Hometown News

By: Chris Must

What could be more Canadian than paddling a canoe? Paddling enthusiasts will once again have the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and indulge in a little friendly competition as the third annual Rideau Paddlefest comes to Lower Reach Park in Smiths Falls on Saturday, Aug. 6.

Co-chaired by Peter Au and Pat Graveline, the volunteer Paddlefest committee has already secured sponsorship from Kilmarnock Enterprise, Wills Transfer, Innovative Logic, Impression Printing, and Metroland Media. The Town of Smiths Falls recently approved a grant of $2,000 to support the festival, which is billed as a cultural, historical, community-based sporting event centred around voyageur canoe races. The committee is also grateful for the financial support of Tweed Inc.

In addition to canoe races, the festival will offer paddling demonstrations and voyageur canoe tours of the Rideau. Waterfront activities will include demonstrations of paddle boarding and kayaking. Educational displays and special children’s activities are planned, and live music will be offered from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 6. The lineup of entertainment for the afternoon has been confirmed, and will include performances by fiddler Ellen Daly, classic rock and R&B band Straight Shooter, and accomplished blues rockers River City Junction.

Participants will have the opportunity to try out a variety of canoes, kayaks and paddleboards.

Teams of 15 are invited to register for the voyageur canoe races. Registration fees are $500 per 15-person team, or $50 per individual. An early bird team registration fee of $450 is offered up to May 31. To register, call Ken at 613-592-6316, or email RideauPaddlefest2016@gmail.com.

“As well as offering a full day of fun activities, we hope to attract visitors to Smiths Falls, and to promote sustainable use of the Rideau waterway, this fantastic resource right here in our own backyards,” said Au. The Rideau Canal has been designated as a world heritage site, he noted.

Graveline said the volunteer committee also wants to promote physical activity, and to increase awareness of Smiths Falls’ waterfront assets, and appreciation for everything the town has to offer.

“Our committee envisions a celebration of sport paddling, competition, local history, nature, cuisine and the arts,” added Au.

FRIDAY

9 to 5: The Musical
8 p.m.
Studio Theatre Perth
For more information visit studiotheatreperth.com

Perth Fire Fighters’ Association Golf Tournament
12:45 p.m. start
Perth Golf Course

FRIDAY

Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser for Gutsy Walk
6 p.m.
Kinsmen Community Pavilion, Lower Reach Park
$8 per person.

Voluntary Road Toll – Torch Run for Special Olympics
10:00 am – 4:30 pm
Cornelia St Underpass

SATURDAY

Yard Sale in the Barn
8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Lombardy Agricultural Fairground

Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics
10 a.m.
County Fair Mall going through the downtown core to the Smiths Falls Memorial Community Centre

Plant & Book Sale
8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Calvary Bible Church (44 Beech Street)
All proceeds donated to Cornerstone Landing, a group dedicating to eliminating teen homelessness.

Great North Wrestling
7:30 p.m.
Smiths Falls Memorial Community Centre

SUNDAY

Fly-In Breakfast
7:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Russ Beach Smiths Falls Montague Flying Club (102 Van Exan Drive)

Friends of the Library Annual Book Sale                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Beside the Library (Daniel Street )

Family Fun Bingo
1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
RCAFA Hall (44 Abbott Street)

FRIDAY

Charitable Barbecue for Fort McMurray
11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
2 Beckwith Street South
Hosted by Dominion Lending Centres

Public Skating
11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Smiths Falls Memorial Community Centre
$2 per person

Weekend Movie Night: A Royal Night Out
7:30 p.m.
Smiths Falls Station Theatre (53 Victoria Avenue)
$10 cash at the door

SATURDAY

Toledo Community Yard Sale
8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
St. Andrew’s United Church
Breakfast & lunch available.

The Franktown Lilac Festival
8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Breakfast, Children’s Bike Parade, BBQ, Horse Wagon Rides, Ham & Bean Supper, Little Ray’s Reptile Show, Music, Craft Market, Bake sale, Children’s games and activities, garage sales, Antique Vehicle Display, Big Bounce, and much more.

Jumpstart Fundraiser
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Smiths Falls Canadian Tire (10 Ferrara Drive)
BBQ, Bake Sale, Siloki Laser Tag, Smiths Falls Police Bike Rodeo, games and much more

Child Identification Clinic
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Smiths Falls Canadian Tire (10 Ferrara Drive)
Sponsored by St. Francis Masonic Lodge No. 24

A Very Frozen Musical
1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Gallipeau Centre Theatre (361 Queen Street)
Tickets $25

BBQ Dinner
6 p.m.
RCAFA Hall (44 Abbott Street North)
Rib Steak $20 or Pork Chops $12

Weekend Movie Night: A Royal Night Out
7:30 p.m.
Smiths Falls Statin Theatre (53 Victoria Avenue)
$10 cash at the door.

SUNDAY

Urban Ocean Stan-Up Paddle 101
10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Lower Reach Park
75 minutes, $50 plus tax.

Workin’ nine to five, what a way to make a livin’,
Barely gettin’ by, it’s all takin’ and no givin’.
They just use your mind, and they never give you credit,
It’s enough to drive you crazy if you let it!

Who can believe it’s been 36 years since those words and that music burst onto North American movie screens? And who didn’t get swept up in the story of three friends who go to war with their chauvinistic, dim-witted boss? The movie struck a chord with everyone who saw it.

On June 2nd, the Broadway musical version of 9 to 5 will strike a chord all over again, right here in Perth.

“I’m crazy-thrilled about being able to bring 9 To 5: The Musical to Perth!” says C. Lee Bates, the gifted director who has perennially capped off the Studio Theatre’s season of plays with musicals like Little Women: The Musical and The Drowsy Chaperone.

“The Broadway show was written by Patricia Resnick — who also wrote the movie — and of course the music is by the great Dolly Parton,” says C. Lee. “There are rhythmic and key changes in almost every song, with musical styles from Country and Pop to Gospel and Funk. If you loved the movie, you’ll be wild about the musical!”

When 9 To 5: The Musical opened on Broadway it received a record 15 Drama Desk and four Tony Award nominations. While it’s very much a light-hearted comedy, the subtext of gender inequality is still relevant today. Like the movie, it uses humour and satire to make a powerful social message palatable, but still hard-hitting.

With 17 cast members and a full 10-piece orchestra, C. Lee Bates says this show is one of the most ambitious ever mounted by Studio Theatre Productions.

“We have four leads, two featured performers, and an 11-member ensemble, all incredibly talented and experienced musical theatre performers. And what’s a musical without great music? We’re thrilled to have an orchestra of 10 professional musicians, assembled by Mark Bailey and led by Conductor Alexandra Guerin.”

Other production credits go to Jane Stott, Producer; Leah Williams, Vocal Director; and Choreographer/performer Courtney Mason. The set is designed by C. Lee Bates and Reiner Silberhorn, and brought to life by a gifted team of builders, painters and scenic designers. 

Don’t miss this super-energized, terrifically entertaining show when it premieres at the Studio Theatre, 63 Gore Street East, on Thursday, June 2nd for eight performances only. Advance tickets are $25 (cash) at The Book Nook, 60 Gore St. E., and at Tickets Please (ticketsplease.ca) and Shadowfax (shadowfax.on.ca) both of which accept credit cards and charge a convenience fee. Tickets are $27 at the door; students with ID pay just $10 at the door. Attend opening night and save $5! Visit studiotheatreperth.com for details.

— Submitted by the Studio Theatre Perth.

The village of Franktown, established around 1818, was designated the Lilac Capital of Ontario in 1998 and has held an annual festival to celebrate these beautiful and fragrant bushes since 1995.

Lilacs were brought to the area by English and Scottish settlers in the early 1800s and planted around many area farmhouses. The 25 acre parcel of land to the south of Church St between the aptly named Lilac Lane and Highway 15 is home to many colour variations of the common lilac. This area garnered the interest of the lilac team of the friends of the Central Experimental Farm in 2007. Of particular interest were some naturalized hybrid species with double florets. Between 2007 and 2009, four double floret bushes ( two white and two pink) were moved to the nursery at the Central Experimental Farm for study along with a softwood cutting of a bluish coloured variety. These three varieties have now been named in honour of the area.

The pink variety has been named Dixie for Dixina McLellan (an historic owner of the property now running along Lilac Lane). The white one has been named Franktown and blue one Beckwith. A Dixie and a Franktown bush have since been planted along Lilac Lane and in the Ornamental Gardens at the Experimental Farms.

In 2009, Franktown was presented the International Lilac Society’s President’s award to for protecting and honouring this unique collection of lilacs.

This year marks the 21st anniversary of the Lilac Festival and will be celebrated on Saturday, May 28 at Centennial Hall, located at 152 Church St. As always, the festival offers many family-friendly ways to celebrate. This year visitors can celebrate the 200th anniversary of Beckwith Township by dressing in period costume for a chance to win prizes.

Start things off with a hearty pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., hosted by Beckwith Irish Minor Football. Take part in the children’s bike parade, registration for the parade is from 10:15 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. at St James Church. This year’s themes are “spring” and “historical” and winners will be selected from two categories (ages 2 to 5 and ages 6 to 10.) The parade starts at St James Church at 10:45 and runs along Church St to Centennial Hall.

There is a BBQ at Centennial Hall from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., bring a lawn chair and enjoy an afternoon of music with Jamie and Brendan McMunn and guests Jim Simpson and Brad Scott.
Enjoy an historic horse drawn wagon ride down Lilac Lane from 12:00 p.m. till 3:30 p.m. to see the sights. Finish the day off with a ham & bean supper from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. hosted by St. James Church.

All day you can enjoy a craft market, bake sale, face painting, children’s games and activities, various garage sales, restored antique vehicle display, silent auction, 50/50 draw, big bounce, balloon animals and more. Little Ray’s Reptile Show takes the stage at 11:00 a.m. Admission is free. For more information contact the Beckwith Township Office at 613-257-1539 or cmcgregor@twp.beckwith.on.ca.

While we don’t usually encourage crying in public spaces, we’re going to set that preference aside for the Ontario Provincial Town Crier Championships. Taking place in downtown Perth from May 21 to May 22, 2016, the town will welcome town criers from across the region for the 2016 Ontario Guild of Town Crier Championships. It’s a free event, and we encourage the public to come check out the three cries that will happen over the two-day period.

‘Wait, can you explain what a Town Crier does?’

O’yez! You’re in for a little history lesson, my friend. A Bellman or Town Crier could well be described as the original historical news broadcaster. In many early settlements and towns, such as Perth, they were the travelling anchorman for the nightly news: a source of daily information and entertainment. Another traditional term, “Beadle,” was also a bellman and crier, but usually attached to a parish, to a court, or to a specific judge. Here in Perth, we actually had Criers of the Court who were Criers of the Council (later called Messengers of the Council) and who also served as Public Criers.

The Town of Perth’s very own Town Crier, Brent McLaren, will welcome these criers to his hometown. He’ll play host for the weekend, and as such, he won’t be competing. 

Here’s the weekend’s schedule:

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Criers’ Walk
Time: 9:45 AM
Location: Best Western Plus Parkside Inn and Spa
The event officially launches when the Town Criers and their escorts gather at the Best Western Plus Parkside Inn and Spa on Peter Street. They’ll make their way to Crystal Palace with a short walk, and ultimately launching the weekend’s festivities!

The First Cry – a Home Town Cry
Time: 10:30 AM
Location: Crystal Palace
The Town Criers’ task will be to bring greetings from their home town or organization to the Military Settlement at Perth. The Town Criers have been challenged to include our area’s interesting elements in their cry, including agriculture, the Rideau Canal and historic components. Humour is always appreciated, too!
Throughout the morning and especially during the first cry a team of judges will be observing and adjudicating the Escorts and how they assist the Crier and interact with the public. The criteria for the Best Escort award goes far beyond simply best dressed and will be determined by the judges, whose decision shall be final. The award will be presented at the end of this round.
The cries will occur as the Perth Farmers’ Market will be buzzing with business. Local producers and crafters will set up that morning to sell their wares. From fresh produce to home-baked goods to gorgeous flower arrangements, the Perth Farmers’ Market is a hub of activity on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Learn more about the Perth Farmers’ Market.

Second Cry – Promotional Cry
Time: 2:00 PM
Location: Stewart Park
The Second Cry will take place in Stewart Park. The public is encouraged to bring a lawn chair and enjoy the shade and trees, which are part of this beautiful, expansive park, located just behind the Town Hall. Chairs will be available for the Criers and Escorts.
About six weeks before the Championships, a special draw paired each Crier with a local business or organization. The Crier was provided with contact information and some basic background. The objective of this cry is to promote the business or group proving that Perth is truly Aged to Perfection. Criers will be encouraged to use a prop associated with that business or organization.

This cry is also being watched by a special judge(s) who is adjudicating the Crier’s use of wit and humour in their cry.

Sunday, May 22, 2016

The Third Cry – an Historic Cry
Time: 1:30 PM
Location: Crystal Palace
The Town Criers will have had to do their research for this one! They’ve been handed a range of resources documenting our area’s vast history. They’ll then need to take that history and turn it into a cry. Their task will be to bring some element of the local past to light. It could be an event, tell a story or re-enact as if they were at an event that occurred over these past two hundred years! We’re envisioning cries about last duels, cheese, whiskey and more. It will be interesting to see where their interest lies in our history. Let’s be honest: we’re probably going to learn something about our community after hearing these cries.
Following the third and final cry, the scoring will be added up to determine the winners from the weekend. The judges will consist of a range of local community members ranging from theatre producers to historians to artists. They’ll use their expertise and good judgement to mark up the score sheets that weekend.

Join In!
The weekend is expected to be filled with entertainment, laughter, skill and a demonstration of how our 200-year-old community once got its news. Join us in downtown Perth for the two-day championships. The weekend will also include a host of historically themed events, including the Settlers’ Trek and William Morris Plaque Dedication. Learn more at www.perth200.ca

FRIDAY

Lanark Trades Tournament
4 p.m.
Elliot Street Clinic (12 Elliot Street)
Email info@morepep.ca or call the Clinic at 613-267-1660.

SATURDAY

Perth Farmers’ Market
8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Tay Basin Parking Lot

SUNDAY

Settler’s Trek
Tay Basin
A flotilla will arrive at the Tay Basin with local representatives and re-enactors coming to the Perth Military Settlement for the first time.  For more info settlerstrek2016.ca

Perth & District Sports Hall of Fame Induction
3 p.m.
Studio Theatre Perth (63 Gore Street East)

A northward migration will start around noon from Brockville’s Courthouse Green on Sunday, May 15, after a call from Perth’s Town Crier, and a greeting from the Mayor of Brockville.  The journey will end on May 20 at the Tay Basin in Perth.

Settlers Trek 2016 is a re-enactment of the 100-kilometre trek from Brockville to Perth made by the first individuals and families to populate the Perth Military Settlement in 1816. The bicentennial commemoration will be an attempt to recreate the original land and water route as closely as possible, and will coincide with the 200th Anniversary celebration of the Perth Military Settlement.

Families and individuals will be travelling by horse and wagon, on foot, and by canoe. Many will be in period costume, and will appear much like the original group of 40 families who set out from the same spot 200 years ago. The wagon train will consist of five wagons pulled by two-horse teams, followed by two outriders. Some of the participants have direct ancestral links to the original group of settlers and will be leading the trek.  

At the beginning of the journey, retired Brockville Museum curator Bonnie Burke, and Reverend Marianne Emig Munro of the First Presbyterian Church, will be assisting with events on Court House Green in Brockville. Munro’s counterpart from the past, Presbyterian Rev. William Smart, had conducted a ceremony in 1816 at the same spot that launched the first wave of settlers into the region north of the St. Lawrence River.  Also represented will be the Hon. Charles Jones, one of Brockville’s leading citizens from early days.

The procession will travel through the communities of Lyn, Athens, Delta, and Portland, and committee member Liz Theobald is hoping for the size of the daily group to be similar to the original trek. Daily distance will be kept to between 11 kilometres and 20 kilometres. Organizers at the stops are expected to have arranged for daily celebrations, including music, meals, dances, children’s games, singalongs, religious services, military encampments, and demonstrations of skills from the period.

On Wednesday, May 18, the journey will continue from Portland, when a new group of re-enactors will paddle the Rideau and Tay system.  When they arrive at the Tay Basin in Perth on Friday, May 20, the Perth Regional Heritage Fair will have a pioneer encampment in place around the Crystal Palace.

Highlights along the route include an Open House at the Lyn Museum; dinner and entertainment at Athens’ Joshua Bates Centre; a tour of the Old Stone Mill in Delta and entertainment at the Old Town Hall; a military encampment at Hanna Park in Portland, followed by dinner and entertainment at the Legion; a welcome by First Nations, Parks Canada, and a piper at Rideau Ferry public dock; and the many activities at Perth’s Tay Basin.

According to Clark Theobald of the Settlers Trek 2016 Committee, “Members of the original trek were government-sponsored civilians from the British Isles and decommissioned soldiers from the War of 1812 and Napoleonic conflicts.”  The committee is comprised of volunteers with connections to area historical societies, museums, and municipal organizations from each of the communities between Brockville and Perth, and their most recent meeting was on March 1 in Perth.

A Heritage Fair press release describes their part in Perth at the Tay Basin on May 20:  “This unique one-day event is to enhance the historical aspect of the area’s 200th anniversary celebrations.  The morning will be reserved for Heritage Fair students while the Public can view the site from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.  Students from area grade four to eight schools participating in this student history fair will select morning workshops at the Palace from at least nine offered at the ‘Pioneer Encampment’, all with a theme of 19th century skills. Masonry, blacksmithing, tanning, mining, rope and shingle making, canoe construction, along with several military reenactment camps featuring the Canadian Fencibles, the Swiss de Wattevilles and the Fort Henry Guard, guarantee an exciting range of participatory workshop selections.”

Those who wish to participate or volunteer are asked to contact settlerstrek2016@gmail.com or call 613-326-1976.  The main website is www.settlerstrek2016.ca, and Clark Theobald points out that the site will be updated soon with the answers to many frequently asked questions and other pertinent information.