Weekend family fun kicks of Thursday and wraps up Sunday
LAURIE WEIR
ELGIN — The fun and excitement of Elgin Days returns from July 10 to 13 with four days of family-friendly events, local entertainment and classic summer traditions. The annual festival draws crowds from across Rideau Lakes and beyond, offering a mix of music, markets, games, food and children’s activities.
A festival favourite is the parade through the village on Saturday, this year featuring “A Canadian Summer” theme.
Festivities begin Thursday evening with bingo at the Lions Hall at 6:45 p.m. A silent auction starts at the same time and continues through the weekend. A sound bath meditation session hosted by Autumn Moon Holistic Wellness runs from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. at the community hall.
Friday’s events include a free coffee club breakfast from 9 to 11 a.m. at the community hall. The evening features a Yuk Yuks comedy show at the Lions Hall, with tickets required. At the Elgin Rink, disco roller skating runs from 5 to 10 p.m. A euchre tournament will also take place at the community hall at 7 p.m.
Saturday is the busiest day of the festival, beginning at 8 a.m. with the Elgin Friendship Club breakfast of egg sandwiches at the community hall and a village-wide yard sale. Free pancakes will be served at Bethel Tabernacle, along with a CWL bake sale. More food, crafts and raffle tables will be set up at Elgin United Church and the Lions Hall, check out the frozen pie sale, and the Elgin Swans’ bake sale with free Freezies.
A plant sale and historic canal display will be held at the Red Brick School House.
Entertainment starts early too. The Rock Dunder Rebels kick off live music on Main Street at 8:30 a.m., followed by performances from Evan and Ron, the Wildflower Trio, and Wright and Lowe. Line dancing and clogging will be going on at vendors’ square.
A vendor market runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the community hall parking lot. A book sale will be happening inside.
Activities for children at Bethel Tabernacle include bouncy castles, hot dogs, popcorn, cotton candy, free face painting and kite flying.
A free pop-up yoga session will be held at The Tipped Ship at 9:30 a.m.
At 10 a.m., the smoked meat sandwich booth opens at Elgin United Church. A community corn roast will begin at 11 a.m. at Fire Hall. Youth can draw chalk art in front of The Tipped Ship. Watch for entertainment at the Tipped Ship including Pat Johnson and Billy MacInnis from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Parade registration starts at 12 noon and participants will start to line up at the high school for a 1 p.m. start down Main Street. The theme is “A Canadian Summer” so let’s see the red and white.
Look for the OPP Canine demo at the Lions Hall and another new event, “Elgin School Days’ at the hall with live music.
The ever-popular chicken barbecue will take place from 4:30 to 6 p.m. hosted by the Fire Association, with 75 meals available starting at 2:30 p.m.
The festival wraps up Sunday with the Val Patterson Memorial Euchre Tournament at the Lions Hall at noon. Silent auctions close at 3 p.m. The weekend concludes with a kitchen party and family open mic session at St. Columbanus Church from 2 to 4 p.m.
A full schedule is available on township bulletin boards and through the Elgin Days Facebook page.
