20th Annual Launch Day Event
It's just like 1874 again. That is when the WD Lawrence, the largest full-rigged ship ever launched in Canada, slipped into the waters of the Bay of Fundy from the Lawrence shipyard along the Maitland shore, to the applause of thousands of spectators.
On Friday, Sept. 22, and Saturday, Sept. 23, Nova Scotians can help re-enact the celebration of the great launch at the 20th Annual Maitland Launch Day festival.
Visitors can put on their favourite Victorian attire, bring the family and visit Maitland, Hants Co., for a variety activities. On Friday, at 5 p.m., fans can cheer on the competitors in the "preliminaries" of the whiskey-barrel races at Dawson Dowell Park. At 7 p.m., visitors can enjoy a folk music concert at St. David's Church featuring the Cantabile Choir. Tickets are $8 for adults and are available at the door.
On Saturday, starting at 10 a.m., visitors can experience the excitement and bustle of activity as villagers in mid-1800s' costume gather for fun, food, demonstrations of heritage crafts, and many maritime-related special events.
The festival's official parade of villagers in Victorian costume starts at 12:30 p.m. and processes along the main street to Lawrence House Museum. Visitors will meet characters such as shipwrights, caulkers, and ships' captains awaiting the next high tide. Following the parade will be a re-enactment of the launch and the banishment of a whiskey pedlar, both based on actual historic events.
Other activities on the museum grounds include a performance by the Playford Dancers, a display of sailing ship exotica, and demonstrations of heritage arts and crafts such as traditional sail making. The day's events finish with the whiskey-barrel race finals.
The festival includes plenty of food. At Lawrence House lunchtime, enjoy a hot dog cooked by Scouts from the 1st Maitland troop. At dinnertime take in a turkey dinner or a baked bean, ham and salad meal at one of the church suppers in the village.
Visitors to Lawrence House Museum can discover the story of shipbuilder, entrepreneur and politician, W.D. Lawrence and his family. They also get an in-depth look at the maritime history of the Maitland area. Admission to the museum is free all day Saturday, Sept. 23.
The annual Maitland Launch Day is organized by the community's Launch Day Committee in partnership with Lawrence House Museum and with support from the Municipality of East Hants.
For a complete schedule of events see the website at lawrence.museum.gov.ns.ca . For more information call 902-261-2628. Lawrence House Museum is part of the Nova Scotia Museum family. The museum remains open to the public every day until Oct. 15.