When Janet Gutowski called the first meeting for the Frontenac Heritage Festival sometime last spring, she was a first-term councillor in Central Frontenac, fighting an uphill battle to become mayor. There was every chance that she would have had lots of time after November to work on the festival.

That all changed when she became Mayor Janet and assumed numerous new duties. Luckily, a strong committee was in place by that time, and although there were a few glitches, the first ever Frontenac Heritage Festival drew good crowds to most of its events on a sunny winter weekend in Sharbot Lake and environs.

The festival was built around a gathering of 30 sign makers from across the country, who descended on the Oso Hall early in the week, and in short order completed two massive murals, all the while participating with students from Sharbot Lake High School in their winter carnival events.

The Heritage Festival was kicked off on Thursday at a ceremony featuring the Native Women’s Drum at the North Frontenac Telephone company, which had been turned into a veritable museum display by Cheryl Matson using antique furniture and quilts, most of which were lent to the festival by Dr. Peter Bell.

Other highlights of the festival included a square dance, a kitchen party at Sunsets Restaurant, a volunteer fair and First Nations food event, and an ATV and Snowmobile event called the Safe and Sober Alliance Snow Rodeo, which was held at the new fire hall in the village.

Even as the closing ceremonies were taking place on Sunday in front of the newly completed murals, and a beaming Mayor Janet said that she estimated about 800 people attended the festival events, 150 people were out on the rink at Tichborne, holding a winter family fun day as an impromptu part of the festival.

The Festival Committee will meet next week to start planning the second annual event.