54-40, Blue Rodeo headlining Canal Days
Vancouver-based band 54-40 will headline the 40th annual Canal Days Marine Heritage Festival this summer, with Lowest of the Low and 97.7 HTZ-FM’s Rock Search winner sharing the stage.
Chris Biggs, Jason Barr and Jamie Alton, of 97.7’s Biggs & Barr show, made the announcement at the Mayor’s Luncheon at Sugarloaf Marina Tuesday afternoon.
The trio also talked about a private party on Friday, Aug. 3, at the Scotiabank Patio on West Street, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., with the return of the 97.7 HTZ-FM Biggs & BarrBQ.
Entertainment, they said, will include, Sam Coffey & The Iron Lungs, The Lazys and the 2018 Rock Search winner, including a live broadcast by TJ Connors from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Niagara cover band The Associates take the stage from 8:15 p.m. until 11 p.m.
Canal Days runs Aug. 3 to 6 at Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum, West Street, Lock 8 Park and other locations throughout the city.
Saturday night’s concert will be headlines by Blue Rodeo and feature Freeman Dre and The Kitchen Party, and Mel Monaco, presented by Country 89 and 91.7 Giant FM.
All of the concerts — including a Monday event with Beatles tribute band The Caverners, and Tim E. Hendry, the 2013 King of the World Elvis Tribute Artist World Champion — will take place at the concert series’ new location at H.H. Knoll Lakeview Park. The concerts are being presented by Port Colborne Quarries Inc. and Rankin Construction Inc.
“Canal Days was designed and founded to represent our marine heritage and the historical significance of the Welland Canal, the lakes and the boats,” said Mayor John Maloney.
The mayor said there’s something different each year at Canal Days, but there are also the activities that everyone enjoys, such as the fireworks show on its Sunday night along the Welland Canal following a boat parade of lights.
During Tuesday’s luncheon, sponsors and organizations running events heard the International Kite Festival — it takes
place Saturday, Aug. 4, and offers a unique night fly — and the ever-popular car show — cruising into its 26th year on Sunday, Aug. 5 — have moved to a new location, a large field at the end of Westside Road and Killaly Street West.
Maloney said Empire Sandy; Buffalo, N.Y. fireboat E.M. Cotter; the U.S. brig Niagara; wooden schooner Lettie G. Howard; and the HMCS Oriole, a Royal Canadian Navy sail training vessel based at CFB Halifax, will be docked alongside the canal for people to tour during the fourday festival.
He said while the city would like to have more vessels along the canal, the cost can be prohibitive. One of the vessels coming to the city costs $35,000 for the four days.
“We do with what we can.” At Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum, where Canal Days began in 1979, Arabella’s Tea Room is sponsoring free admission for people over the weekend, said museum curator/director Stephanie Powell Baswick.
She said Floss and Tann’s Cabinet of Curiosity for the Incurably Curious is back this year after proving to be a popular draw last year. There’s also a medieval group that will give visitors a Viking feel.
“We have a sand castle expert coming in Sunday to work with kids five years old and older on building sand castles. That person will be doing a special sculpture for the 40th,” she said.
An interactive marine exhibit kicks off on the weekend and the Niagara Antique Power Show and Great Lakes Model Boat Association are back on the museum grounds.
“We hope to have our timber frame cabin open and loom inside working,” said Powell Baswick, adding all museum buildings will be open.
People wanting to volunteer for the event can email volunteers@portcolborne.ca or call 905-835-2900 ext. 566.
To stay up to date on Canal Days and full event listings, visit www.canaldays.ca, like on Facebook — www.facebook.com/canaldays — and follow the city on Twitter and Instagram at @portcolborne.