If you love history and you love being by the water, you won’t want to miss Ladysmith Maritime Heritage Day this Saturday (June 7).
Hosted by the Ladysmith Maritime Society (LMS), Ladysmith Heritage Day runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the LMS Community Marina and features a full day of family activities.
Throughout the day, there will be opportunities to go onboard visiting heritage vessels and the LMS heritage fleet, look through a floating museum and boat shed display, and much more.
Ladysmith Heritage Day chair Rob Pinkerton says they had about 15-18 heritage vessels at last year’s event, and there will be even more this year. He is expecting about 25 boats this year, and he says many of them are new.
“It’s a combination of work boats and pleasure boats and conversions,” said Pinkerton. “There will be a lot of pretty boats. A lot of them might not be considered heritage, but they’re very pretty — a lot of nice woodwork and very well-kept. There are some old tugs, little boats and big boats.”
During the festival, Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCM-SAR) Ladysmith Unit 29 will hold a dedication ceremony for its new rescue vessel at 11 a.m.
The Ladysmith and District Marine Rescue Society has been raising money for the new fast response vessel for the past two years, and society members, RCM-SAR Unit 29 volunteers, local dignitaries and volunteers from other marine rescue units in this region will be at the marina to formally dedicate the boat to the community.
Down on the docks, you’ll be able to explore the Ladysmith Harbour with free harbour tours and $15 hovercraft rides to raise money for RCM-SAR Unit 29.
As well, three local marine artists — Michael Dean, Kath Stroman and Judy Button — will be showcasing their work.
In the LMS upper lot, the Mid-Island Tractor and Equipment Club will share a variety of interesting equipment, including an old-fashioned door frame maker from an old mill in Nanaimo that was used in the early 1900s.
“Hopefully, we’ll be getting to see vintage cars as well,” said Pinkerton.
For more information about Ladysmith Heritage Day, click here.
