Welcome to the Mahone Bay Classic Boat Festival 2008
The planning for the 19th Classic Boat Festival is well underway. This year's festival, scheduled for July 31 - August 3, promises to be one of the busiest yet with activities and events that will interest every member of the family.
The Nova Scotia Boat Builders Association is returning this year to present the In-Water Boat Show. It will give you a unique opportunity to inspect the design and building skills of Nova Scotia's premiere boat builders with more boats available for review on land and in the water. The boats are open for you to board and inspect. The builders will also be available to answer your questions.
There will also be a large contingent of wooden boat classics from the South Shore here, in particular, the Chester Classic Fleet - some of the most beautiful wooden sailboats in existence and almost 100 years old.
On Saturday August 2, the traditional Re-Enactment of the Burning of the Teazer will be staged. The rogue crew of the Teazer, pursued by ships and crew of the Royal Navy, will again be joined by the Kings' Orange Rangers in uniform, the soldiers "mollies" in period costume and other players dressed in the garb of the day. And you can join in!! The Festival Committee extends an invitation to everyone who is planning to come to the re-enactment to wear a costume suitable to the occasion as we turn the Town Wharf into an early 19th century mall where all manner of townsfolk stroll in their finery. Put together a costume of your favourite period character... soldier, sailor, pirate or strumpets; farmer, fishwife, boat builder or tradesperson. You can even dress your youngsters in period costumes. Make it a family event! Every costume will add to the festivity of the Re-Enactment of the Burning of the Teazer. A panel of secret judges will award prizes to recognize the best individual, best military and best family group of costumes. This is your chance to be part of the show.
The prizes in our Grand Raffle are most extraordinary this year and we will again be hosting the Silent Auction on August 2. And, of course, there will be workshops for adults and some for children, harbour tours, ox launch, a street parade, entertainment , great food, our chandlery tent, cardboard boat races and the world famous Fast and Furious Boat Building Competition.
The festival is a result of the combined effort of a committee supported by dozens of volunteers. I would like to invite anyone who has an interest to participate and lend a hand to volunteer to work with the organizing committee. If you can donate a couple hours of your time or perhaps an afternoon or an evening during festival there are many different things for a volunteer to do. Contact the festival coordinator if you are interested to volunteer - it takes many supporting hands to make this event happen.
The festival would not be possible without our Corporate Sponsors as well as the Friends of the Festival. Our sponsors provide the financial resource to bring these plans into reality and present you with this great festival year after year. I would encourage you to give them your support in return. And if you would like to become a Friend of the Festival too, check out the information on how you can become an active member of the Festival Family.
I hope you have planned to come to help us celebrate the Classic Boat Festival this summer. Mahone Bay is a great little town and the Classic Boat festival is the best of its kind you will find. I hope to see you here.
Dave Devenne
Festival Chairperson, 2008