calling the Smiths Falls & District Chamber of Commerce at 613-283-1334 or by email at sfchamber@smithsfalls.ca. Local Band “River Rose” Celebrate the Rideau Canal in Song February 23, 2007 “Colonel By and his hearty men, a burley bunch of pals, worked together many a day building the Rideau Canal.” Put these words to music… start tapping your toes… History lessons came in the form of songs at Town Hall this past week as the talented ladies of “River Rose” performed a few musical numbers to honour the Rideau Canal. Local songwriters Beth Bernhardt and Caroline Brown, together with Maggie Swanson, Georgie Cogswell, Helen Latimer-Hanah and Norah Elliot make up a talented local band called “River Rose.” Beth and Caroline began preparing a repertoire of songs to honour the Rideau Canal’s anniversary several years back. The result of their combined creativity reflects the backbone and fortitude of both the men who built the Canal and the women who shaped the country alongside them. “River Rose” will be one of the many groups of featured performers at the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival in Smiths Falls this summer. Their toe-tapping rhythms and their swaying waltzes feature an enchanting traditional sound. The well-researched songs contain historical facts and are exactly what the Heritage Festival’s planning committee is looking for. Can’t wait to hear these fantastic tunes at the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival in July? You will be able to purchase your own copy of the River Rose’s CD in a few months. The CD will feature songs that celebrate the Rideau Canal like “Monumental Task,” “Rideau Royal Engineers,” and “Parasols and Petticoats.” If the CD is anything like the ladies in “River Rose,” it is sure to be both entertaining and educational. In addition to “River Rose,” the Heritage Festival committee is busy booking a variety of traditional performers. For the bagpipes and drums lovers, the celebrated “Brockville Pipe Band” will play at a free sunset concert in Centennial Park on opening day. The Canal Worker’s Memorial Group from Ottawa will feature traditional Irish and Celtic music, commemorating the labourers who built the Canal. They will be playing in both concert and workshop formats on Festival weekend. To promote the creative talent and energy in Smiths Falls, the Chamber is looking for local musicians with a traditional flare to perform at the Festival. We still have openings for concert performers, choirs, buskers, and children’s entertainers. The Chamber welcomes suggestions from the community. Maybe you heard a group at a local pub that will keep the crowds dancing? Perhaps your band throws the best kitchen party in the area? Learning to play the fiddle? The mandolin? The harmonica? We have a spot for you too. The Rideau 175 Heritage Festival (July 6, 7 and 8) is approaching fast so contact the Chamber at sfchamber@smithsfalls.ca to find out how to audition. February 16, 2007 Guess who’s coming to Town for the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival? That is precisely the question that the Chamber of Commerce has been pondering as we put the finishing touches on our marketing plan for this summer’s festivities. A quick look at basic tourism statistics tells us that one group we should be directing our advertising and promotions towards is a group called “Heritage Enthusiasts.” Apparently, in the world of tourism, there are significantly large groups of Canadians who frequently make trips heritage themed events, carnivals, museums, markets and attractions. Attracting this group of visitors to our town could be quite beneficial for the Town’s economy. Not to mention for the Heritage Festival attendance numbers. Studies show that when adults travel to take in the sights and sounds of heritage activities, they generally spend between $200 and $500 each. I have to assume that these people have as much trouble keeping their wallets closed while walking past the candyfloss stand as I do. Studies also show that these “Heritage Enthusiasts” are generally older, adult couples whose children have left home. That made us wonder… If this statistic is true, why do we see so many children at Festivals and Fairs? One measure of a successful event would be whether or not local families will walk down the street to see what the excitement and noise is all about. Another would be whether or not the children will find the event exciting. In the middle of the summer, the best festival is perhaps one that makes local families glad they stayed home from the cottage just to attend. And that will be our biggest challenge. Putting on a festival – a celebration – that our own community will want to stick around for. The Rideau 175 Heritage Festival has to be something that people in Smiths Falls want to attend. The Chamber can advertise far and wide to groups who might bite the marketing hook but the best advertising that any festival or attraction will ever receive comes right down to word of mouth. So here is the Chamber’s offer: Send us the names of family and friends who you would like to attend the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival. Send us the names of people who you know are “Heritage Enthusiasts.” Send us the names of people who you want to share the Rideau 175 celebrations with. Send us the names of people who need an invitation come back home for this fantastic year of Rideau 175 festivities. The Chamber will send your guest a personalized invitation to the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival. We’ll also include a listing of other Sensational events being featured in Smiths Falls this year. Help us to attract “Community Enthusiasts” - the market that is at the heart of our Town. Include your name plus your guest’s name and full mailing address and we’ll do the rest. Smiths Falls & District Chamber of Commerce Rideau 175 Heritage Festival update February 9, 2007 The line-up for the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival is coming together. Many groups in town have signed on to offer to run their own event during the Festival. Here’s a look at what your community will be adding to the Festival so far:
In Centennial Park, The Festival will feature 3 days of traditional fun. New additions to the line-up include the Brockville City Pipe Band and the Canal Workers Memorial Group who will entertain us lively music and festive song. Another anticipated performer is “Bear.” Bear, who sometimes goes by his proper name of Maurice Leger, is a celebrated traveling Celtic storyteller and musician who has immersed himself in an authentic 1800’s lifestyle. With his horse and gypsy caravan, Bear travels from town to town entertaining crowds of all ages. While traveling in the Maritimes, Bear’s act drew such acclaim that he was featured Wayne Rostad’s show “On the Road Again.” For all the antique fans out there, we will be featuring demonstrations with 1800s antique steam equipment as well as a railway exhibit. You will be able to get a sneak peek of the 2007 IPM festivities and will have an opportunity to purchase raffle tickets on an antique tractor. Community groups, offices and clubs are welcome to join the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival with their own activities or fundraisers. Contact the Smiths Falls & District Chamber of Commerce if you would like more information. Fast Facts, Trivia and Some Handy Information About The Rideau Canal February 2, 2007 With the generous volume of media coverage that is being given to the 175th Anniversary of the Rideau Canal, it seems only natural to assume that each and every citizen in Smiths Falls has made their way to a local history book to do a little “Rideau Research.” That certainly is the case over at the Chamber of Commerce office as we prepare, not only for the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival, but also for the multitude of visitors that will be passing through our information booths in 2007. This year, perhaps more than ever before, each and every resident and employee of Smiths Falls will be an Ambassador for the town. As Ambassadors, wouldn’t it be great if we all knew some basic facts about Colonel By’s creation. Visitors to Town will inevitably have questions about the Canal, its construction and its place in our Town’s history. So here’s the challenge… for everyone in Smiths Falls to learn at least one tidbit of trivia about the Rideau Canal AND to share it with a visitor. A little time spent on the internet or in a good history book will surely result in some excellent conversation starters. Until you find your own unique piece of Rideau Canal trivia, you may be interested in Napoleon’s connection to Smiths Falls. Don’t get too excited! There isn’t a little B & B just around the corner that proudly displays a “Napoleon slept here” sign above the door. As it turns out, after the war of 1812, British authorities weren’t very enthusiastic about spending great amounts of money on a canal to protect Canada’s supply route. Parks Canada’s history notes on the topic report that since relations with the United States were returning to normal, there didn’t seem to be as much need for a canal for defensive purposes. Back in England, the Duke of Wellington was one of the major champions of proceeding with the construction of the Rideau Canal. The Duke, apparently a fan of John By, supported the recommendation for By to spearhead the project. And the Napoleon connection you ask? Indeed it was the same Duke of Wellington who had defeated Napoleon at the battle of Waterloo a few years earlier. Lucky for Smiths Falls, the Duke’s opinion on the Canal and the appointment of Colonel By was taken seriously. Hopefully the Duke was there to offer his support to Colonel By at the cost-over run hearings when the canal was completed 6 years later. That piece of trivia made us wonder. Are there any contractors in town who would care to submit a quote on the cost of constructing a 202 KM canal system with 47 locks and with hand cut timbers and hand carved stones? Can you complete the job in a mere 6 years? Colonel By only spent 500,000 British pounds to construct the entire Rideau Canal. That included the cost of regularly replacing several hundred workers who were dying from malaria in our local swamps. Hey… there’s another piece of trivia for you to share with a visitor this summer! While the Chamber of Commerce can’t promise that Napoleon himself will be at the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival on July 6, 7, and 8 this summer, we are sure that your visitors and your families will enjoy taking a stroll back in time to the 1800’s. We can also promise that each and every one of us will have a piece of Rideau Canal trivia ready to share. If you would like more information on Smiths Falls, the Rideau Canal or the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival in July, please contact the Smiths Falls & District Chamber of Commerce at 613-283-1334 or at sfchamber@smithsfalls.ca Get Your Rideau 175 Groove On! January 26th, 2007 At the end of 2006, letters were sent by the Chamber of Commerce to service groups, churches and community groups. The letters asked the groups to consider holding a Rideau 175 event on July 6, 7 and 8th, 2007, the weekend of the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival. As we reach the January 31st target date for submitting ideas for involvement, the responses are starting to roll in. Even a number of businesses have been calling the Chamber office to get ideas of how they their staff and families can get involved. On the record are groups offering to run lectures, hold BBQs, help with festival preparations, create decorations, run programs, and organize tournaments. Many groups are realizing that this is an excellent venue for their group to run a fundraiser for a special cause. If you would like to participate but don’t know where to start, there are plenty of ways to get involved. Hopefully many of our readers took in the Downtown Business Association’s AGM this week and got a chance to look over the Rideau 175 resources, information and costumes available in town. If dressing the old-fashioned part is not for you, perhaps one of these other suggestions will help put you in a celebratory spirit? Look up the Rideau 175 events happening up and down the entire Canal. They are listed on the Friends of the Rideau website at: HYPERLINK "http://www.rideau175.org" www.rideau175.org Contact the Chamber of Commerce office to get a Community Partners form – Brainstorm with your group or family and think of a fun heritage themed activity that you would like to see at the Festival. Then let us know. We’ll help you plan it or put you in touch with other people who are looking for great ideas. Create a Happy 175th Anniversary poster and put it in your window, on your lawn, at work or in your car. Decorate a window, showcase, bulletin board, waiting room or yard with a birthday, heritage or Rideau Canal theme. Enter the DBA’s postcard contest or send them your short stories and anecdotes of life in Smiths Falls and along the Canal. (vhudson@smithsfalls.ca) Leaf through Glenn J. Lockwood’s History of Smiths Falls book to see if your family’s name shows up in the pages of our past. If it does, let us know! If it doesn’t, let us know that too! The histories that we collect will be compiled on large posters and displayed at the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival. Why not celebrate your family’s past? While everyone at the Chamber is excited about the summer celebrations, our goal is to help build excitement for all of the events that celebrate the Canal’s 175th anniversary this year. You certainly don’t need to wait until July to start celebrating. Promoting the Rideau Canal’s Anniversary now will encourage visitors to return to other activities that are being held in Town throughout 2007. The Chamber of Commerce is excited to spearhead such a momentous event. With the full support of Parks Canada and their commitment to provide a host of special heritage displays, events and educational resources, the Chamber of Commerce is keen to have the entire community join in to truly make this a cooperative community event. Our area’s children have already taken the lead on the celebrations! A special thank you goes out to Riley and Chelsey McQuillan of Westport and to all the children at Nursery Rhyme Daycare Centre here in Smiths Falls for submitting their fabulous works of art to the Rideau 175 colouring contest. If you would like to get involved in any of the Rideau 175 events in Smiths Falls please contact the Chamber of Commerce at sfchamber@smithsfalls.ca or by telephone at 613-283-1334. Sensational Smiths Falls January 16th, 2007 Smiths Falls - On July 6, 7 and 8th, 2007 the Smiths Falls & District Chamber of Commerce, together with Parks Canada and the entire Town of Smiths Falls, will be celebrating an incredible time in our town’s history, with the once in a lifetime Rideau 175 Heritage Festival. The Heritage Festival is certainly an opportunity to showcase our “Sensational” town to the rest of the country and to visitors from all over the world. The Smiths Falls and District Chamber of Commerce is excited to spearhead such a momentous event. With the full support of Parks Canada and their commitment to provide a host of special heritage displays, events and educational resources, the Chamber of Commerce is keen to have the entire community join in to truly make this a cooperative community event. With the possible designation of the Rideau Canal as a UNESCO Heritage Site, Parks Canada certainly recognizes the importance of showcasing the history and traditions of the Canal. In recognition of this, what better place to highlight the phenomenal history of the Canal but right here in Smiths Falls, the heart of the entire Rideau Canal system. One of the most important legacies that the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival will leave the Town of Smiths Falls is actually the lasting impression that this community will have on its visitors. The Chamber’s hope, in facilitating the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival, is to bring the community together in celebration of the Canal’s contribution to the region. The Festival is also meant to entice visitors to return to Smiths Falls time and time again to enjoy the talents, beauty and history that are plentiful in the sensational community we live in. However much you, your family, your business or community group wish to be involved in the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival, we welcome your input, suggestions and partnership. Staff and Board Directors of the Smiths Falls and District Chamber of Commerce are available to speak to your group, school or to anyone in the community about the vision and plans for the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival. Rideau 175 Heritage Festival Count Down – 175 Days! January 12th, 2007 175 days to go until the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival gets under way. The weekend of July 6, 7 and 8, 2007 will highlight the history of the Heart of The Rideau… Smiths Falls! Many people are wondering how they can get involved. If you have been following the community news over the past year, you will recall that the Town of Smiths Falls is enthusiastically promoting Character Community initiatives. With this in mind, the Chamber of Commerce agreed that it would also adopt the philosophies and work towards encouraging CHARACTER in our daily business. And when it comes to the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival, we plan to do just that. We’ll start with the younger citizens since a child’s creativity, strengths and talents often leave adults amazed. The Character Community philosophy recognizes that by including young people in local events and by encouraging the passions and interests of children, we help to encourage a generation of people willing to take on leadership roles in their community. The Chamber is looking to include children and youth in the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival in a variety of ways. We especially need your style, creativity, leadership, teaching abilities, and your ideas for programs. Here are a few ways to get involved: Youth Representatives on the Festival Planning Committees Creating festival murals and community level legacy projects Developing games and activities Musicians, dancers, public speakers, readers Colouring Contest Great Kids Creation Program in the schools There will be many other ways for children and youth to get involved or to volunteer with the festival. Kids… we need you to help to build excitement about the Rideau Canal’s anniversary. We need you to let us know what you would like to see at the Festival. We want the festival to include the history and traditions found in Smiths Falls in the early 1800’s but most of all, we want to include YOU! For information on any of the above programs or the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival, please contact the Chamber office by email at sfchamber@smithsfalls.ca or by phone at 613-283-1334. Rideau 175 Heritage Festival Count Down – 182 Days! January 5th, 2007 What on earth is the Chamber of Commerce doing now? For those of you who have heard the latest Festival buzz, you may be asking yourselves why the Chamber, a group who prides themselves on being the “Voice of Business,” is involved in planning a festival? The fact is that the Smiths Falls & District Chamber of Commerce is excitedly preparing to celebrate the foundations of progress and prosperity in Smiths Falls. And since much of the area’s prosperity began with the completion of the Rideau Canal in 1832, the Chamber felt that it was only fitting to host a Rideau 175 Heritage Festival (July 6 to 8, 2007) in honour of the Canal’s 175th anniversary. Promoting growth and improving opportunities in the community is something that the Chamber normally focuses on from a business point of view. It has been a busy year for the Chamber in that regard. The Board of Directors is vibrant and active and the Chamber is celebrating record highs in their membership levels. The enthusiasm seems endless so why not take this momentum and energy and give something back to the community. The Chamber Directors, along with the folks over at Parks Canada, are holding their breath and hoping that UNESCO will see fit to declaring the Rideau Canal a World Heritage Site. The fact that the nomination was made is truly an honour in itself. It says that neighbours beyond our borders believe that the Canadian Government and the communities along the entire Rideau corridor will be able to maintain the Rideau Canal as a treasure that everyone in the world should see. Over its 175 years we may never have had to use it for military purposes but the Rideau Canal has continually brought visitors and prosperity to Smiths Falls. The very least we can do in return is to throw a huge 175th Birthday party that encourages everyone to look back with pride at those contributions and opportunities. And that brings us to this column! Smiths Falls This Week has generously offered space in their newspaper so the Chamber of Commerce can inform the whole community about the latest festival plans. Watch this space for Rideau Canal history notes and weekly updates to the list of entertainers and attractions. We’ll also highlight our pre-festival activities in and around town. Here’s a quick look at what we have planned for the Rideau 175 heritage Festival so far:
For the entire three days festival-goers will be able to join the fun in Centennial Park at the Heritage Park Children’s Activity Area and the Historic Market Place. There will also be a variety of traditional music, dance and theatre performances, heritage trades and homecraft demonstrations, natural history and wildlife exhibits and much more. The Chamber of Commerce is currently accepting suggestions and applications for entertainers, vendors, and guests at the Rideau 175 Heritage Festival. Local community, sports and service groups are also invited to join in the celebrations by running one of your own activities or fundraisers at the festival. The Rideau 175 Heritage Festival in July 2007 will be an event for the whole community! Contact the Chamber Office at 613-283-1334 or by email at sfchamber@smithsfalls.ca to let us know what you would like to see at the Festival. Tanis Cowan is the Project Administrator for the Smiths Falls & District Chamber of Commerce’s Rideau 175 Heritage Festival.
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