What's new at this year’s Frontenac Heritage Festival?

There will be lots new at this year’s Frontenac Heritage Festival, which will take place February 24, 25 and 26 at various locations across Central Frontenac. To help celebrate their 125th anniversary, the Sharbot Lake United Church will be putting on a dinner on February 25 from 4-6pm at the church. Instead of offering Festival buttons for sale this year, festival organizers have something new up their sleeve. Josh Amlin of Upholstery Bay will be sewing this year’s festival gifts, hand-made red Canadian polar fleece mittens that come with the leather FHF logo and cost $10, with all funds going towards supporting the festival.

Along with the usual demonstrations and displays at the always popular Crow Lake School house, Bob Miller and Mike Procter will be hosting and leading an old-fashioned historical style camp out and sleepover there on Friday February 24. Campers will be provided with straw beds and wool blankets and are invited to bring snacks to cook on the camp fire (they may also bring sleeping bags). Guests must pre-register by calling Mike at 613-279-3151 or Bob at 613-279-3003.

Rudy Hollywood, who founded and helps to organize the festival’s Walk/Run, will be offering a new race this year called the Diaper Dash on Sunday February 26 at 1pm. The dash will feature diaper-clad toddlers who will crawl for 10 feet across the floor at Oso hall. This year race organizers will also be offering new trophies for the fastest times in the 10K races and there will be take home trophies for the first, second and third place winners in the male and females categories of the 10K race. Those wanting to enter any of the races can contact Rudy Hollywood at 613-279-2761.

New also this year will be FHF t-shirts that will be printed with the FHF logo.

Dr. Bell of the Sharbot Lake Family Health Team will be offering visitors a visit to a historic log home that he has rebuilt on his property.

At the Oso hall, along with the usual heritage displays, there will be live musical entertainment and information sessions taking place through the day and evening. Keep an eye out for “Wanted” posters in area post offices advertising some of the unsavory characters people might want to look out for at this year’s festival.

All of the regular favourite events will be back again this year including the Polar Bear Plunge, fireworks, skating and games at the Tichborne rink, the opening breakfast, and the photo and snow sculpture contests. For more information visit the Township of Central Frontenac website, where all of the information will soon be made available.