Despite a rainy Saturday that pushed many activities indoors, the Rideau Canal Nautical Heritage Festival still drew visitors to Portland over the weekend as the community celebrated the bicentennial of the start of construction on one of Canada’s most significant waterways.
While steady rain dampened outdoor activities on July 18, many festival-goers gathered inside the Portland branch of the Rideau Lakes Public Library and the community hall, where storytelling, children’s activities, oral history recordings and heritage exhibits continued throughout the day.
Sunday brought warmer, drier weather and a busier waterfront, with visitors taking in antique and heritage boat displays, guided Voyageur canoe tours, pontoon boat rides, demonstrations of traditional Dowsett punt-building techniques and interpretive talks. Although attendance appeared stronger on the second day, several participants noted the overall crowd seemed smaller than last year’s event.
The free, two-day festival marked 200 years since construction of the Rideau Canal began in 1826. More than 75 partners along the Rideau Canal collaborated on anniversary events, with Rideau Lakes and the Portland on the Rideau Historical Society’s Nautical Heritage Group leading the local celebration.
The weekend opened Saturday with ceremonies featuring MPP Steve Clark and former Canadian ambassador to the United Nations Bob Rae. Throughout both days, visitors explored exhibits from Heritage House Museum, met authors and historians, browsed information displays and enjoyed live demonstrations highlighting the canal’s maritime heritage.
The Rideau Lakes Public Library recorded oral histories from residents while also offering themed children’s programming, including storytime, puzzles and boat-building activities.
Sunday’s highlights included a flagpole dedication honouring Sir Charles Edmund Kingsmill, founder and first admiral of the Royal Canadian Navy, followed by a ceremonial naval sail-past and flotilla around Grindstone Island to close the festival.
The celebration also coincided with the Portland Legion’s 100th anniversary festivities, while Brown’s Marina marked its 50th anniversary by offering guided pontoon boat tours throughout the weekend.
The festival commemorated not only the engineering achievement of the Rideau Canal, but also the communities and stories that have grown alongside the UNESCO World Heritage Site over the past two centuries.
The inaugural festival received a $10,000 provincial grant through the Experience Ontario program, with Rideau Lakes planning to build on this year’s event as part of a series of annual celebrations leading up to the Rideau Canal’s bicentennial in 2032.
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