Maitland event welcomes seafarers and landlubbers alike
The Maitland Launch Festival is back, with more events than ever.
“We began putting things together last year,” said Anita Benedict, an organizer. “Our theme is, ‘Women in the age of sail,’ and we’ve worked that into the entire event. The women who went to sea in the 1800s are often overlooked in history.”
Celebrations begin Friday, Sept. 21, with a free community social at the High Tides Arts & Community Centre, 9 Church Hill, from 7 to 10 p.m. The evening will include music, snacks and refreshments.
Saturday morning, a nonmotorized parade, with people dressed in Victorian-era clothing, will go through the village. The parade begins near Academy Street, at 10:30 a.m., and ends at Lawrence House.
After the parade, people are invited to head across the road for the 11:15 mock launch of the William D Lawrence.
“We never know how things will go when we launch the replica, but that’s fitting because a lot of people showed up for the launch of the William D Lawrence expecting it to sink,” said Benedict.
During the afternoon, Lawrence House will be the site of a barbecue, bake sale, face painting and a dress up booth.
A youth town crier event will provide children with a chance to be loud, and after that the Nova Scotia Guild of Town Criers will hold their provincial competition.
Benedict, as town crier for the Municipality of East Hants, is the host crier.
At 4 p.m. there will be whisky barrel races at Dawson Dowell Park, where participants will try to be the fastest to carry a whisky barrel through an obstacle course.
More information can be found on the Maitland Launch Festival Facebook page. The mock launch of the William D. Lawrence will be one of the highlights during Maitland Launch Festival, being held this weekend.