Marshville Heritage Festival highlighting history
It takes an army of volunteers to pull off the annual three-day Wainfleet Marshville Heritage Festival.
And with the 29th annual festival fast approaching, those 400 or so volunteers have been mobilized to get the heritage village ready for the 15,000 expected visitors this Labour Day weekend.
Event chair Margaret Robertson said volunteers include those who help out around the grounds throughout the weekend and all of the exhibitors and demonstrators.
“Some of the people have been here for the 29 years, it’s amazing. If we didn’t have them, the festival couldn’t go on.”
Robertson has been with the festival the whole time as well, and has been the chair for 14 years.
She said not much has changed this year for the festival, other than the addition of new entertainment around the grounds and the return of the Canadian horse.
The Canadian horse is a breed that is described as strong, well-muscled, usually dark in colour and used for riding or driving. They descend from horses imported to Canada in the late 1600s and later crossed with other breeds. In April 2002, the federal government passed a bill into law making the Canadian horse the official horse of Canada.
Robertson said the horse will be found in the area behind Wainfleet Arena, where horsepower of another kind will be on display.
“Our car show is there … it’s always big. On Saturday, there will be cars from 1950 and older, Sunday will see cars from 1950 to 1984, and on Monday there will be English cars and vintage motorcycles on display.”
She expects the heritage village barber shop, opened last year with barber tools and equipment donated by the late Bill Sorge of Dunnville, to be a draw again this year.
Inside the arena, barns and pavilion area, visitors will find the juried craft show with more than a hundred crafters selling handmade goods and items.
“The Dean Sawmill is in working order. It was just overhauled and is ready to go,” said Robertson of the popular attraction.
Ropemakers will also be at the sawmill, where children can learn to make their own ropes, and visitors can check out the blacksmith shop, which will be in full operation.
With 15 restored buildings on site, there will be plenty of displays and activities for people to take part in throughout the weekend.
While people are taking in the festival, Robertson said one thing they won’t necessarily see is how garbage is being handled at the event.
“Eco Defenders, a volunteer group, will be looking after our recycling, composting and garbage. There will be much less garbage going to landfill sites.”
The festival runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday to Monday.
General admission is $6, with children under 10 admitted for free. Seniors 65 and over will only have to pay $5 on Saturday, Seniors Day. Parking is free and there will be a people mover to take people from their cars to the festival. Handicap parking will be available in the arena parking lot
For more information, visit www.marshvilleheritagefestival.ca.