Sydenham knows how to do Saturday in the Park

Craig Bakay | Jul 24, 2019

Saturday … in the park … I think it was the 20th of July.

With apologies to Robert Lamm, there wasn’t a man selling ice cream but there was a ton of other stuff going on at The Point in Sydenham Saturday for the 3rd Annual Lakes & Trails Festival.

“We’re here today because they like doing things outdoors,” said “closest to an organizer as we get” Ross Sutherland. “And it’s a fun festival for kids.”

Sutherland said the underlying purpose of the Lakes & Trails Festival is three-fold.

“First, it’s a celebration of our natural beauty,” he said. “Second, it’s a celebration of our active lifestyle.

“And (third), it’s about our history and bringing it all together in one place.”

And that’s exactly what they did.

Natural History wise, displays from the Frontenac Arch Biosphere and Reptile and Amphibian Advocacy provided information and a platform for their interests.

“I think it’s very well organized with lots of activities and a great location,” said Julie Servant, executive director of the Frontenac Arch Biosphere. “We’re a community organization ourselves so anything the community does is important for us.

“And it gives us a chance to tell you we’re having a Trails-Fest ourselves, Sept. 28 at Charleston Lake Provincial Park.”

And trails figured prominently on this day as well.

“We’ve had about 40 do the cycling trip with about a couple of dozen doing the 21 kilometre long bike route around the lake,” Sutherland said. “And the dragon boat out there has been quite popular.”

The South Frontenac Museum had a booth set up and there were walking tours of historical Sydenham.

“We even have Wallace’s local roast beef and portabello mushroom sandwiches,” Sutherland said. “Surprisingly, that turned out cheaper than hot dogs and hamburgers would have been.”