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Stonetown Heritage Festival returns to St. Marys for its 22nd year

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Featured acts include FireGuy and the Ultimutts

On Saturday, July 8, 2017, Queen Street will come alive for the 22nd annual Stonetown Heritage Festival. This free event will feature two new signature acts, along with family-friendly activities, food and retail vendors, live music, a street dance and a fireworks show.

The festival will begin at 8:00 a.m., with a pancake breakfast at the St. Marys Farmers’ Market. By 9:00 a.m., the event will be in full swing, with a variety of vendor booths, attractions and activities set up along the street. Festival favourites like the Apple Land Train, Willie ‘B’ Ballooning and Katie the Great will be on hand once again to entertain attendees of all ages. In keeping with its heritage focus, the festival will also feature historical tours of St. Marys.

At 10:30 a.m., 12:30 and 3:30 p.m., FireGuy will wow festival-goers with a performance that fuses fire with skateboarding and juggling. At 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., the Ultimutts will return to Queen Street to reprise their jaw-dropping stunt dog show, which features tightrope walking, piano playing and more.

At 5:00 p.m., a new festival feature will get underway, thanks to the St. Marys Business Improvement Area (BIA). The group is encouraging residents to bring family and friends downtown for a “Bring Your Own Picnic” event. Those interested can come with their own food in hand, or purchase a take-out dinner from a downtown restaurant. The dinner will be accompanied by music, games, street art and fun.

The Outdoor Family Street Dance will follow at 7:00 p.m. The event’s headlining act, The Chris Brine Band will take the stage at 8:00 p.m. and will entertain the crowd with hits from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s, along with millennium rock and new country.

At dusk, festival-goers will enjoy a spectacular display of fireworks, generously provided by the Rotary Club of St. Marys. This year's show will be bigger and better than ever in honour of Canada's 150th birthday.

The Town of St. Mary is still seeking volunteers to help with the event. Various shifts are available between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on the day of the festival. Opportunities include event set-up and tear-down, greeting and directing vendors, distributing event materials and information, and supervising activities. 

This year’s festival is made possible by the generosity of a number of local businesses and organizations. Platinum sponsors include the St. Marys BIA, Meridian, Nick & Dan’s Collision, the Rotary Club of St. Marys, St. Marys Landscaping and Tim Hortons. A full list of gold, silver and bronze sponsors is available at www.stmarysheritagefestival.ca. 

Make a weekend of it

Those looking for an early start to the festivities can attend events on Friday, July 7. The Army and Navy Club’s Bavarian Garden will open at noon. At 7:30 p.m., the Off the Wagon Players are presenting a free play entitled Carved in Stone, Etched in History in the Town Hall Auditorium. The production is an opportunity to reflect on local and national history as part of St. Marys' Canada 150 celebrations.

Events are also scheduled for the afternoon of Sunday, July 9. The St. Marys Museum is hosting its 5th Annual Roaring Twenties Garden party from noon to 3:00 p.m. From 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., the St. Marys Horticultural Society is running its 29th Annual Garden Tour, which will showcase an impressive selection of gardens throughout town and the surrounding countryside.

Additional information

For additional information about the festival, including a full schedule of events and activities, visit www.stmarysheritagefestival.ca. 

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Contact

Brett O’Reilly | Corporate Communications & Events Manager
519-284-2340, ext. 432 | boreilly@town.stmarys.on.ca