WHITE RIVER -- The theme of this year’s Winnie the Pooh festival ‘Bouncing Back with Winnie and Friends’ is aptly named, as most of us feel that it’s time to re-connect with friends, community and visitors.
There are plenty of activities planned, starting on Friday. Get a jump on the day at the Senior’s Winnie Luncheon, hosted and held at the Senior’s Harmony Club, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Then it’s on with the show! At 3:30, there will be a re-enactment of the events that took place at the train station in White River on Aug. 24, 1914, when Lieutenant Harry Coleburn purchased a bear cub from a trapper for $20. Following the re-enactment, which takes place at the Information Centre, there will be a Shirt-tail parade where you can wear your favourite pajamas and bring your stuffies along. Ribbons will be awarded for youngest, oldest, farthest distance, cutest pajamas and cutest Pooh pajamas.
Motor on down to Superior Street to check out the spectacular ‘Show and Shine’ classic car display at 5 p.m., then hang around to watch the ‘Burn-out’ competition, starting at 6 p.m. If that’s not your cup of tea (with hunny!), then come and explore Winnie’s Market and Trade show and information booths, located at the Community Centre on Winnipeg Street. The market is open from 5 p.m. to 9p.m. on Friday, and Saturday from Noon to 5 p.m.
In the evening, starting at 8 p.m., teenagers and families can wind the day up at the Winnie the Pooh Park, where they can dance the night away with Dr. D-Jay, then settle in to watch the fireworks at dusk.
Saturday starts off with… what else? A parade! Following the theme of ‘Bouncing Back with Winnie and Friends; What makes you happy’, the parade of decorated bikes and wagons will start at 11 a.m. at the Information Centre. You can watch the procession as it winds along Elgin and Winnipeg Streets, ending at the Community Centre.
All day long on Saturday, starting at 12 p.m., you’ll find plenty of things to do and see, not to mention eat.
Down at the Community Centre, kids will be kept hopping at the Winnie’s Funland, with its inflatables, rideables, virtual reality, laser tag and other games and rides. For the older folks, whilst they still may be kids at heart, may prefer catching up with friends at the Beer Garden or shopping at the Market and Trade show, which continues until 5 p.m. on Saturday.
While there, you can stop to watch the entertainment by singers, dancers, comedians and other talented performers from the community. There’s also a ‘Hands-On’ event; local artisans will show off their handmade works, including such items as woodworking, painting, sewing, photography, beadwork and much, much more.
The fun just never stops. A Cornhole tournament for teens and adults runs from 12 to 6 p.m.. A Smoker/BBQ cookoff takes place behind the Community Centre, with judging taking place at 4:30, followed by a feast of pulled pork sandwiches and salads, available for only $10 a plate. If you prefer pasta, you can join the folks at the Continental Dining Lounge from 4 to 7 p.m. for their Penne and Meatballs dinner, which includes salad, desert and beverages.
There’s more dancing to end the evening; this time it’s for the adults. Come and dance to the songs of ‘Obsession’, a popular cover band from Sault Ste. Marie.
Sunday is the last day of the festival, and things slow down to a pace more to Eeyore’s liking. A peaceful day on the lake for the Family Fishing Derby starts at 12 p.m. at Crocker Lake, a six-minute drive west of town. There’s a $5 entry fee (Kids 12 & under are free), which includes prizes and a barbeque lunch.
The final event of the weekend takes place back at the Winnie the Pooh Park, where a double feature will be shown in true classic drive-in style. The first movie, ‘The Bad Guys’, will start at approximately 9 p.m., followed by ‘Jurassic World’. The cost is only $5 per person, per movie.
So, as Winnie the Pooh says, “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”
Fortunately, the Town of White River plans on saying hello again next year and for years to come! For more information and ticket prices, go to the White River Festival Event Page or the Festival’s Facebook page.
