If you happened by the Canoe Museum on Saturday you know what I’m talking about! The Museum was humming with energy and excitement as visitors, vendors, boat enthusiasts and Museum supporters took part in the day’s activities.
The weather did its best to cooperate, and the rain managed to hold off for most of the morning. Demonstrations by Lee Valley Tools, ORCKA, the Carlisle Canoe Company, Michael Fortune, the Fort Severn Project and Canoe Museum artisans kept visitors entertained throughout the day.
Kids took part in soapstone carving and the Museum’s latest interactive activity: Wearable Canoes. Thanks to Starbucks and volunteers at Café Canoe our visitors and vendors were kept well caffeinated and fed throughout the day.
Fans of NBC’s Parks and Recreation came out in record numbers to attend a Wine and Cheese Q&A hosted by Nick Offerman (Ron Swanson). Off-camera Nick is a boat builder, wood worker, canoeist and proprietor of the Offerman Woodshop. Nick’s long-time friendship with Ted Moores and Joan Barrett of Bear Mountain Boats (for whom he completed an instructional video with friend and artist Jimmy DiResta) first introduced him to the world of canoe building and The Canadian Canoe Museum.
In the evening Nick was the featured speaker at a packed dinner honouring 40 years of Bear Mountain Boats and Ted Moores (congratulations Ted!) What a fantastic event.
It is thanks to the hard work of many volunteers, staff, supporters and vendors that the day was such a success. However, a big congratulations and thank you must be extended to the event’s intrepid organizers: Carolyn Hyslop, Public Programs Coordinator at the Canoe Museum, and Joan Barrett of Bear Mountain Boats. What a day, we can’t wait for National Canoe Day next year!
